case study on 50 years of project tiger

50 Years of India’s Project Tiger: Triumphs, Challenges, and a Vision for the Future

• India’s landmark 50th anniversary celebration of Project Tiger highlights its triumphant conservation efforts and serves as a model for global wildlife protection.
• A recent 2022 survey unveiled India’s impressive tiger population estimate of 3,167, up from 2,967 in 2018. India houses over 70% of the world’s wild tiger population, showcasing its pivotal role in global conservation efforts.
• The launch of the International Big Cat Alliance, focusing on safeguarding iconic big cat species across 97 countries with a $100 million funding commitment, represents a new chapter in India’s conservation legacy, inspired by the principle of “Vasudaiva Kutumbakam,” the belief that the world is one family.

2023 Marks Half a Century of India’s Project Tiger with Landmark Celebrations

This year India proudly commemorated the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger, a monumental initiative aimed at conserving its majestic big cats and wildlife. The legacy of Project Tiger’s success story is rooted in a strong institutional framework and unwavering high-level support, offering valuable lessons for other countries striving to save their own wildlife. You can find the Status of Tigers Report here.

Counting Tigers: A Triumph of Conservation

In a recent survey conducted in 2022, India revealed an impressive tiger population estimate of 3,167 in its 53 tiger reserves and associated landscapes. This marked a substantial increase from the 2018 estimate of 2,967 tigers. Remarkably, India is home to over 70% of the global wild tiger population, making it a pivotal player in global conservation efforts. You can find out more about this count here.

Insight into Success: Landscape-Level Management

The success of Project Tiger can be divided into two phases. The first, dating back to the 1970s, involved enacting the Wildlife Protection Act and establishing protected areas, thus safeguarding tigers and their ecosystems. The second phase, initiated in 2005-06, embraced a landscape-level approach and meticulous monitoring, resulting in a notable increase in the tiger population from 1,411 in 2006 to 2,967 in 2018. You can read the full evaluation of tiger reserves in India here.

Challenges on the Conservation Path

While the journey has been marked by triumphs, India’s tiger conservation faces multifaceted challenges. Many tiger habitats exist as isolated islands in a sea of unsustainable land use, leading to confined populations vulnerable to threats. Habitat loss, human-wildlife conflicts, poaching, and climate change pose significant risks to these magnificent creatures.

The Way Forward: Lessons for Global Conservation

To ensure the sustained survival of tigers in India, a comprehensive approach is required. This includes expanding and preserving tiger habitats, maintaining population connectivity, reducing conflicts with humans, and combating threats like poaching and habitat loss. Collaborative efforts involving governments, NGOs, local communities, and businesses are paramount.

A Vision for Tomorrow – The Birth of International Collaboration

Project Tiger stands as India’s beacon of successful wildlife conservation, embodying the nation’s dedication to biodiversity preservation and ecological harmony. With innovative strategies and collaborative efforts, they are now aspiring to set global conservation standards and safeguard this legacy, guided by the principle of “Vasudaiva Kutumbakam,” the belief that the world is one family.

Beyond borders, India’s conservation commitment expands with the International Big Cat Alliance, launched to commemorate ‘Project Tiger’s’ 50th anniversary. This initiative focuses on safeguarding iconic big cat species, spanning tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards, pumas, jaguars, and cheetahs, engaging 97 countries with a remarkable $100 million funding allocation. The foundation of this alliance is rooted in the insights and achievements of ‘Project Tiger,’ providing a global blueprint for effective conservation practices.

Recent Posts

Comments are closed.

Site Information

Privacy Policy Cookies

About WildCats

About us Our supporters

Contact Newsletter

WildCats Conservation Alliance, (formerly ALTA & 21st Century Tiger) is a wild tiger and Amur leopard conservation initiative between Dreamworld Wildlife Foundation and Zoological Society of London, (UK charity # 208728).

• Zoos fundraising gallery
• Zoo Members area
• Historical Projects
• News & Views
• Fundraising
• Challenge events
• Give as you live
• Other ways to donate
• Amur Leopard Photo Gallery
• Amur Leopard Facts
• Amur Tiger Facts
• Sumatran Tiger Facts
• Latest Research
• Donate today

• Insights IAS Brochure |
• OUR CENTERS Bangalore Delhi Lucknow Mysuru --> Srinagar Dharwad Hyderabad

Call us @ 08069405205

Search Here

• An Introduction to the CSE Exam
• Personality Test
• Annual Calendar by UPSC-2025
• Common Myths about the Exam
• About Insights IAS
• Our Mission, Vision & Values
• Director's Desk
• Meet Our Team
• Our Branches
• Careers at Insights IAS
• Daily Current Affairs+PIB Summary
• Insights into Editorials
• Insta Revision Modules for Prelims
• Current Affairs Quiz
• Static Quiz
• Current Affairs RTM
• Insta-DART(CSAT)
• Insta 75 Days Revision Tests for Prelims 2024
• Secure (Mains Answer writing)
• Secure Synopsis
• Ethics Case Studies
• Insta Ethics
• Weekly Essay Challenge
• Insta Revision Modules-Mains
• Insta 75 Days Revision Tests for Mains
• Secure (Archive)
• Anthropology
• Law Optional
• Kannada Literature
• Public Administration
• English Literature
• Medical Science
• Mathematics
• Commerce & Accountancy
• Monthly Magazine: CURRENT AFFAIRS 30
• Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)
• InstaMaps: Important Places in News
• Weekly CA Magazine
• The PRIME Magazine
• Insta Revision Modules-Prelims
• Insta-DART(CSAT) Quiz
• Insta 75 days Revision Tests for Prelims 2022
• Insights SECURE(Mains Answer Writing)
• Interview Transcripts
• Previous Years' Question Papers-Prelims
• Answer Keys for Prelims PYQs
• Solve Prelims PYQs
• Previous Years' Question Papers-Mains
• UPSC CSE Syllabus
• Toppers from Insights IAS
• Testimonials
• Felicitation
• UPSC Results
• Indian Heritage & Culture
• Ancient Indian History
• Medieval Indian History
• Modern Indian History
• World History
• World Geography
• Indian Geography
• Indian Society
• Social Justice
• International Relations
• Agriculture
• Environment & Ecology
• Disaster Management
• Science & Technology
• Security Issues
• Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude
• Insights IAS Brochure

• Indian Heritage & Culture
• Enivornment & Ecology

India celebrates 50 successful years of “Project Tiger”

  Syllabus: Environment Conservation

  Source: The Print

  Context: The Indian government will officially mark the 50 th year of ‘Project Tiger’ on 9 April with a three-day event in Mysuru, Karnataka.

Background:

Project Tiger- an initiative to save tigers , was first initiated in the year April 1, 1973 in Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand.

About Project Tiger:

About Tigers:

Achievements of Project Tiger

Challenges faced by project tiger:

• As per NTCA, 1059 tiger deaths were in the last 10 years, most in Madhya Pradesh
• Conflict with FRA, 2006: The Forest Rights Act passed by the Indian government in 2006 recognizes the rights of some forest-dwelling communities in forest areas.
• According to a report, nearly 29 per cent of tigers lives outside of the core zone
• From 2001 to 2016, 1,065 cases of human-tiger conflict were recorded including injuries and even fatalities on both sides.

The tiger is a unique animal which plays a pivotal role in the health and diversity of an ecosystem.  However, there is a need for further community involvement through a tiger reserve that is not built with fences and armed patrol guards, but around a  cultural model of conservation i.e. including local tribes like Idu Mishmi in Arunachal Pradesh, who consider Tigers as their elder brother and sacred.

To know about recent measures taken by India, Technological measures, and International efforts for tiger conservation: Click here

Insta links

Tiger density in India

Evaluate the various measures initiated towards tiger conservation and protection in India which have resulted in a steady increase in the population of tigers. What are the key learnings from these measures toward the conservation efforts of other species? (15M)

Prelims Link

Among the following Tiger Reserves, which one has the largest area under “Critical Tiger Habitat”?

(a) Corbett

(b) Ranthambore

(c) Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam

(d) Sunderbans

• Our Mission, Vision & Values
• Director’s Desk
• Commerce & Accountancy
• Previous Years’ Question Papers-Prelims
• Previous Years’ Question Papers-Mains
• Environment & Ecology
• Science & Technology

Civilsdaily

No. 1 UPSC IAS Platform for preparation

[Sansad TV] Perspective: 50 Successful Years of Project Tiger

• Prime Minister visited Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Karnataka and released the latest tiger census data marking the completion of 50 years of ‘Project Tiger’.
• PM also launched the International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA). IBCA will focus on protection and conservation of seven major big cats of the world -Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Puma, Jaguar and Cheetah, with membership of the range countries.

About Project Tiger

• Launched from Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand, the project is an ongoing scheme of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
• The centrally sponsored scheme is applicable in nine reserves of different States, namely Assam, Bihar, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. 

