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Introduction

Manas Tiger Reserve (MTR) derives its name from the river Manas, which is a tributary of the mighty Brahmaputra. It is located in the Himalayan foothills, is densely forested and has a contiguous boundary with Royal Manas National Park, Bhutan.

Manas Tiger Reserve is one of India’s first tiger reserves, declared in 1973, under Project Tiger. It was declared a World Heritage Site (Natural) by UNESCO in 1985. However, in 1992, UNESCO put it in the list of World Heritage Sites in Danger due to heavy poaching and extremist activities. Its status was restored again in 2011. The TR became part of a biosphere reserve in 1989 and an elephant reserve in 2003. In 2006, the one horned rhino was re-introduced in MTR, and in 2021 a pair of Asiatic buffaloes (one male and one female) were translocated from Manas TR to Chhattisgarh.

The first addition of 350 km² of area was made to Manas TR in 2016. There are no forest villages in the core of the TR except some issues of encroachment. 56 villages are located on the fringes of the reserve. In addition to these villages, many more surrounding villages are directly or indirectly dependent on the TR. The TR management has taken some excellent steps by stopping the entry of private vehicles inside the reserve and stopping night stays in the Mothanguri facility from the tourist season starting October 2022. These had been going on from olden times. These steps would definitely benefit the tigers and the TR in the long run.

Manas Tiger Reserve is CATS-accredited and was awarded the Global Tiger Conservation Excellence Award 2020 jointly with Royal Manas National Park. The IUCN WCPA—International Ranger Award—Wildlife Warrior Award was conferred on the Manas National Park Ranger Team (frontline staff) with a special “Highly Commended” certificate.

The Manas River flows through the west of the TR and serves as the international boundary between India and Bhutan. This river splits into two rivers—Bwrsi and Bholkaduba—as it reaches the plains. Five other smaller rivers also flow through the TR. The annual average rainfall is around 3330 mm.

Manas Tiger Reserve is one of the richest biodiversity areas in the world, and the main vegetation types include Sub-Himalayan Light Alluvial Semi-evergreen Forests in the northern parts, East Himalayan Mixed Moist and Dry Deciduous Forests, Low Alluvial Savanna Woodland and Assam Valley Semi-evergreen Alluvial Grasslands, which cover almost 50% of the TR. Manas TR, thus, has some of the largest remaining grassland blocks in the sub-Himalayan grassland ecosystems.

A total of 543 plants species have been recorded from the core zone of Manas TR. Of these, 374 species are dicotyledons (including 89 trees), 139 are monocotyledons, and 30 are pteridophytes and gymnosperms. Some of the important tree species are Aphanamixis polystachya, Anthocephalus chinensis, Syzygium cumini, Syzygium formosum, Syzygium oblatum, Bauhinia purpurea and Mallotus philippensis. The grasslands are dominated by Imperata cylindrica, Saccharum naranga, Phragmites karka, Arundo donax, Dillenia pentagyna, etc.

Manas Tiger Reserve is home to tigers and rhinos, in addition to 60 species of mammal, 50 species of reptile, 250 species of butterfly and 475 bird species. Some of the important wild animals, in addition to the tiger, are the elephant, rhinoceros, gaur, wild water buffalo, leopard, clouded leopard, Asian golden cat, jungle cat, leopard cat, fishing cat, marbled cat, wild dog, Assamese macaque, slow loris, black giant squirrel, porcupine, Indian pangolin, Chinese pangolin and wild boar. MTR is home to some rare and endangered endemic species like the Assam roofed turtle, hispid hare, golden langur and pygmy hog. It is also famous for its population of the wild water buffalo.

