A new study indicates that tigers and humans may be able to co-exist after all.
- An International team of scientists have been using camera traps to examine tiger density in and around Chitwan National Park, Nepal during 2010 and 2011.
- Apparently tiger populations “remained high despite the ubiquitous presence of people on foot or in vehicles”, a good sign for tiger conservation.
- Habitat destruction, loss of prey, and poaching are the driving forces behind depleting tiger numbers and there are currently believed to be just 4,000 left.
- Tigers have so-far adapted to human presence in the region by being more active at night and less during the day, avoiding times when humans are most active.
- It is believed conservation can benefit from such knowledge, for example, restricting car traffic at night could decrease disturbance/road deaths of tigers.
- This is a refreshing story considering the plight faced by tigers and hopefully more research like this can lead to tigers and humans existing together in harmony.
Want to learn more? See http://news.mongabay.com/2012/0904-tigers-people-coexist.html