Purpose of Project Tiger

The tiger is a unique animal that plays a pivotal role in the health and diversity of an ecosystem.

• Predation balance: It is a top predator which is at the apex of the food chain.
• Regulation of herbivores: It keeps the population of wild ungulates in check, thereby maintaining the balance between prey herbivores and the vegetation upon which they feed.
• Ecosystem balance: Therefore, the presence of tigers in the forest is an indicator of the well being of the ecosystem.
• Tourism: Apart from the ecological services provided by the animal, the tiger also offers direct use such as attracting tourists, which provide incomes for local communities.

Execution of the Project Tiger

Project Tiger was administered by the NTCA. The overall administration of the project is monitored by a steering committee, which is headed by a director. A field director is appointed for each reserve, who is assisted by a group of field and technical personnel.

• Shivalik-Terai Conservation Unit
• North-East Conservation Unit
• Sunderbans Conservation Unit
• Western Ghats Conservation Unit
• Eastern Ghats Conservation Unit
• Central India Conservation Unit
• Sariska Conservation Unit
• Kaziranga Conservation Unit

The various tiger reserves were created in the country based on the ‘core-buffer’ strategy:

• Core Area: are free of all human activities. It has the legal status of a national park or wildlife sanctuary. It is kept free of biotic disturbances and forestry operations like a collection of minor forest produce, grazing, and other human disturbances are not allowed within.
• Buffer Areas: are subjected to ‘conservation-oriented land use’. They comprise forest and non-forest land. It is a multi-purpose use area with twin objectives of providing habitat supplement to spillover population of wild animals from the core conservation unit and providing site-specific co-developmental inputs to surrounding villages for relieving their impact on the core area.

Issues with the Project

• Implementation bottlenecks: The efforts were hampered by poaching, as well as debacles and irregularities in Sariska and Namdapha, both of which were reported extensively in the Indian media.
• Forest Dwellers Rights: The Forest Rights Act passed by the Indian government in 2006 recognizes the rights of some forest-dwelling communities in forest areas. This has led to controversy over implications of such recognition for tiger conservation.
• Man-Animal Conflict: Some have argued that this is problematic as it will increase conflict and opportunities for poaching; some also assert that “tigers and humans cannot co-exist”.
• Abuse of Authority: Others argue that this is a limited perspective that overlooks the reality of human-tiger coexistence and the abuse of power by authorities, evicting local people and making them pariahs in their own traditional lands.

Other efforts to save Tigers

India is home to 70 percent of the global tiger population. Therefore, the country has an important role to play in tiger conservation.

[1] Project Tiger

(discussed above)

[2] CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora)

• Besides protecting tiger territory, other measures being taken to save the tiger include: curbing wildlife trade through international agreements.
• CITES is an international agreement between governments aimed at ensuring that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants, including tigers, does not threaten their survival. India ratified this treaty in 1976.

[3] Global Tiger Forum and Tiger Range Countries

• Established in 1994, the Global Tiger Forum is the only inter-governmental body for tiger conservation.
• Its membership includes seven tiger range countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Cambodia, Myanmar, Nepal and Vietnam.
• 14 tiger reserves have been accredited under CA|TS (Conservation Assured | Tiger Standards) categories.
• The CA|TS is a set of criteria that examines the management of tiger sites to gauge the success rates of tiger conservation.

[5] St. Petersburg Declaration   

• This resolution was adopted In November 2010, by the leaders of 13 tiger range countries (TRCs) assembled at an International Tiger Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia
• It aimed at promoting a global system to protect the natural habitat of tigers and raise awareness among people on white tiger conservation.

[6] Various NGOs

• International NGO members consist of World Wildlife Fund, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), and TRAFFIC.
• Several national NGOs from India and Nepal are also members.

Success of these efforts

• India’s tiger population rose by 200 in the past four years to reach 3,167 in 2022, the latest tiger census data revealed.
• According to the data, the tiger population was 1,411 in 2006, 1,706 in 2010, 2,226 in 2014, 2,967 in 2018 and 3,167 in 2022.
• The four-year tiger census report, Status of Tigers in India, 2018 shows numbers of the big cat have increased across all landscapes.
• The total count has risen to 2,967 from 2,226 in 2014 — an increase of 741 individuals (aged more than one year), or 33%, in four years.
• At present, India has around 75% of tiger population and its source areas amongst the 13 tiger range countries in the world.
• 2.24% of country’s geographical area is spread out in 51 tiger reserves in 18 States.

Significance of Tiger Conservation

Tiger conservation is necessary for several reasons:

• Ecological balance: Tigers are apex predators and help maintain the ecological balance of the ecosystem they inhabit. They help regulate the populations of prey species and maintain a balance in the food chain.
• Biodiversity: Tigers are an umbrella species, meaning that their conservation can lead to the conservation of other species in their ecosystem. The presence of tigers indicates a healthy ecosystem with a diverse range of flora and fauna.
• Economic benefits: Tiger conservation can provide economic benefits to local communities through eco-tourism. It can create job opportunities and generate revenue for the local economy.
• Cultural significance: Tigers hold cultural significance in many societies and are considered to be symbols of power, strength, and courage.
• Climate change: Tigers are indicators of the health of forests, which play a crucial role in mitigating climate change. The conservation of tigers and their habitat can help in reducing carbon emissions and combating climate change.

Various threats to Tigers

• Despite measures being initiated to protect wild tigers, habitat loss and poaching continue to pose a threat to the animal’s survival.
• Tiger parts are used in traditional Chinese medicines, tiger skin is used for decorative and medicinal purposes and tiger bones are again used for medicinal purposes for curing body pain, et al.
• Between 2000 and 2014, TRAFFIC’s research found that parts of a minimum of 1,590 Tigers were seized in Tiger range States, an average of two Tigers per week.

Other existential threats to tigers

• Poaching: Illegal hunting and poaching of tigers for their body parts and skins remains a significant threat to their survival.
• Man-Animal conflict: This largely seems a normal phenomenon in India. We broadly remember the case of Tigress Avni which was finally shot dead by the forest officials in Maharashtra.
• Illegal wildlife trade: The illegal trade in tiger parts, skins, and bones remains a significant threat to the survival of tigers in India and around the world.
• Shrinking habitat: This often leads to territorial conflicts among the Tigers.
• Issues with Tourism: Excess of tourist activities is problematic for animals. Frequent visits in reserved forests areas disrupt them to move freely for their prey.
• Climate Change: The effects of climate change and floods are a major problem.  The latest study by WWF shows that Sundarban which is one of the biggest home of tigers in India would sink entirely in 2070.

Way forward

• The process of tiger conservation should be more dynamic and compatible with the future possibilities of climatic changes as well.
• The Forest Department and the Central government can collaborate to protect the natural corridors to ensure the free movement of the tigers for better food resources.
• Campaigns such as ‘Save the Tiger’ are recommended as effective measures to make people across the country and globe aware of the significance of conserving tiger species.
• Sensitization of local communities against poaching is also a crucial measure in this regard.
• We have to make the environment and development co-exist and go hand in hand by planning our future developmental goals in such a manner that our environmental goals are not compromised.

JOIN THE COMMUNITY

Join us across social media platforms..

Your better version awaits you!

• डाउन टू अर्थ
• Print Edition

• Agriculture
• Data Centre
• Young Environmentalist
• Newsletters

50 years of Project Tiger: Half a century on, conservation has to move on beyond band-aid mode, says Mahesh Rangarajan

Kailash Sankhala, the first director of Project Tiger. Photo: @rameshpandeyifs / Twitter

India will mark 50 years of Project Tiger on April 1, 2023. It was on April 1, 1973, that this conservation programme to save the then-vanishing population of the Bengal tiger in India was launched.

Half a century later, what is the progress report on Project Tiger? Has it met its objectives and aims? And what of the people who helmed it? Down To Earth  spoke to Mahesh Rangarajan, one of the country’s foremost environmental historians and professor of history and environmental studies at Ashoka University in Haryana, for an appraisal of the Project to a new generation of readers. Edited excerpts:

Rajat Ghai: For the benefit of our readers, please describe the conditions prevailing in India vis-a-vis wildlife just before Project Tiger was launched?

Mahesh Rangarajan: There was genuine concern by late 1969 as two separate surveys, one by Kailash Sankhala another by the Bombay Natural History Society, had pegged numbers of tigers in India so low it was declared endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

In 1972, the nationwide count indicated an even lower figure — just over 1,800. A Task Force suggested a federally funded project. Wider concerns of forest loss and disruptions in rainfall pattern combined with concern on natural heritage.

RG: How would you appraise the roles played by each of the following individuals in bringing the Project to fruition — Mrs Indira Gandhi, Dr Karan Singh, Mr Kailash Sankhala and Ms Padmaja Naidu?

