Counting Tiger from Pugmark - Training film 1998 скачать в хорошем качестве

Counting Tiger from Pugmark - Training film 1998

Video quality can be improved but technically the first of its kind, made in 1998. Though long, there are suitable breaks. Pugmark tracking tell about the biology and not just the number of tigers. Pugmark tracking of tiger gave the first tiger population in India in 1972. The method was refined in many aspects in my Similipal days during 1990s. I used to move between places, or organise trainers' training at Similipal. In 1998, because of my wife's (who is no more) serious sickness I couldn't move out of Similipal but training and census operations were to be conducted. With the help of local technicians and staff of Similipal this video was created. It was first of its kind to pass on the technology. It served our purpose. For more people to appreciate the simple method, it is now uploaded in YouTube. Refined pugmark tracking, 1990s at a glance a. It is often difficult to see the tiger because of vegetation density. But pugmark, scat, scrap-signs, urination-marking, animal kills and growls are evidences. For census the pugmarks are searched and identified. b. During Dec/Jan the weather is dry and cool. The forest undergrowth is still very dense hence, the tiger’s movement is limited. Census is completed before 10th January. c. It is easy to see the pugmark tracks on dusty roads. Otherwise, PIPs (pug impression pads) of dusty soil are prepared before the actual census begins. d. First, we locate all census units in our census area. For each census unit we select a few census routes. Along each census route we have to lay-out the PIPs. e. The PIP is laid out at such points that a tiger cannot avoid it. h. The census is conducted for six days, during this period each PIP shall be checked at least twice. (For example, on day 1 and day 4, or day 2 and day 5, or day 3 and 6). i. In a tiger’s pugmark there is the impression of the paw and four toes. The paw is trilobed at the back and in the front it appears flat. If the pugmark is that of the left, then the third toe impression, counted from left, is ahead of others. If the pugmark is that of the right then the third toe impression, counted from right, is ahead of others. j. While walking at normal speed the impression of the front pug gets overlapped by the impression of the hind pug. While walking at a slower or faster speed, the impression of all four pugs, left-right and front-hind are visible in a tiger-track. (i) The front pugmark is often found near the water edge from a tiger drinking water. It is larger and squarish. In male, the pugmark breadth (PMB) is wider than long pugmark length (PML). (ii) The hind pugmark of a male fits to a ‘biological’ square, with the difference between PML and PMB being less than 1.5cm. The hind pugmark of a female fits to a rectangle. k. The pugmarks of an adult leopard appear similar to that of a tiger cub. But the stride of leopards is longer, about 12-14 times the PML. than the stride of a tiger cub. For a minimum pugmark length of 9.0 cm. The stride for a tiger cub is about 10 times its PML. Generally, the pugmark of the mother can be seen near the pugmarks of the cub. l. The diagram of pugmark is drawn on a ‘Tiger Tracer’. The pugmark trace is then transferred from the tracer to the data sheet (form-D). m. In the field, in a fresh pugmark the pad and toe impression appear with clear and sharp edges. The stride is measured from the front edge of a paw as it is least disturbed. n. Form-D is also filled with field data concerning the census unit, census leader, the location and number etc. of PIP, the direction of pugmark from movement, the name of staff who records all data and draws the tracing. A plaster cast is also made for reference. o. With the above procedures we can bring back with us the tracings and plaster casts of the pugmarks to our analysis room. Analysis involves careful categorization of male-female-cub for tiger and leopard, then elimination of overlaps along adjoining PIPs or adjoining census routes. Deduced cubs are linked with the possible mother in the movement area, and the females linked to possible males in the area. The tigers of three categories are then marked on a map to show their spatial distribution.