CATS accreditation accorded to four tiger reserves of Assam

June 3: The National Committee of Conservation Assured Tiger Standards (CATS) recommended proposals for Kaziranga, Manas, Nameri and Orang Tiger Reserves for CATS accreditation on Wednesday. The CATS assessment has been conducted by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in 27 Tiger Reserves in the first phase and 24 to be carried out in the second phase.

All the four Tiger Reserves of Assam under Phase 1 have got CATS accreditation. Only seven proposals were recommended by the National Committee at a meeting held in New Delhi on Wednesday. Besides four Tiger Reserves of Assam, Kanha, Panna and Sundarbans Tiger Reserves were awarded CAT accreditation.

The NTCA that sets a benchmark for managing conservation sites through a set of minimum standards based on 17 parameters (F3 element wise) ranging from social, cultural and biological significance to infrastructure/ equipment and from management planning to human-wildlife conflict (HCW) management have given scores of 81.25% to Kaziranga, 78.49% to Manas, 71.21% to Nameri and 74.01% to Orang Tiger Reserves.

Launched in 2013 with tigers as first species selected for the initiative, the conservation tool vis-a-vis CATS was developed in collaboration with field managers, tiger experts and government agencies engaged in tiger conservation.

Meanwhile, Minister for Environment and Forest, Parimal Suklabaidya said the CAT accreditation accorded to the four Tiger Reserves of the state is a most welcome development and good news for conservationists and animal lovers alike.

Thanking Union Minister for Environment and Forest, Prakash Javdekar and the members of the National Committee for clearing all the four proposals from his department, Suklabaidya said, “The CATS certificate will go a long way in further strengthening and improving management interventions insofar as conservation of big cats in Assam is concerned.”