“We also involved about 200 youth from nearby villages for protection duty. That ensured better protection for the tigers and at the same time made the locals a stakeholder in conservation efforts,” Bhartari said.

Another move that contributed in making Corbett a better tiger habitat was the successful relocation of three villages on the southern boundary of the reserve, Bhartari said. “We had started relocating these three villages in 1994. The relocation of the fourth village is now being done. The real impact of that move is being known only now. The tiger sightings have become more common in that area,” he said.

Bhartari said another challenge was to ensure that the tiger was safe even outside the reserve, and to ensure this, the management was trying to increase patrolling efforts.