The Royal Bengal Tigers

Pictures of tigers captured on camera trappings challenge the widely accepted fact that the only species of tiger inhabiting the country is the royal Bengal tigers.

Camera trapping in Jigme Dorji Wangchuk national park (JDWNP) last year captured a tiger different from those normally spotted in the country’s many parks such as the Jigme Singye Wangchuk national park (JSWNP), Manas national park and Thrumshingla national park.

Nature conservation division’s chief forest officer Dr Sonam Wangyel said that tigers found in JDWNP were stouter, had bushy fur and their facial structure resembled a Siberian tiger of Russia.

“They’re quite small built, compared with their counterparts in the other parks,” he said. Dr Sonam Wangyel wonders what caused their physical differences, which only a genetic analysis could confirm.

“It could be a natural adaptation or probably some level of inbreeding is taking place that may actually lead to genetic depression,” he said. “It could also be associated with their mutation manifested in their appearances.”

In absence of a nationwide tiger survey, Dr Sonam Wangyel said it was difficult to decipher with certainty where the tigers are across the country.

Pockets of survey and village reports, he said, showed that except for Sakteng wildlife sanctuary, JDWNP, JSWNP, Tursa nature reserve, Phibsoo wildlife sanctuary, royal Manas national park, Thrumshingla national park, Bumdeling wildlife sanctuary, and Wangchuk centennial park all spotted tigers.

“Through my research, I found out that the territories of tigers and leopards don’t overlap he said. “Wherever I’ve captured tigers in the cameras no leopards were captured.”

The national tiger recovery program draft says that Bhutan is unique in having tigers at altitude as 4,100 m in the north.

“It represents the only tiger ecotype adapted to live in high altitude habitats,” it said. Source: Kuenselonline

Bhutan; "Himalaya and Beyond" an overland expedition

Driven by the zeal for four wheel driving and the curiosity for Bhutan, an overland expedition entered the capital yesterday. With the theme 'Himalaya and Beyond', the expedition comprises of 23 sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and 67 members. The team will be in the country for about three days.

After cruising through the Phuentsholing-Thimphu national highway for about five hours, the team arrived at the capital towards evening.

Upon arrival at the clock tower square, the team was received by His Excellency the Minister for Information and Communications, Lyonpo Nandalal Rai.

This year, the organiser recorded the highest number of participation so far. This is attributed to having Bhutan as the destination.

This is also the first time the expedition designed Bhutan as its destination.

“Bhutan to me is so exotic because Bhutan has never been conquered. So Bhutan is like separated from the world. It is pure, original and you maintain the culture. Here we are seeing Bhutanese wearing their traditional dress. To us, it is something like treasure because we have lost a lot of our culture,” said Najuib Hasan, the Expedition Director.

The Expedition is organized by All-Terrain Convoy Malaysia, a Malaysian overland traveller's club, however, participation has come from as far as Australia. Few from Brunei and Taiwan are also participating.

The team en-route to Malaysia will also travel through India, China, Laos, Nepal, Tibet and Thailand. Source: BBS