Tadoba’s machan census reveals 42 tiger sightings amidst thriving wildlife

Chandrapur: The Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) has recorded 42 tiger sightings as part of a massive 5,765-animal count during its annual ‘machan census'. Conducted on May 1, to coincide with the Buddha Purnima moon, the exercise tracked wildlife activity around parched waterholes during the peak summer heat.The census highlights a robust ‘prey-predator' relationship. Herbivores dominated the data, accounting for over 53% of sightings, with spotted deer (1,745), grey langur (1,020), and sambar (623) leading the count. This dense prey base supports the reserve's apex predators. Observers recorded 42 tigers and 13 leopards across the core and buffer zones.A notable trend in this year's census was the high level of public participation in the buffer areas. While forest staff managed 99 machans in the core forest, citizens booked 54 of the 69 available machans in the buffer zone through an online system. Interestingly, tiger sightings were higher in the buffer area (23) than in the core (19), suggesting that wildlife is thriving well beyond the strictly protected central forest.Beyond the ‘big cats,' the census documented diverse species including Indian gaur (547), wild boar (480), and over 500 Indian peafowl. Rare sightings of the sloth bear (80) and honey badger (8) further underscore the park's ecological health.Field Director Prabhu Nath Shukla said that this data is vital for long-term habitat management and conservation planning. By monitoring these patterns, authorities can better protect the delicate biological corridors that make Tadoba a premier tiger habitat.