MR: Each had distinct roles. Ms Naidu knew the Delhi Zoo and probably brought its director (Mr Sankhala) in touch with Mrs Gandhi. The latter was not only a nature enthusiast but widely read with a first edition of Rachel Carsons’ Silent Spring in tow.

Dr Karan Singh was invited to lead the Steering Committee, being both a scholar and one of youngest Cabinet ministers. There is little doubt Mr Sankhala drove and helmed the team together till 1977.

RG: Would it be right to say that while the Project saved the tiger, it perhaps, in its own way, enhanced the Fortress Conservation Model?

MR: No doubt. This was especially so in the core areas but not until 2005 in buffers. It is notable that commercial forestry and sport hunters were still strong lobbies as late as 1969-70 and they too took a hit. But this term coined by Dan Brockington does apply to the Tiger Reserve model.

RG: How can India go to a more participatory form of forest governance today, at a time when economic and population growth threaten the environment and wildlife even more?

MR: Population growth has tapered off except in parts of north India. Economic growth may not be entirely negative if it reduces direct dependence on forests and if wages go up.

But the full potential of the 2005 Task Force ideas on revenue sharing as also of The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 on community forests is yet to be tapped. These can help most when mines and linear projects may fragment habitats. 

RG: What is the biggest takeaway from Project Tiger that today’s millenials must know about?  

MR: A stitch on time matters. But half a century on, conservation has to move on beyond band-aid mode. Justice for fauna and flora has to blend with dignity and justice for those who live in proximity. 

• Tiger Safari Tours
• Tiger & Culture Tours
• Special Interest Tours
• Luxury Safari Tours
• Photographic Safari Tours
• Birding Tours
• Fixed Departure Tours 2024 & 2025
• Safari Extension Tours
• Bespoke Tours
• National Parks
• Birding Areas
• Testimonials & Reviews
• Media Coverage
• Tiger Safari in India in 2024
• Bandhavgarh National Park
• Corbett National Park
• Kanha National Park
• Ranthambore National Park
• Panna National Park
• Wildlife Photography Tours
• Conservationists in India
• Wildlife Protection Act of India Guide
• Project Tiger
• Project Elephant
• Project Rhino
• Project Snow Leopard
• Guest Gallery
• Our Journey
• Our CSR Initiative

Tiger Conservation and 50 Years of Project Tiger in India

On 1 st April 2023, we completed 50 years of Project Tiger in India , one of the biggest conservation projects on big mammals. Though tiger conservation was institutionalized on 1 st April 1973 through Project Tiger in India but being a country of rich biological diversity we have a much older conservation history not only for tigers but other flora and fauna which directly and indirectly benefits tiger conservation.

Table of Contents

Tiger Conservation in Ancient India

The strength, agility, fearsome and elusiveness of tiger is revered by mankind in almost all cultures. Being a major predator in India, tiger enjoys highest degree of respect and protection among all wild animals in India. This respect and protection is reflected in our historical records and cultural beliefs. The first historical representation of tigers was found in various seals of Indus valley civilization. The seals showing a tiger standing under a tree with a man sitting on that tree, a man fighting with two tigers on both sides, and Pashupatinath (The lord of animals) with Tiger, rhino, elephant and buffalo.

These seals depicted the influence of tiger as a big beast on the life of inhabitant of Indus Valley Civilization. Later during ancient period there was several mention of wildlife conservation in literature. In Kautilya’s Arthshashtra, it was suggested the need to develop Abhayaranya, a modern day sanctuary where flora and fauna are preserved. It also mentioned Vyala Vana (Tiger Forest) These sanctuary are fully protected and any breach of rules will leads to heavy penalties including capital punishment to the offenders. Ancient Hindu literature like, Vedas, Puranas, Upnishads, Ramayana and Shrimad Bhagvad Gita, shows the sensitivity towards the nature and wildlife. Shanti Mantra in Yajurveda talks about peace everywhere, including forests, which means a protected ecosystem with all its component safe.

Tigers in Mythology and Religious Belief

Tiger is also associated with religious beliefs in India. In the Hindu religion Tiger is associated with Goddess Durga which represents power, also Bonbibi is worshiped in the Sundarbans of both Bangladesh and India rides tiger and save the inhabitant from Dakkhinrai a demon who is a lord of tigers and attack in form of tigers. In state of Maharashtra and Goa people worship Big Cat (Tiger and Leopard) as Waghoba and believe that these big cats protect them. Mishmi Tribes in Arunachal Pradesh consider Tiger as their brother. Tribal communities in central India also consider them as god.

Santhals and Kisans in Odisha believe the tiger as the king of the forest and worship them as Bagheshwar.  The Garo tribe of Meghalaya believes tigers protect them. Irula tribe of Tamil Nadu worship tigers as protectors from evil spirits. The concept of sacred groves helped to conserve areas rich in biodiversity. These beliefs helps the tigers to survive even close to dense human habitation and human-dominated landscape from ancient to modern times.

Tiger Conservation in the Medieval Period

The conservation and respect enjoyed by tigers faded when sports hunting for enjoyment started in India. With the advent of Mughals, organized big game hunting was started in India. During Medieval period Mughal and Hindu kings slaughtered wildlife on a massive scale. A noted naturalist Jahangir in first 12 years of his reign have killed over 17,000 animals which includes 86 tigers and lions. Bush meat was a major part of the kitchen of Mughal, Rajput and other warrior class during the same period. It was said that Akbar the great have kept one thousand trained Cheetah to hunt antelopes. These hunting traditions had an impact on tiger population by declining their prey species and habitat destruction.

During Mughal period the wildlife has declined due to lack of legal control on hunting, but on the other hand Mughals were great naturalist and they observed and described the animals and birds with scientific accuracy. Babur was a great nature lover and he was concerned for preserving the flora and fauna. In Baburnama he has given description of nature, specially flora and fauna.  Jahangir was also a great naturalist and he was known for his description of animals and birds more scientifically in his memoir.

British India and Tiger Conservation

Before the British rule in India, wildlife was still abundant but within few years of the commencement of their rule they decreed special reward for killing the tiger. State organized Trophy hunting with Indian Maharajas and Nawabs was a regular feature of British India. Clearance of forests to make more farmland was done on large scale to grow cash crops. Large scale hunting to please British officers has pushed many species at the brink of extinction.

British were also great naturalist and they documented and surveyed many forests and wilderness area. They documented different forest types, innovated scientific method to study animals, recorded natural history of many animals, surveyed and listed flora and fauna and started many institutions and organizations for scientific training and to study the natural history.

Post-Independence

Post-independence era was not better than pre independence, rampant hunting and large scale slaughter of wild animals was continued due to lack of any strict wildlife laws. According to an estimate by British Naturalist E P Gee that at the turn of 20 th Century there were around 40,000 tiger roam in India, but situation get worsened by late 60s. Industrialization and growing food demand of increasing population, big chunks of forests were cleared to make farmland which ultimately led to Man-Animal Conflict in the form of cattle lifting by big cats. Poisoning of carcass of livestock killed by tigers was a regular event which resulted in to death of tigers and sometime with their cubs. Demand for tiger skin and other body parts was very high which led to more poisoning of tigers.

Vanishing Tigers

The first thing which drew the attention of our then Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi to the plight of tigers was a letter sent by Mr. Alvin P. Adams, a well-known airline executive and a big game hunter from New York, he wrote:

“Having visited India and it neighboring boundaries of Nepal and Bhuta on ten different hunting trips, I have been deeply alarmed at the rapidly depleting big game population. Even this past month hunting in the best Indian Block, although I saw certain signs – I never saw a tiger. This is the second consecutive year this has happened.

I have been convinced for some time that the cause of this condition lies in the apparently uncontrolled slaughtering by the natives of these magnificent tigers and leopards. The purpose is to sell to local dealers who are currently paying from $ 200 for a tiger skin $ 150 for tiger skin….

The usual method employed is poisoning… “

In 1969 the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Natural Resources) held its general assembly in Delhi. In the assembly more than 300 wildlife conservationists from all over the world has participated. A presentation in the assembly ‘Vanishing Tigers” by Kailash Sankhala, Rajasthan Cadre IFS officer showed that only 2,500 tigers left in the wild in India. Mr. Sankhala then director of Delhi Zoo was also awarded the prestigious Jawahar Lal Nehru Fellowship by the Jawahar Lal Nehru Fund for his project ‘The Controversial Tiger: A study of Ecology, Behavior and Status’ he was the second conservationist to receive this fellowship. Utilising his tenure in Delhi zoo he studied tigers closely in captivity which he used for this project. Two days after the IUCN session started, Indira Gandhi wrote to Karan Singh, drawing his attention to a report by the curator of the BNHS (Bombay Natural History Society) J.C. Daniel which suggested only 1,531 tigers were left in the country, much less than the estimate by Sankhala. She wanted to know what steps states had taken to regulate the tiger killing for skin trade.

The IUCN assembly called for a moratorium on tiger killing and acting on this appeal Indian Board for wildlife has initiated action for protection and asked the states to ban tiger hunting for five years.  But this step was not enough to convince international community. In 1972 Guy Mountfort, an influential trustee of Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) has urged Indira Gandhi to save the species from extinction. Worried on the hunting trend of tigers in the country, a group of expert was formed chaired by Karan Singh which in its report have suggested that tigers will be extinct soon if hunting and poisoning is not stopped. In the same year wildlife protection act was enacted which prohibits the hunting of tigers and other endangered species, but it was not enough to protect the tigers. Something big to save the tigers was required, which led to the start of Project Tiger in India .

The Project Tiger in India

With the support from newly founded WWF India and IUCN, the Indian government launched Project Tiger on 1 st April 1973 with Mr. Kailash Sankhala as the first director. The formal launch was done in forest rest house of Dhikala in Corbett National Park. Initially 9 protected areas were selected to cover under this project. The protected areas selected by task force were:

• Corbett , Uttar Pradesh (Now in Uttarakhand): Foothills of Himalaya, with Sal as predominant species.
• Kanha , Madhya Pradesh: Central Indian Highlands, Sal and Miscellaneous forests.
• Bandipur , Karnataka: Miscellaneous forests of Western Ghats.
• Palamau , Bihar (Now in Jharkhand): eastern peninsular region, with Sal and Bamboo forests.
• Manas , Assam: Eastern Himalayan foothills with evergreen and semi evergreen forests and swamp grassland.
• Melghat , Maharashtra: Southern offshoot of Satpura, deciduous forests dominated by teak and bamboo
• Similipa l, Odisha: Mahanadi Basin with moist miscellaneous forests.
• Ranthambhore , Rajasthan: Junction of Aravalli and Vindhyan, dry deciduous and open forests.
• Sundarbans, West Bengal: Mangrove forests of Sundarbans Delta.

Initially Project Tiger was conceived for six years only, from April 1973 to March 1979, its objective was “to ensure the maintenance of a viable population of the tiger in India and to preserve, for all times, such areas as part of our national heritage for the benefit, education and enjoyment of future generations”.

By early eighties six more tiger reserves were added which includes, Periyar in Kerala, Sariska in Rajasthan, Buxa in West Bengal, Indravati in Madhya Pradesh (Now in Chhattisgarh), Namdapha in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagarjunsagar – Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh.

In 1983 a task force on Public Support for Wildlife Conservation chaired by Madhavrao Scindia was constituted by the Indian Board for Wildlife to recommend ways and means of eliciting public support for conservation. The focus of the task force was dependence of local communities on forests. The task force demanded better development and more funds for the villages located near the reserves, it also have suggested to provide more employment opportunities for the youth from villages. The report also said that failure to undertake such measures, would affect the success of management of tiger reserves for long term.

1990 was a turning point in tiger conservation in India , by now we had 19 tiger reserves, encompassing 29,716 km² with a population 1,327 tigers (1989 Tiger Census). In 1993 Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has given a critical review of project tiger “ All in all, Project Tiger faces a new set of problems. Project Tiger saved the Tiger from extinction in the nick of time but over 20 years it is clear that expanding human population, a new way of life based on alien models and the resultant effect on natural resources has created fresh problems that indicate danger for the tiger. Militancy and poaching only add fuel to the fire. This is a serious and critical moment in the history of tiger conservation .”

A parliamentary committee on Science, Technology, Environment and Forests was formed in 1994 which recommended an evaluation of the program to make it more meaningful and result oriented, it is necessary because the objective of Project Tiger have not been achieved and tiger population in the country have registered decline.

Following the recommendation of the committee another high powered committee was formed, headed by J J Dutta, former Principal Chief Conservator of forests of Madhya Pradesh. This committee submitted the report and discussed about the villages inside the reserves, the report suggested removal of the villages as an ideal situation for the reserves. It also suggested that effort must go beyond this issue to identify the wildlife corridors and management of forests outside the reserves.

At the same time WWF-India also have released their action plan to save the tigers in two reports, The Tiger Call and Tiger Conservation Strategy and Action Plan. The reports discussed the need to involve local communities in the conservation and measures to improve anti-poaching enforcement network. There were reports published by UK based The Tiger Trust and Environmental Investigation Agency, both have discussed the issue of poaching and strong political will but neither have discussed about the role of local communities.

By 2005 we had a network of 28 Tiger Reserves which covers roughly 5.6 percent of the recorded forest areas and over 1 percent of country’s geographical area. The total tiger population recorded in 2001-2002 census is 3,642 half of them lives outside the reserve.

The Extinction and comeback: Sariska Tiger Reserve

Year 2004 saw a major setback to the conservation effort for Tigers in India. From November 16 to December 12 th a team of Diploma trainees of the 26 th PG Diploma Batch from Wildlife Institute of India was on their field visit to Sariska Tiger Reserve. They have done population estimation exercise for the herbivore and carnivore, but to their dismay they have not found a single sign of a tiger. This means that all tigers are vanished from the reserve. The news was made public on January 23 and by March 2005 Wildlife Institute of India in its interim report has confirmed the local extinction of tigers from Sariska Tiger Reserve.

The task to investigate this case was given to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by honorable Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. CBI has reported that since July 2002 poachers had been killing the tigers and the last six tigers were killed in summer-monsoon of 2004. The report pointed to the involvement of local villagers and a well-established network of middleman trading in tiger parts with notorious poacher Sansar Chand at its center. Action has been taken on those responsible and Sansar Chand was sent to Jail where he died due to Cancer.

Reintroduction of the tigers was only option left to repopulate the reserve with tigers. WII was given the task and it was decided the tigers will be relocated from Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve (RTR), being in same state, same landscape and similar habitat RTR was the best choice to repopulate the reserve. Five tigers were trans-located from Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve to Sariska between 2008 and 2010. The reintroduction of tigers had a shock when one male tiger was found dead, and it was due to poisoning of carcass. The patrolling was strengthen to control illegal entry in forest and regular monitoring of tigers through various means was put in place. Because of the effort of the forest department and conservationists now Sariska have 26 tigers.

The Extinction and comeback: Panna Tiger Reserve

The nation was recovering from Sariska debacle and then in 2008, another tiger reserve has lost all of its tigers to poaching. Panna Tiger Reserve, the first tiger reserve in Bundelkhand region of central India and one of the best representative forests of Vindhyan hill ranges has been declared as devoid of tigers. Panna was declared as a national park in 1981 and later tiger reserve in 1994. Ken River enters the reserve from southern side and passes through it through for almost 55 Kms. It is also considered as the northern most limit of natural teak distribution in India. Due to its topography it has different types of habitat which includes five types of forests, grasslands, savannah and riverine habitat. This resulted a great diversity in floral and faunal elements.

The revelation has created a public furore, and the blame was on the forest officials. All senior officers were transferred and an enquiry was set up. Appointment of new and able field director helped the reserve to recover its tiger population. In June 2009 a decision was taken to reintroduce two tigress in Panna from Bandhavgarh and Kanha Tiger Reserves. This decision was taken keeping in mind a lone male tiger spotted roaming in Panna. It was believed that these two tigresses will met with him, but unfortunately this male tiger also disappeared. Then it was decided to bring a male tiger from Pench Tiger reserve.  This task was initiated by the field director Mr. Shreenivasa Murthy.  Three tigers in total were reintroduced in Panna, T1 (female) from Bandhavgarh, T2 (female) from Kanha and T3 (male)   from Pench.

After ten days of re-introduction T3 was strayed off and found headed towards the direction of Pench TR. An army of 70 forests guards and four elephants were behind him. It was a tough task and tracking him in human dominated areas was only done by spraying an extensive area with tigress urine. This incident was first documented natural history event where a tiger displayed his homing instinct.

In April 2010 T1 delivered his first litter followed by T2 in October of same year. By the end of the year 2010, there were eight tiger cubs in the reserve. Next in series two five year old male and female orphaned cubs were brought in Panna from Kanha TR.

In 2013 consecutive death of few females due to intra-specific fights and natural cause led to a setback to reintroduction project. Then in 2014 another tigress from Pench was introduced in Panna. According to current census there are around 83 tigers in Panna TR.

Project Tiger & NTCA *

Project Tiger in India is an ongoing Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change providing central assistance to the tiger States for tiger conservation in designated tiger reserves. The ADG (Project Tiger) and his officers also service the NTCA.

After Sariska and Panna case the tiger task force have suggested to create an authority to decentralize decision making, this authority can be given the powers to coordinate the work of tiger reserves and oversee the implementation. Following the recommendation of task force the government have constituted the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) with its head office in Delhi headed by an Indian Forest Services officer of Additional Director General rank as Member Secretary of NTCA.

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change constituted under enabling provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as amended in 2006, for strengthening tiger conservation, as per powers and functions assigned to it under the said Act. The Regional Offices of the NTCA have been recently established at Bengaluru, Guwahati and Nagpur, each headed by an IGF and assisted by an AIG. The states covered under the regional offices are:

• Bengaluru: Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Telengana.
• Guwahati: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Mizoram and West Bengal
• Nagpur: Chhattisgrah, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra

Apart from that there is a position of Inspector General of forests at headquarter and he also look after Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan states. He is assisted by officers at the rank of DIG and AIG in various departments.

*to know more please visit https://ntca.gov.in/

Census of the Tiger

Knowing the number of individuals and population trend of a species is critical for their management and conservation. The world’s first tiger census was conducted in Palamu forest in year 1932 by pugmark method. Since then Pugmark method was only considered as the method to count tigers till 2006. In pugmark method it is believed that all individual tigers have different pugmark. Though it is quite easy for a field biologist to differentiate between male and female pugmarks but differentiating the individuals is a tough and challenging task, the pugmark impression of a same tiger could be different depends upon substratum, like soil, mud, sand etc. so chances of error are very high.  First ever all India tiger census by pugmark method was conducted in 1972 which revealed the figure of 1,827 tigers.

The Camera Trap Method: After the debacle of Sariska and Panna, it was felt that a foolproof method should be applied in tiger census to know the more accurate numbers. To fulfill that objective the NTCA in collaboration with the state forest departments, the Wildlife Institute of India and conservation partners conducts a nationwide assessment for the “ Status of Tigers, Co-predators, Prey and their Habitat” once in every four years. This assessment is based on scientific method which is approved by the Tiger Task Force. The first assessment was done based on this methodology was in year 2006 and subsequently in 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022.

The methodology includes counting of tigers by using camera trap. This is based on the fact that all tigers have different stripe pattern like our finger prints. Automatic Cameras based on heat sensor are placed in an identified grid on dust road on both sides. The camera takes picture once an animal passes in front of the camera. All these pictures are then matched with each other by using a software. This Software helps to identify individuals by their unique stripe patterns which gives us a figure of minimum individuals which further using statistical software and indirect sign data gives a statistical figure of tiger population in that particular area with minimum and maximum limit. Apart from camera trap the filed biologist collect data of habitat quality, prey species and other co-predators of tiger, all these by employing scientific methods.

The first census have revealed 1411 adult individuals in all over India. In 2018 the census entered the Guinness Book of World Record for conducting “the largest camera trap wildlife survey”. The census covered 1, 21,337 square kilometer area with camera traps in 26,838 locations. The estimated number of individuals counted was 2,967 more than double from the first census.

The 2022 Census of Bengal Tiger in India

The result and summary report of 2022 census was out on 1 st April, on the day of 50 years of project tiger. The census has estimated a minimum 3,167 tigers India. The whole exercise has involved total 6, 41,449 km. foot survey, 6,41,102 total man days, 32,588 total camera count, 97,399 total photographs of tigers, 3080 total number of camera trapped tigers. The tiger occupancy has increased from 1758 cells of 100 km² in 2018 to 1792 in 2022.

The total no. of camera trapped tigers in different landscape are:

The tiger has a unique position not only in a forest ecosystem in India but it has a great respect in our society also. It is associated with our religious belief which is the base for great tolerance among the local community for tigers and other big fauna. The public support and political will have shown the world that how a big predator can be saved even in a human dominated landscape. Being the second most populous country in the world, it is our commitment towards the conservation of our flora and fauna which makes India a safe country for our natural heritage. We have more than 70% tiger population in India which is a remarkable achievement.

To achieve the magical figure of 10,000 tigers, as many scientists believe that India can hold is possible only with great dedication, public support, political will and commitment by us. We should always be thankful to the foot soldiers of our jungles, who beat tough weather condition, tough terrain with limited resources monitor our precious natural heritage day and night. We have set an example for our next generation and we hope that they will continue this legacy.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

507, Emaar The Palm Square, Sector 66 Gurugram - 122102, Haryana

[email protected] [email protected]

Sharad Vats : +91-9811200094

Top Tiger Safari Tours

• Corbett, Kanha & Bandhavgarh Tour
• Big Cats of India Tiger Safari Tour
• Luxury Tiger Safari in India Tour
• Kanha & Bandhavgarh Tiger Safari Tour
• Tiger Safari & Golden Triangle Tour
• Tiger, Taj & Temple Tour
• Elephant and Rhino Tour
• Snow Leopard Trip to Spiti Valley
• Tiger, Taj Mahal and Birding Tour

Tiger Safari Destinations

• Dudhwa National Park
• Pench National Park
• Satpura National Park
• Tadoba National Park

Explore Tiger Safari India

• About Nature Safari India
• Testimonials
• Tiger Safari in India
• Tiger Safari Travel Guide 2024
• Luxury Tiger Safari Tours in India
• Tiger Safari India Blog
• Nature Safari India Blog
• Privacy Policy
• Cancellation & Refund
• Other Important Information

Copyright © 2024 Nature Safari India

Partners and approvals

Please Enable JavaScript in your Browser to Visit this Site.

Cautious optimism marks the 50th anniversary of India’s Project Tiger

India’s tigers are on the comeback trail. After half a century of successful conservation efforts by the national government’s Project Tiger , the next 50 years will test whether tigers can coexist with people in the ever-evolving Anthropocene.

On the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger on 1 April, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi announced that there are now 3,167 wild tigers in the country – a number that is increasing by 6 percent each year.

But amid the successes, there are concerns that a growing tiger population could intensify human–wildlife conflict. Experts say two factors will be key to the survival of tigers in the long term: careful land use planning and negotiations.

“The Indian government has shown it’s very much dedicated to conserving the ‘national pride’ that is Indian tigers, spending millions of dollars on the project,” says Ayan Sadhu, a research scientist at the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA’s) WII Tiger Cell .

“We do have a huge population in India. The growing population and lack of connectivity between forest lands will be a major challenge for the next 50 years of Project Tiger.”

Back from the brink of extinction

In 1947, there were an estimated 40,000 tigers in India. But by 1972, the first-ever tiger census revealed that number had shrunk to a mere 1,827. In just 25 years, poaching , sport hunting, prey depletion and habitat loss had all but eliminated the big cats.

Project Tiger was officially launched in 1973 by then prime minister Indira Gandhi to give these apex predators a fighting chance at survival. Starting with nine reserves (18,278 square kilometers), the initiative now comprises 53 reserves covering more than 75,000 square kilometers, or about 2 percent of India’s total area.

Despite their recent recovery, these small tiger populations remain vulnerable to extinction through habitat loss and poaching for traditional Chinese medicine. Scientists like Sadhu and Shikha Bisht, another research scientist at the WII Tiger Cell, work with the NTCA to monitor tiger populations with radio collars, camera traps and environmental surveys.

Using a mobile app called M-STrIPES , forest guards also monitor tiger sites twice each day, recording pug marks (footprints) and scat. They are also trained to identify illegal activities.

Not only do these efforts protect tigers, but they also help conserve entire ecosystems because tigers require large areas of healthy, biodiverse forests. These traits make them an ‘umbrella species’ under which many other plants and animals can flourish, including wild dogs, leopards, hyenas, honey badgers and elephants.

“Tigers are ecological indicators,” says Sadhu. “You make a home for the elephants when you conserve the tigers.”

Human–wildlife conflict

A growing tiger population has also led to more frequent conflicts with humans , however. Tigers don’t usually attack people directly: instead, they often prey on cattle or other livestock from rural farmers who let their cows graze in the forests.

These cows make easy prey as they are domesticated and may not recognize the threat posed by tigers until it’s too late. Often, they don’t defend themselves or call out to warn farmers when a tiger is nearby, as a wild animal might, says Sadhu.

These large, easy meals, combined with a lack of wild prey in some forested areas, encourages tigers to venture into human-inhabited areas. Although the government compensates farmers for every cow killed by a tiger, the cost of verifying claims may be prohibitive , among other factors. Farmers may still kill or poison offending tigers to prevent future losses.

To prevent cattle lifting, conservation efforts may be geared towards prey augmentation – increasing the amount of prey animals in forested areas – so that tigers don’t feel the need to steal domesticated cattle. Once these ‘empty forests’ are restocked with prey, it will be easier to encourage tigers to leave human settlements alone.

The overpopulation of tigers inside reserves is another factor pushing tigers to move out and into human settlements in search of new territories. It is difficult to monitor these tigers as there are no camera traps or forest guards outside the reserves, Bisht explains. Once they leave a forest, tigers in transit may pose threats to people and be killed before they find another reserve.

While people in rural areas have lived alongside tigers for thousands of years, cultural tolerance is eroding, Sadhu notes. Many people, especially in impoverished areas, are seeking new economic opportunities and better lives for themselves through infrastructure, businesses, and services like schools and hospitals. These projects all compete for scarce land resources – and solving potential conflicts will require compassionate negotiation and careful land use planning.

