GUWAHATI: A male tiger has been camera-trapped inside Dihing Patkai National Park, providing scientific confirmation of the big cat’s presence in the rainforest reserve.
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The sighting was recorded during camera-trap monitoring conducted by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) in collaboration with the Margherita West Forest Range under the Digboi Forest Division.
Forest officials had earlier discovered pugmarks in the park, suggesting the possible presence of a tiger. The camera-trap image has now provided scientific evidence confirming the animal’s presence.
Assam Forest Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah described the development as a significant moment for the state’s rainforest landscape.
“A rare and remarkable moment for Assam’s rainforest landscape,” he said in a post on X.
Mallabaruah credited forest officials and frontline personnel for their efforts in documenting the tiger.
“Behind this record are countless hours of patrolling, monitoring and silent vigilance by our dedicated forest officers and frontline personnel,” he said.
“The forest speaks. We listen. And sometimes, it reveals a tiger!” he added, describing the sighting as “a moment of immense pride for Assam’s Forest Department and a powerful reminder of the ecological richness of Dihing Patkai.”
Spread across Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts, Dihing Patkai National Park contains the country’s largest stretch of lowland tropical rainforest and is often referred to as the “Amazon of the East”.
The park and its surrounding landscape are known for their rich diversity of wild cats. Eight species — tiger, leopard, clouded leopard, golden cat, leopard cat, jungle cat, marbled cat and fishing cat — have been recorded in the region.
Located at the foothills of the Patkai Hill Ranges, the park lies along the banks of the Dehing River, a tributary of the Brahmaputra, and is adjacent to Namdapha Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh.