Pictures of tigers captured on camera trappings challenge the widely accepted fact that the only species of tiger inhabiting the country is the royal Bengal tigers.
Camera trapping in Jigme Dorji Wangchuk national park (JDWNP) last year captured a tiger different from those normally spotted in the country’s many parks such as the
Nature conservation division’s chief forest officer Dr Sonam Wangyel said that tigers found in JDWNP were stouter, had bushy fur and their facial structure resembled a Siberian tiger of Russia.
“They’re quite small built, compared with their counterparts in the other parks,” he said. Dr Sonam Wangyel wonders what caused their physical differences, which only a genetic analysis could confirm.
“It could be a natural adaptation or probably some level of inbreeding is taking place that may actually lead to genetic depression,” he said. “It could also be associated with their mutation manifested in their appearances.”
In absence of a
Pockets of survey and village reports, he said, showed that except for Sakteng wildlife sanctuary, JDWNP, JSWNP, Tursa nature reserve, Phibsoo wildlife sanctuary, royal Manas national park, Thrumshingla national park, Bumdeling wildlife sanctuary, and Wangchuk centennial park all spotted tigers.
“Through my research, I found out that the territories of tigers and leopards don’t overlap he said. “Wherever I’ve captured tigers in the cameras no leopards were captured.”
The national tiger recovery program draft says that Bhutan is unique in having tigers at altitude as 4,100 m in the north.
“It represents the only tiger ecotype adapted to live in high altitude habitats,” it said. Source: Kuenselonline
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