Tiger is reaching higher places in Sikkim.
If you thought 3,640 metres was the highest place to hear a tiger’s roar, think again. The roar can now be heard at 3966 metres.
Camera traps placed by the Sikkim forest department in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) have got a picture of a tiger at 3966 metres which is now the highest altitude where a tiger has been sighted.
“We found a tiger at 3966 metres at Kyongnosla Wildlife Sanctuary and there is every possibility that tigers can be found at higher altitudes. The picture was taken on August 9,” a senior forest department official said.
This is the second-highest record globally after Bhutan.
Earlier in 2019, Tiger was recorded from North Sikkim (3602 m) and in 2023 from Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary at (3640 m).
“Gaur (also known as Indian bison) was (also) observed at an elevation of 3568 m from Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary which is a world record,” a Sikkim forest department statement said.
Referring to the historical and the recent camera trap records, Wildlife scientist Atharva Singh it is likely that the big cat is found above 4000 meters in Sikkim.
“Though there are assumptions of the tiger moving towards the higher altitude due to changing climate, more long-term studies would be required to understand the changing climatic trends with respect to the tiger movement in the region. Interestingly there have been accounts of tigers at 4,000 meters in 1924 by Frederick Bailey, a British intelligence officer near Nathula. Considering the growing developmental infrastructures across the borders of Sikkim, the factors causing the range shift of the tiger (if at all it is occurring) could possibly be purely due to rising anthropogenic pressure,” Singh said.
“The occurrence of Gaur at such high altitudes is a rare observation as they mostly remain below 1800 m. Gaur is the world’s largest cattle species and is endemic to south and southeastern Asia, and most of its population occurs in India. Gaur plays an important role in the food chain being an important prey for large carnivores such as tigers, common leopards, and Asiatic wild dogs. Other animals photographed in the camera traps include Sambar, Dhole or wild dog, Himalayan Black Bear, Musk Deer, Serow, Mithun, Goral etc. The availability of such rich wildlife is a confirmation of the conservation efforts of the Government of Sikkim,” the state forest department said.
Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary in East Sikkim, India. It is situated around the area adjoining the Tsomgo (Changu) lake along Nathula Road. Located about 31 km (19 mi) east of Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, the sanctuary covers an area of about 31 sq km and extends from the “15th Mile” police checkpoint up to and along the ridges bordering the Rong Chu Valley and Lake Tsomgo. Rich in both flora and fauna, rare, endangered ground orchids and rhododendrons interspersed among tall junipers and taller silver firs are among the important plants present. Rhododendron niveum (the State Tree of Sikkim) and Cypripedium tibeticum (the ground slipper orchid), which is on the verge of extinction, have also been introduced at Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary which is part of the Sacred Himalayan Landscape.
The Global Tiger Forum (GTF) is implementing a project to address the challenges of tiger conservation in Sikkim supported by IUCN’s Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation Programme, funded by the German Cooperation via KfW Development Bank.
“Recent camera trap surveys have provided evidence towards the presence of the most charismatic species “Tiger” in the state. The presence and movement of the tiger, usually on a seasonal basis, is also reported by locals of the northern and eastern regions of Sikkim. It is likely that the tigers may have always occurred in Sikkim, however, very little is known about their status, distribution, and their migration routes (inter-state, intra-state, and trans-border). Evidence of tiger presence across the Eastern borders (in Bhutan) further highlights the importance of safeguarding transboundary forest linkages,” the GTF says.
It says during the last two centuries, the tiger population has been declining due to increasing anthropogenic pressures, viz. forest fragmentation, fuel wood collection, poaching and illegal trade, and other reasons. The state of Sikkim is not an exception to these anthropogenic pressures. The State is a critical corridor for the majestic Big Cat in the Eastern Himalayas, and with increasing anthropogenic stressors, tiger conservation in Sikkim has become more pertinent for preserving the genetic diversity and long-term survival of the tiger and its prey.
The overall project objective is to establish and standardize protocols for tiger monitoring and research in the state, reduce the human-wildlife/ human-tiger interface, increase the overall household income of the local community; strengthen institutional capacity and maintaining effective monitoring and patrolling regime, while also maintaining the sanctity of the environment.
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The project will focus on the assessment and monitoring of species and their habitats including the corridor (within Sikkim, Sikkim-West Bengal state border and Sikkim-Bhutan international border); strengthen the capacity of the forest personnel towards tiger conservation and its monitoring through training programs and by providing protected area infrastructure i.e., portable patrolling camps along with safety gear.
The project will address ongoing human-wildlife conflict issues, through the installation of solar fencing and other appropriate human-wildlife conflict mitigation measures, while also addressing issues related to feral dog impact and possible spread of zoonotic diseases. It will also provide opportunities for sustainable livelihood by promoting ecotourism, nature guide training, providing market linkage and value addition to local produce, which simultaneously supports community development and reduces forest dependency of the community.
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