The MEE team, after its visit to the TR from 19 to 22 September 2022, has the following observations with respect to its strengths, weaknesses and required immediate actions:

Management Strengths:

Manas Tiger Reserve is one of the richest biodiversity areas in the world and forms a part of the larger Transboundary Manas Conservation Area (TraMCA) with its connectivity with Royal Manas National Park of Bhutan in the north and Buxa TR of West Bengal in the west.
In addition to the tiger, one-horned rhino and Asiatic wild buffalo, MTR is also the home to some of the rare and endangered endemic species like the Assam roofed turtle, hispid hare, golden langur and pygmy hog.
There is a high level of motivation, willingness and a sense of pride amongst the frontline staff.
The TR has the additional support of 51 personnel of the Assam Forest Protection Force, who are equipped with automatic weapons.
MTR enjoys the support of other conservation partners. This includes Bodoland Territorial Council, the communities around the TR, NGOs and CSR organizations.
The Critical Tiger Habitat of the reserve is inviolate as there are no villages inside the TR except for encroached areas and a seed farm area.

Management Weaknesses:

MTR has issues of encroachment. There are four patches of about 36.78 km² area in the original core area and in the first addition area. Some of these areas are now under habitations. The management has made attempts to remove the encroachment and had put boundary pillars in these areas. However, there was public pressure, and the pillars were removed. The MEE team could observe these removed boundary pillars, demarcating the core.
Although the pygmy hog, Bengal florican and hispid hare are found in the same habitat, population estimates are available only for the Bengal florican. Estimations of the other two species have not been attempted so far. Similarly, there is no institutional mechanism to monitor seasonal migrations of important species of bird like the bar-headed goose.
Significant areas, particularly grasslands, are infested with invasive species like Chromolaema odorata and Leea crispa. A grassland management action plan has been provided for the removal of invasive species. However, so far the management has not been able to implement the plan effectively due to a lack of funds.
Though MTR forms part of a large landscape, the connectivity and corridor areas are perforated and fragmented due to presence of settlements.
The anti-poaching camps at various places are prone to elephant damage. Presently these camps do not have a safety mechanism to ward off these animals.
Even though the staff position has improved a bit after the last MEE, there are still many vacancies. This is presently being managed by deployment of Home Guards and the NGO Service Providers. But they lack proper orientation and training as far as wildlife management is concerned. Moreover, they do not get the facility of rations, like the regular staff of the TR.
The infrastructure, in general, of MTR is old and requires upgrading. The condition of the buildings available with the TR is not satisfactory, and they require major maintenance works. Moreover, the number of fit and working vehicles is not commensurate with the requirements of the TR.
The veterinary hospital building is ready, but it does not have the equipment needed for dispensing the services expected of it efficiently.
The social, cultural and spiritual values of the tiger reserve, which may include the sacred groves, sacred trees, local deities/icons, folklore, etc. are yet to be documented in detail.
The single string solar fencing put up by Wildlife Trust of India, at the time of the visit of the MEE team, was not found to be very effective.
Very late receipt of the first instalment of CSS funds (in the last days of March) translates into non-claiming of the second instalment of CSS funds, thus putting the tiger reserve at a great disadvantage.
A Local Advisory Committee (LAC) is yet to be constituted for Manas TR that reviews the tourism strategy, ensures site-specific norms regarding constructions, advises local and state governments and regularly monitors all tourist facilities as well as operations to ensure that the wildlife is not disturbed when visitors are taken into the reserve.
Control of the complete area of tiger reserve is yet not with the Field Director.

Immediate Actionable Points:

