Lucknow, Apr 10 (IANS): Photographic evidence about the presence of tigers in the Suhelwa Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh has been recorded for the first time.

The Suhelwa and Sohagi Barwa wildlife sanctuaries have been added to tiger detected grids.

According to the report, both the wildlife sanctuaries need prey and habitat restoration along with major investment in protection for securing the tiger population in new areas.

In the Ranipur tiger reserve area, three tigers were spotted but they were commonly spotted between Ranipur area and Madhya Pradesh.

Though the state-wise figures on tiger population will be released later, the composite report released on Sunday showed 804 "camera trapped tigers" in the Shivalik hills and Gangetic plains landscape, which spans across several states and includes five important tiger reserves, including Dudhwa and Pilibhit tiger reserves and other protected areas of Uttar Pradesh.

The tiger estimation report in 2018 had shown 646 tigers for the same landscape.

"The state-wise findings will show which tiger reserve has registered an increase in the tiger population and how much," said officials in the forest department.

The report said, "Important step to ensure long-term survival of new populations in this landscape is to supplement and repopulate the Shivalik Forest Division of Uttar Pradesh and increase protection for tigers in Suhelwa."

With tigers increasing outside tiger reserves in the landscape, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh need to invest in mitigating conflict with tigers and mega herbivores, said the report.

The report also observed that the Shivalik hills and Gangetic plains landscape has undergone considerable change due to anthropogenic activities. Since tiger reserves located in Uttar Pradesh are linked through the forests of Nepal, cross-border cooperation is critical to preserve the natural heritage of both India and Nepal.

The protected areas in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh are linked through narrow corridors and require investment to ensure connectivity for the long-term survival of these areas, said the findings of the 2022 tiger estimation exercise.

The 2018 tiger census had projected 173 tigers in Uttar Pradesh, with Dudhwa having around 100 of them and Pilibhit over 65 tigers. Tigers were also found present in Uttar Pradesh's Amangarh tiger reserve.

The tiger report in 2018 had shown 646 tigers for the same landscape.