Itanagar, May 9: A Royal Bengal Tiger has been sighted in the D. Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh for the first time in nearly two decades. Officials confirmed this remarkable finding on Friday, based on evidence collected from camera traps set up near Pasighat.
According to a representative from the Arunachal Pradesh Forest and Wildlife Department, the tiger’s sighting was captured during a camera trap survey, which received technical support from the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE).
The last confirmed evidence of a tiger in the sanctuary was recorded in 2005, with unverified reports surfacing only until 2007-08. The recent photographs obtained from the camera traps have conclusively proven the presence of tigers in the area.
A baseline survey published by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in 2014 painted a grim picture, revealing no tiger tracks or evidence from camera traps, attributing their disappearance to rampant poaching.
Signs of tiger activity in the surrounding regions had already begun to emerge. In January 2026, forest officials from the Jonai Forest Range in Assam reported sightings of adult Royal Bengal Tiger tracks in Kobu Chapori, a proposed reserve forest adjacent to the sanctuary and located on the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border.
Divisional Forest Officer Kempi Ate described this moment as deeply emotional, stating, “The return of the tiger after nearly two decades reflects the resilience of our ecosystem and the combined impact of ongoing conservation efforts at the grassroots level.” He credited frontline forest staff, eco-development committees, and local community organizations for their continuous role in safeguarding the area.
The recent survey also recorded critically endangered Chinese pangolins and rare, endangered hispid hares, further underscoring the ecological significance of the sanctuary’s unique riverine grassland ecosystem, which is the only one of its kind in Arunachal Pradesh’s protected areas.
In the past year, forest officials had observed indirect signs indicating potential tiger movement in the area. Although previous monitoring rounds yielded no photographic evidence, officials persisted with renewed enthusiasm and dedication, ultimately capturing the elusive predator on camera.
A wildlife expert remarked, “This is excellent news for us. The return of the Royal Bengal Tiger to the wildlife sanctuary will attract tourists to visit this area. We are very pleased with this news.”
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
