I just noticed in a blog a misquote or incomplete quote of the truth regarding tiger census by pugmark tracking. Therefore, this note. Pugmark tracking is still the undisputed best method which can give us details about the 'minimum' total tiger number, the population composition, their spatial districution, and facts like, which cub is attached to which tigress, and which tigresses are in the movement area of which tiger. The PIP (Pug Impression Pads) used for tracking are like cameras which remain open 24hours for all days. However, as I have said earlier, it all depends on the user, how you use it.
Regarding the number in Similipal, the trend had already been predicted long back, in mid 1990s; paper published in Indian Forester. The blogger I mentioned in the beginning has happily forgotten to mention that. People have to be realistic-- man and tiger cannot coexist. Evolution of the human society is something very inevitable, and all others are becoming subsidiary to that.
