The census of tigers in Banke and Bardiya has been affected due to the theft of cameras kept in the park. Cameras are kept in one place for about 15 days while counting tigers. Tigers are being counted in four blocks in Banke and Bardiya National Parks. Chief of the National Nature Conservation Fund, Bardiya, Dr. Rabin Kadaria said that 23 cameras kept for counting in these two parks were stolen and vandalized.
According to him, nine cameras in block one, four cameras in block two and four more cameras have been stolen. It has been found that the 6-camera elephant was vandalized. A camera costs Rs 40,000. The first and second blocks fall in the entire Bardiya National Park area. The third block includes some parts of Bardiya and Banke National Parks. He said that the entire Banke National Park will be located in the fourth block.
He said that poachers used to go to the park area to cut grass and steal cameras. The first and second blocks have been completed so far and the third and fourth blocks are being constructed, said Shyam Kumar Shah, Chief Conservation Officer of Banke National Park.
The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation had started the tiger census for Bardiya and Banke on December 15. According to the Chief Conservation Officer of Banke National Park, the number of tigers in Banke National Park is expected to increase considering the movement of tigers during the tiger survey.
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