The state government, the Bodoland Territorial Council and the TR management will have to take urgent steps for getting the encroachments relocated. This will make the TR inviolate and a habitat conducive for tigers and other species. Reclaiming the area from the Seed Farm Area, Kokilabari can be taken up on priority first followed by eviction of Betbari and Panbari areas. As eviction of some of these areas is is extremely difficult, some innovative strategies for rationalization of these areas will have to worked out. In this situation, the state government/Bodoland Territorial Council and the MTR management may explore the possibility of notifying portions of Raimona National Park as part of the core of MTR so that the boundaries of the core area of TR are rationalized for maintaining the ecological integrity of the reserve and retaining the habitation areas in the buffer zone.
The initiatives of the TR management in terms of stopping night stays at Mothanguri and entry of private vehicles and restricting vehicles coming from the Bhutan side must be continued and implemented strictly.
Although rhinos have been reintroduced in the reserve, the state government must consider maintaining their numbers to the peak carrying capacity of olden times. Efforts should not be made to enhance the rhino numbers in the TR by forcing habitat interventions as there might be parallel increases in prey, elephant and tiger numbers, resulting in conflict situations.
The tiger reserve management needs to capture all violations including grazing, fodder, fuel and small wood collection, and a database must be maintained to plan and execute necessary actions of the Field Director.
The population estimation exercise also include critical species like the pygmy hog, hispid hare, Bengal florican and swamp deer. The TR also needs to put in place an institutional mechanism to monitor seasonal migrations of important birds like the bar-headed goose.
The state government may take steps to ensure timely releases of both central and state shares of Centrally Sponsored Schemes and of state schemes. The state should also provide sufficient funds to MTR for the maintenance of its buildings which are presently not in very good shape.
The entire area of the TR should be put under the control of the Field Director.
The single-string solar power fencing put up by the Wildlife Trust of India along a certain length of the reserve’s boundary needs to be converted into multi-string fencing to make it more effective, and all efforts should be made to electrify more lengths of the boundary.
The Field Director, MTR may consider installation of solar powered fences around the anti-poaching camps to prevent damage from raiding animals like elephants. Till this is put in place, elephant-proof trenches may be made around these camps.
Urgent action is required to provide necessary equipment in the veterinary hospital so that it becomes operational immediately.
MTR has initiated the process of upgrading old anti-poaching camps and construction of new camps. The TR management may prepare a list of items/equipment required for each of these anti-poaching camps and then put them in each camp. This will help in making the stay of the staff in these camps comfortable and longer. To instil a sense of healthy competition among the anti-poaching camps, the management of MTR may consider awarding one best-kept anti-poaching camp every month.
The state government needs to fill up the staff vacancies, including those of Forest Rangers, on priority so that the management, including the protection, of the TR is not adversely impacted. The Home Guards, the NGO Service Providers, etc. all need to be oriented, sensitized and trained in wildlife aspects as soon as possible. Similarly, a sympathetic consideration is required of providing rations for Home Guards, etc. on par with the regular employees.
The state government needs to sympathetically consider providing vehicles to the TR commensurate to their requirements. The FD may also take action on mobilizing more CSR funds from PSUs, business houses, etc. and getting vehicles and other support from donors.
The Field Director, Manas Tiger Reserve, needs to carry out an elaborate exercise to compile all the published research with respect to the TR and keep it in the public domain, find out research gaps and formulate a strategy for long-term research. This strategy should be implemented using internal resources of the TR and Tiger Conservation Foundation (TCF) and networking with other research institutions. New studies may include (a) impacts, if any, of shifting/advancing the burning period of grasslands in the TR from December to March, (b) development of a methodology to estimate populations of endangered species like the pygmy hog and hispid hare, which are endemic to Manas TR, and (c) documentation of social, cultural and spiritual values of the TR for the residents of the fringe areas for eliciting the support of communities.
The management should not only strengthen the eco-development committees but also take up income-generating activities to widen the livelihood options for fringe-area communities. This will require coordination with various other government departments and active involvement of TCFs.
Capacity building and regular skill upgrading are critical for the effective management of the TR. Therefore, a long-term arrangement for building the capacity of the staff should be put in place.
TCF has a wider objective of inclusive management of the larger tiger landscape by strengthening scientific management, building the support of local communities through eco-development and creating a larger constituency for the TR. Therefore, TCF need to be strengthened in terms of sources of income, technical staff and activities in the field. For enhancing the resources of TCF, increasing the entry fees of the TR should be considered. The resources from CSR should also be further explored for TCF. Creation of a corpus fund and putting in place a working manual as per the guidelines of the NTCA is urgently required for the effective functioning of the foundation and its sustainability.
It was learnt that there are some thoughts of opening new routes beyond the prescribed limits of TCP and keeping the TR open throughout the year. These steps will violate the carrying capacity principles of the reserve. Therefore, any new tourism initiatives should not compromise the carrying capacity of the TR.

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Manas Tiger Reserve

Introduction

Management Strengths:

Management Weaknesses:

Immediate Actionable Points:

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