A few contributing solutions include:

Buffer zones

Project Tiger is establishing more buffer zones between human settlements and core tiger conservation areas. These buffer zones would be open for some human use but wouldn’t brush up against actual settlements or cattle herds. For example, crop plantations surrounding forest areas can provide economic benefits while also discouraging tigers from crossing any further into human-populated areas.

Buffers would also reduce the risk of direct attacks on humans, which most often happens when villagers living near forests are working in crouched positions, making them easy targets. This could be tackled by reducing human settlements next to forest areas, Sadhu believes. “But again, it’s a question of where the land for buffers will come from and how they will be managed,” he says.

Mixed-use forest corridors

In addition to buffers, partially forested ‘corridors’ that connect one reserve to another are essential to allow tigers to transit safely across the country, making their populations viable for thousands of years to come.

“Once you have a growing population within a small, protected area, it is natural they will start to go outside to look for new territory,” says Sadhu. “That’s where the corridors can help.”

These corridors don’t require the same level of protection as forest reserves and can be exposed to mixed use between humans and tigers. “As long as even one tiger can cross safely between reserves, the corridor is functional,” Sadhu explains.

However, more stringent laws and enforcement measures will be needed to manage these corridors to ensure the laws aren’t viewed as a ‘paper tiger’ with no real power, Bisht adds.

Dialogue, relocation and compensation

In the meantime, much-needed dialogue is ongoing between forest and forest-adjacent communities and the NTCA, says Bisht. “We need to be sensitizing communities living near protected areas, building trust with them and listening to their problems,” she stresses.

The national government has also offered compensation payments to encourage voluntary resettlement from forest villages to areas with modern facilities, according to Sadhu. There is also interest in these schemes in many rural areas where some residents may agree to move closer to schools, jobs and healthcare, for example. The challenge is ensuring that the relocation process is transparent and fair to the families involved.

“The federal government needs to take a stand, or all our natural lands will perish,” he says. “We need protected areas, but in an amicable manner.”

“It shouldn’t be ‘you can’t touch a leaf in this forest.’ We need to work on bridging the conservation gap to allow humans to maintain their traditional connection with nature.”

• big cats , conservation , extinction , tigers , wildlife

BE PART OF THE MOVEMENT

…thank you for reading this story. Our mission is to make them freely accessible to everyone, no matter where they are. 

We believe that lasting and impactful change starts with changing the way people think. That’s why we amplify the diverse voices the world needs to hear – from local restoration leaders to Indigenous communities and women who lead the way.

By supporting us, not only are you supporting the world’s largest knowledge-led platform devoted to sustainable and inclusive landscapes, but you’re also becoming a vital part of a global movement that’s working tirelessly to create a healthier world for us all.

Every donation counts – no matter the amount. Thank you for being a part of our mission.

Related articles

To conserve or to plant a deep dive into mangrove management.

• August 21, 2024

In the Seychelles, blue bonds turn national debt into marine protection

• March 26, 2020

Nearly a third of the world’s tree species threatened with extinction, says report

• September 7, 2021

“Women need to carve a path.”

Around Mount Kenya, Milka Musyoki, a project officer from Nature Kenya, is weaving a female legacy into forest conservation.

Plant-based beer bottles, lifesaving llamas and billion$ for biodiversity

In this news roundup: global carbon emissions down 17%, virtual conferences go mainstream, and locusts wreak havoc in India

How AI is transforming conservation

Beyond ChatGPT, deepfakes and self-driving cars, AI is helping scientists and farmers revitalize our planet’s landscapes. Here’s how.

ThinkLandscape is a multimedia platform bringing you original, knowledge-backed news and feature stories about climate and landscape solutions from around the world.

Be part of the change. 

Connect with us..

• Privacy policy and terms of use
• Global Landscapes Forum (GLF)

50 years of Project Tiger: How are tigers counted in the wild

How are tigers counted what goes on behind the scenes in forests and what all it takes to estimate tigers in the wild.

Listen to Story

• Tigers form the top predators in the ecosystem
• Their role in the balancing act of nature is critical
• India launched Project Tiger in 1973

This Sunday, we will have a fresh count of the number of tigers present in India right now. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release the latest figures of India's big cat population as the country celebrates 50 years of Project Tiger on April 9. The tiger population in India has been rising since the launch of the half-a-century-long conservation campaign across the country.

Tigers form the top predators in the ecosystem and their role in the balancing act of nature is critical. India launched Project Tiger in 1973 to begin a concerted effort toward saving the big cat, which had been facing extinction at the time. Over the last 50 years, their numbers have gone up thanks to concentrated efforts under the campaign. According to the 2018 tiger population survey -- the last such carried out -- India had 2,461 individual tigers.

Not a member

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

• View all journals
• Explore content
• About the journal
• Publish with us
• Sign up for alerts
• NEWS FEATURE
• 30 October 2019

India’s tigers seem to be a massive success story — many scientists aren’t sure

• Gayathri Vaidyanathan 0

Gayathri Vaidyanathan is a science journalist in Bengaluru.

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

A tiger and her cubs leave India’s Bandhavgarh National Park in search of prey, which is scarce inside the reserve. Credit: Steve Winter/National Geographic

Central India — The Maruti Gypsy 44 sped along a jungle track, jolting us out of our seats. We had signed up for a wolf safari, but the trip leader had another quarry in mind. The vehicle barrelled towards a pungent smell on a hillside — a fresh tiger kill.

Access options

Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals

Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription

24,99 € / 30 days

cancel any time

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

185,98 € per year

only 3,65 € per issue

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Nature 574 , 612-616 (2019)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-019-03267-z

Mondol, S., Karanth, K. U. & Ramakrishnan, U. PLoS Genet. 5 , e1000585 (2009).

Article   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Gopalaswamy, A. M., Delampady, D., Karanth, K. U., Kumar, N. S. & Macdonald, D. W. Methods Ecol. Evol. 6 , 1055–1066 (2015).

Article   Google Scholar  

Gopalaswamy, A. M., Karanth, K. U., Delampady, M. & Stenseth, N. Chr. Preprint at bioRxiv https://doi.org/10.1101/708628 (2019).

Qureshi, Q., Gopal, R. & Jhala, Y. PeerJ 7 , e7482 (2019).

Thatte, P., Joshi, A., Vaidyanathan, S., Landguth, E. & Ramakrishnan, U. Biol. Conserv. 218 , 181–191 (2018).

Armstrong, E. et al. Preprint at bioRxiv https://doi.org/10.1101/696146 (2019).

Kerley, L. L. et al. Conserv. Biol. 16 , 97–108 (2002).

Download references

Reprints and permissions

Related Articles

• Conservation biology
• Biodiversity

Bumblebees’ sense of smell can’t take the heat

Research Highlight 30 AUG 24

Lonely? Playful? Why are dolphin attacks rising in Japan?

News Q&A 28 AUG 24

Mating proximity blinds threat perception

Article 28 AUG 24

No basis for claim that 80% of biodiversity is found in Indigenous territories

Comment 04 SEP 24

Dismantle ‘zombie’ wildlife protection conventions once their work is done

Comment 12 AUG 24

13 PhD Positions at Heidelberg University

GRK2727/1 – InCheck Innate Immune Checkpoints in Cancer and Tissue Damage

Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg (DE) and Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg (DE)

Medical Faculties Mannheim & Heidelberg and DKFZ, Germany

Postdoctoral Associate- Environmental Epidemiology

Houston, Texas (US)

Baylor College of Medicine (BCM)

Open Faculty Positions at the State Key Laboratory of Brain Cognition & Brain-inspired Intelligence

The laboratory focuses on understanding the mechanisms of brain intelligence and developing the theory and techniques of brain-inspired intelligence.

Shanghai, China

CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology (CEBSIT)

Research Associate - Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)

Faculty position in pathology research.

