Mumbai, 04th October 2024: The Habitats Trust, in partnership with the Vivek PARC Foundation and the Tripura Forest Department, announces the release of “Status of Mammals in the Protected Areas of Tripura: A Rapid Assessment.” This report presents a detailed survey of the rich mammalian biodiversity within Tripura’s protected regions, highlighting the importance of science-based conservation efforts to preserve the state’s ecological wealth.

Conducted between January and April 2024, the study spanned Tripura’s key protected areas: Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary & Clouded Leopard National Park, Rowa Wildlife Sanctuary, Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary, Bison National Park, and Gumti Wildlife Sanctuary. It offers a comprehensive snapshot of mammalian diversity, documenting both common and rare species, while also highlighting threats to their habitats. The study was led by Vivek PARC Foundation researchers Omkar Patil and Dr. Ashutosh Joshi, with support from The Habitats Trust’s Technology for Conservation team, which provided technical inputs in survey design and data analysis, along with a grant for the project.

The study reveals important discoveries that reaffirm Tripura’s status as a critical part of the global biodiversity hotspot in the Indo-Burma region. Using techniques like camera trapping and line transects, the research team captured images of elusive species, such as the leopard cat, fishing cat, and crab-eating mongoose. Significantly, the first-ever camera-trap images of the Ferret Badger in Gumti Wildlife Sanctuary were recorded. Additionally, evidence of large carnivores, including a suspected Clouded Leopard scat in Clouded Leopard National Park, provides hope for the continued presence of these apex predators.

The Relative Abundance Index (RAI) derived from camera traps gave valuable insights into species distribution, with common palm civets and crab-eating mongooses showing the highest RAI values. These findings demonstrate the critical role that Tripura’s protected areas play in sustaining diverse mammalian communities and emphasize the urgent need to protect entire ecosystems that support a wide range of fauna and flora.

In line with The Habitats Trust’s mission to empower grassroots conservation, this project also focused on capacity building. Vivek PARC Foundation conducted training programs for the Tripura Forest Department staff, equipping them with essential skills in camera trapping and wildlife monitoring techniques. This hands-on training ensured that the Forest Department is well-prepared for future conservation efforts, covering everything from theoretical principles to practical field applications.

Rushikesh Chavan, Head of The Habitats Trust, emphasized the significance of collaborative efforts in conservation, stating, “Tripura’s forests are part of a global biodiversity hotspot, home to many rare and endangered species. These joint studies with Tripura Forest Department are a critical first step to ensure biodiversity and ecosystems of Tripura are safeguarded”.

Vikram Sankaranarayanan, Executive Director of Vivek PARC Foundation, remarked, “This fruitful collaboration with the Tripura Forest Department and The Habitats Trust shall pave the way for multi-faceted and diverse interventions that will strategically support conservation & management of the wildlife in Tripura for years & decades to come.”

This report also serves as an essential resource for policymakers, offering evidence-based insights into the state of wildlife in Tripura and highlighting critical areas for future research and action. The findings call for deeper, long-term studies into the ecology of mammalian communities to inform conservation policies that will protect Tripura’s wildlife for future generations.

The release of this report marks a key milestone in The Habitats Trust’s ongoing commitment to conserving India’s lesser-known species and fragile ecosystems. Tripura’s unique biodiversity faces increasing pressure from habitat degradation, human-wildlife conflict, and climate change. By focusing on under-researched regions like Tripura, The Habitats Trust aims to drive conservation initiatives that not only protect individual species but also create resilient ecosystems that support biodiversity as a whole.