Dallas, Texas (US)

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern Medical Center)

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Quick links

• Explore articles by subject
• Guide to authors
• Editorial policies

News Updates

• Media Coverage
• Mann Ki Baat
• Message from the Prime Minister
• Quest for Transparency
• Right to Information (RTI)
• List of Officers (PMO)
• PM’s Interviews
• PM National Relief Fund
• National Defence Fund
• PM CARES Fund
• International Visits
• Domestic Visits
• Know the PM
• Former Prime Ministers
• Three Years
• Photo Gallery
• Watch Live/Videos
• PM’s Speeches
• PM’s Speeches (Videos)
• Infographics & Quotes
• Social Media Updates
• Interact with PM
• Portfolios of the Union Council of Ministers
• Download PMO Mobile App

PM inaugurates program ‘Commemoration of 50 years of Project Tiger’ in Mysuru, Karnataka

Launches International Big Cats Alliance

Declares tiger numbers at 3167

Releases commemorative coin and several publications about tiger conservation

“The success of Project Tiger is not only a moment of pride for India but the entire world”

“India does not believe in the conflict between ecology and economy, it gives equal importance to the coexistence of both”

“India is a country where protecting nature is a part of the culture”

“The presence of big cats has made a positive impact on the lives and ecology of the local people everywhere”

“Wildlife protection is not a one-country issue but a universal one”

“The focus of the International big cat alliance will be on the conservation of the world’s 7 major big cats”

“Better future for humanity is possible only when environment remains safe and biodiversity continues to expand”

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the program ‘Commemoration of 50 years of Project Tiger’at Mysuru University in Mysuru, Karnataka today. The Prime Minister also launched the International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA). He released the publications – ‘Amrit Kaal Ka Vision For Tiger Conservation’, a summary report of the 5th cycle of Management Effectiveness Evaluation of Tiger Reserves, declared tiger numbers and released the summary report of All India Tiger Estimation (5th cycle). He also released a commemorative coin on the completion of 50 years of Project Tiger.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister remarked on the prestigious moment of the growing tiger population in India and paid respects by giving a standing ovation to the tigers. He said that everyone is witness to the landmark event of Project Tiger completing 50 years today and remarked that its success is not only a moment of pride for India but the entire world. The Prime Minister emphasized that India has not only saved the tiger population from declining but also provided an ecosystem where tigers can flourish. The Prime Minister expressed happiness that India is home to 75% of the world’s tiger population in the 75th year of Indian independence. It is also a coincidence, the Prime Minister continued, that the tiger reserves in India cover 75,000 square kilometers of land and in the past ten to twelve years, the tiger population in the country has increased by 75 percent.

Reiterating the question in the minds of wildlife enthusiasts around the world about the increasing tiger population in India when compared to other countries where it is either stagnant or in decline, the Prime Minister said that the answer is hidden among the traditions and culture of India and its natural urge towards biodiversity and environment. “India does not believe in the conflict between ecology and economy, and gives equal importance to the coexistence of both”, the Prime Minister remarked. Recalling the importance of tigers in the history of India, the Prime Minister mentioned that graphical representations of tigers were found on the ten-thousand-year-old rock art in Madhya Pradesh. He also added that the Bharia community from Central India and Worli community from Maharashtra among others worship the tiger whereas many communities in India consider the tiger as a friend and brother. He further added that Maa Durga and Lord Aiyappa ride the tiger.

Noting India’s unique achievements in wildlife conservation, the Prime Minister said, “India is a country where protecting nature is a part of the culture”. He mentioned that India has only 2.4 percent of the world’s land area but it contributes toward 8 percent to known global biodiversity. He stated that India is the largest tiger range country in the world, the largest Asiatic elephant range country in the world with nearly thirty thousand elephants, and also the largest single-horn rhino country with a population of nearly three thousand. He further added that India is the only country in the world to have Asiatic lions and its population has increased from around 525 in 2015 to around 675 in 2020. He also touched upon India’s leopard population and stated that it increased by over 60 percent in 4 years. Referring to the work being done to clean up rivers such as the Ganga, the Prime Minister highlighted that some aquatic species that were once considered to be in danger have shown improvement. He credited the people’s participation and a culture of conservation for these achievements.

“It is important for ecosystems to thrive for the wildlife to thrive”, the Prime Minister remarked as he noted the work done in India. He mentioned that the country added 11 wetlands to its list of Ramsar sites taking the total number of Ramsar Sites to 75. He also noted that India added over 2200 square kilometers of forest and tree cover by 2021 when compared to 2019. In the last decade, the Prime Minister said, the number of Community Reserves increased from 43 to over 100 and the number of National Parks and sanctuaries around which Eco-sensitive Zones were notified increased from 9 to 468, that too in a decade.

Recalling his experience in wildlife conservation as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, the Prime Minister mentioned working for the lion population and emphasized that limiting to one geographical area cannot save a wild animal. He stressed the need to create a relationship of emotion as well as of economy between the local people and the animal. The Prime Minister highlighted starting the Wildlife Mitra program in Gujarat where the incentive of cash reward was offered to monitor activities like hunting. He also mentioned opening a rehabilitation center for the Lions of Gir and recruiting women-beat guards and foresters in the Forest Department in Gir area. He also highlighted the huge ecosystem of tourism and ecotourism that has now been established in Gir.

The Prime Minister reiterated that the success of Project Tiger has many dimensions and it has led to an increase in tourist activity, awareness programs and a reduction in Man-Animal conflicts in Tiger Reserves. “The presence of big cats has made a positive impact on the lives and ecology of the local people everywhere”, Shri Modi added.

Highlighting that the cheetah became extinct in India decades ago, the Prime Minister mentioned the first successful trans-continental translocation of a big cat referring to the cheetahs that have been brought to India from Namibia and South Africa. He recalled that 4 beautiful cheetah cubs have been born in Kuno National Park a few days ago. And said that the cheetah has taken birth on the land of India after becoming extinct about 75 years ago. He stressed the importance of international cooperation for the protection and prosperity of biodiversity.

“Wildlife protection is not a one-country issue but a universal one”, the Prime Minister said, stressing the need for an International Alliance. He informed that in the year 2019, the Prime Minister had called for an alliance against poaching and illegal wildlife trade in Asia on Global Tiger Day, and remarked that the International Big Cat Alliance is an extension of this spirit. Noting its benefits, the Prime Minister said that it will be easy to mobilize financial and technical resources for the entire ecosystem associated with the big cat while easily implementing the conservation and protection agenda that has emerged from the experiences of various countries including India. “The focus of the International big cat alliance will be on the conservation of the world’s 7 major big cats including tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar and cheetah”, the Prime Minister remarked and explained that countries that are home to these cats will be a part of this alliance. He further elaborated that the member countries will be able to share their experiences, help their fellow country more quickly, and lay emphasis on research, training and capacity building. “Together we will save these species from extinction, and create a safe and healthy ecosystem”, Shri Modi remarked.

Highlighting the motto of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’ for India’s G20 presidency, the Prime Minister said that it amplifies the message that a better future for humanity is possible only when our environment remains safe and our biodiversity continues to expand. “This responsibility belongs to all of us, it belongs to the whole world”, he reiterated. Mentioning COP26, the Prime Minister stated that India has set big and ambitious goals and expressed confidence in mutual cooperation that can help in achieving every goal of environmental protection.

Directing his address towards foreign guests and dignitaries that graced the occasion, the Prime Minister urged them to take something back from the life and traditions of India’s tribal society. He highlighted regions of Sahyadri and Western Ghats that have been habited by tribals and said that they have engaged in enriching every biodiversity including the tiger for centuries. He emphasized that the tradition of tribal society of the balance of give and take from nature can be adopted here. Concluding the address, the Prime Minister mentioned the Oscar-winning documentary ‘The Elephant Whispers’ and said that it reflects our legacy of the wonderful relationship between Nature and Creature. “The lifestyle of the tribal society also helps a lot in understanding the vision of Mission LiFE i.e. Lifestyle for Environment”, the Prime Minister concluded.

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav and Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey were present on the occasion among others.

The Prime Minister launched the International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA). In July 2019, the Prime Minister called for an Alliance of Global Leaders to obliterate demand and firmly curb poaching and illegal wildlife trade in Asia. Taking the message of the Prime Minister forward, the International Big Cats Alliance is being launched which will focus on the protection and conservation of seven major big cats of the world, viz. Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Puma, Jaguar and Cheetah, with a membership of the range of countries harbouring these species.

Project Tiger leads the way in protection and conservation of the big cats. https://t.co/53B9nwsNkt — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 9, 2023

The success of Project Tiger is a matter of pride not only for India but for the whole world. pic.twitter.com/ucde8TPMZq — PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 9, 2023

We do not believe in conflict between ecology and economy, but give importance to co-existence between the two. pic.twitter.com/hRv0xzsdK3 — PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 9, 2023

India is a country where protecting nature is part of culture. pic.twitter.com/0y3lLJMHeb — PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 9, 2023

For wildlife to thrive, it is important for ecosystems to thrive. This has been happening in India. pic.twitter.com/hSFkvGYlbj — PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 9, 2023

Big Cats की मौजूदगी ने हर जगह स्थानीय लोगों के जीवन और वहां की ecology पर सकारात्मक असर डाला है। pic.twitter.com/L5E61uyQA3 — PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 9, 2023

Cheetahs had become extinct in India decades ago. We brought this magnificent big cat to India from Namibia and South Africa. This is the first successful trans-continental translocation of the big cat. pic.twitter.com/WLwHZXU8Gl — PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 9, 2023

Protection of wildlife is a universal issue. International Big Cat Alliance is our endeavour for protection and conservation of the big cats. pic.twitter.com/dLS3TRQGd4 — PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 9, 2023

The numbers of the tiger census are encouraging. Congratulations to all stakeholders and environment lovers. This trend also places an added responsibility of doing even more to protect the tiger as well as other animals. This is what our culture teaches us too. pic.twitter.com/aSwyOlzE52 — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 9, 2023

Popular News

Recent news.

• Entertainment
• Life & Style

To enjoy additional benefits

CONNECT WITH US

The government has trapped Project Tiger, now 50, in a tough spot | Explained Premium

Violations of the wildlife (protection) act and the forest rights act have exacerbated conflicts in tiger reserves between the forest bureaucracy and forest-dwellers.

Updated - January 09, 2024 05:12 pm IST

Published - January 09, 2024 10:30 am IST

A view of the Similipal Tiger Reserve in Odisha. | Photo Credit: Sreejeetmaity1998 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Launched in 1973, Project Tiger introduced India’s Tiger Reserves – which have since rapidly ascended in status. From an administrative category arbitrarily constituted and administered by the forest bureaucracy, Tiger Reserves became a statutory category in 2006. Today, Tiger Reserves are hailed worldwide as India’s miraculous success story in environment and forest conservation, especially in this age of climate change.

From only nine Reserves in 1973 encompassing 9,115 sq. km, there are 54 in 18 States, occupying 78,135.956 sq. km, or 2.38% of India’s total land area. Critical Tiger Habitats (CTH) cover 42,913.37 sq. km, or 26% of the area under National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.

The first tiger census, in 1972, used the unreliable pug-mark method to count 1,827 tigers. As of 2022, the more reliable camera-trap method indicated there were 3,167-3,925. India’s tiger population is growing at 6.1% a year, prompting the government to claim India is now home to three-quarters of the world’s tigers.

In the same year – 1972 – India enacted the Wildlife (Protection) Act (WLPA). It introduced new spatial fixtures within notified forests, called ‘National Parks’, where the rights of forest-dwellers were removed and vested with the State government. It also created ‘Wildlife Sanctuaries’, where only some permitted rights could be exercised.

Project Tiger was the result of this development. Until then, it had been a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the (then) Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. The government created the ‘Critical Tiger Habitat’ to vouchsafe a part of India’s forests for tiger-centric agendas. Beyond each CTH would be a Buffer Area: a mix of forest and non-forest land. But even though the latter had an inclusive, people-oriented agenda, the overall ‘fortress conservation’ approach to protecting tigers displaced people who had coexisted with tigers for generations, and became ground zero for generations of conflict.

The September 2006 amendment

In 2005, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh appointed a five-member ‘Tiger Task Force’ in 2005. He was responding to a public outcry: that India’s tigers existed only on paper and not in the forests of Sariska in Rajasthan, where the government had spent Rs 2 crore per tiger in 2002-2003 for their upkeep and safety, versus Rs 24 lakh per tiger elsewhere.

The Task Force found the approach (then) of using guns, guards, and fences wasn’t protecting tigers, and that the increasing conflict between the forest/wildlife bureaucracy and those who coexist with the tigers was a recipe for disaster. The group asserted “the protection of the tiger is inseparable from the protection of the forests it roams in. But the protection of these forests is itself inseparable from the fortunes of the people who, in India, inhabit forest areas.”

So the Parliament amended WLPA in September 2006 to create the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and a tiger conservation plan. However, the CTH remained inviolate; the Act modified forest-dwellers’ use of the forest – mostly tribals – and planned to relocate them if required.

The amendment also didn’t prohibit the diversion of a “tiger’s forest” for development projects, and allowed  wildlife to be killed as a last resort if they threatened human lives.

Four months later, the government also enacted the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006 – a.k.a. FRA. FRA recognised all customary and traditional forest rights – individual as well as community – on all forest land, including in Tiger Reserves. Under the Act, the habitation-level Gram Sabha was to democratically determine and demarcate the forest rights that FRA recognised and vested in them. The Gram Sabhas became the authority to protect, conserve, and manage the forest, wildlife, and biodiversity within their customary and traditional boundaries. As a result, FRA secured the livelihoods of at least 20 crore Indians – about half of them tribals – in 1.79 lakh villages.

Importantly, FRA introduced a ‘Critical Wildlife Habitat’ (CWH), akin to the CTH under WLPA, with one difference: once a CWH had been notified, it couldn’t be diverted for non-forestry purposes. The Adivasi movements had demanded this clause during negotiations.

The extent of CTHs

• The Union Environment Ministry estimated that, under FRA, 4 crore ha of forest land was to be transferred to village-level institutions, and all forest related laws were to be fine modified accordingly. 

The government planned to notify the FRA Rules on January 1, 2009, and operationalise the Act. But on November 16, 2007, the NTCA passed an order that gave the Chief Wildlife Wardens 13 days’ time to submit a proposal to delineate CTHs, each with an area of 800-1,000 sq. km. As a result of the hurry, the government ended up notifying 26 Tiger Reserves in 12 States Section 38(V) of WLPA, and without complying with its provisions.

Of the 25,548.54 sq. km thus notified, 23,444.93 sq. km – or 91.77% – encompassed CTHs. And except for Similipal in Odisha, the CTHs had no Buffer Area. (They were finally added in 2012 after the Supreme Court rapped the NTCA and set it a three-month deadline.)

A map showing the boundaries of the Similipal Tiger Reserve as of December 2022. | Photo Credit: Ajibaka Das (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Today, India bears the long-term brunt of this error: tigers have been forced to inhabit and inherit a landscape heaped with illegalities.

India’s basis for CTHs

Originally, Tiger Reserves were to be created in a democratic process, “on the basis of scientific and objective criteria” and without any arbitrariness. The tiger conservation plan was similarly required to “ensure the agricultural, livelihood, development and other interests of the people living in tiger-bearing forests or a tiger reserve.”

The basis for the CTH is scientific evidence of the irreversible damage to wildlife that human activities wreak. With this in mind, the Indian government has a responsibility to ascertain whether a reasonable coexistence of forest-dwellers and tigers is possible. If not, it should modify the forest-dwellers’ rights accordingly and relocate them if necessary. (This has to be done in consultation with ecological and social scientists familiar with the area as well as the consent of the affected forest-dwellers).

Only then can a CTH be established without affecting “the rights of the Scheduled Tribes or such other forest dwellers”.

Similarly, the Buffer Area outside the CTH is to promote human-animal coexistence while recognising the livelihood, developmental, social, and cultural rights of the local people. Its geographical limits are to be determined on the basis of objective criteria with inputs from the concerned Gram Sabha as well as an expert committee.

The problem is that all of India’s Tiger Reserves have been notified without meeting these requirements. The government hasn’t obtained informed consent from forest-dwelling Scheduled Tribe communities and other traditional communities. The result: both tigers and forest-dwellers have been trapped in a tough spot, conducive to the creation of conflict.

Relocation and rehabilitation

WLPA prohibits all relocation except “voluntary relocation on mutually agreed terms and conditions” satisfying requirements in the law. Once FRA recognises people’s rights under FRA, the State acquires those rights according to the terms of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR) Act 2013. No relocation can happen without the consent of the affected communities. LARR also requires the rehabilitation package to provide financial compensation as well as secure livelihoods to those relocated.

Next, under LARR, the government needs to compensate the relocated people to the extent of including twice the market value of the land, the value of assets attached to the land including trees and plants, a subsistence allowance for a year, a one-time financial assistance for relocation, building materials, belongings, and cattle, and a one-time resettlement allowance. Each family is to be provided land and a house.

The resettlement plan also includes the provision of alternative fuel, fodder, and non-timber forest produce resources on non-forest land, electric connections, roads, drainage and sanitation, safe drinking water, water for cattle, grazing land, ration shops, panchayat buildings, post offices, a seed-cum-fertiliser storage facility, basic irrigation, burial or cremation ground, an anganwadi, a school, a health centre, veterinary service centres, community centre, places of worship, and separate land for traditional tribal institutions.

However, the Union Environment Ministry and State governments have limited themselves to provisions in the 2008 Revised Guidelines for the Ongoing Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project Tiger 2008 and subsequent guidelines. This means a compensation of Rs 10 lakh, revised in April 2021 to Rs 15 lakh, as a cash or relocation/rehabilitation ‘package’. This is not a substitute for the total compensation, resettlement, and relocation as required by the law. The remainder has been made the responsibility of State governments.

Officials have also been known to obtain signatures from the affected families under statements that they have opted to relocate. This is the bare minimum level of consent required by law.

As of 2018, there were 2,808 villages in CTHs. The Union Environment Ministry stated in the Lok Sabha that as on July 12, 2019, there were 57,386 families in these CTHs, of which 42,398 remained inside 50 Tiger Reserves.

Pitting tigers versus people

Tiger Reserves experience the most resistance to the recognition of forest rights and the rights of forest dwellers.

For example, in March 2017, NTCA barred the recognition of rights under FRA in the CTHs “in the absence of guidelines for notification of critical wildlife habitat” under FRA, which the Union Environment Ministry was to issue. Both WLPA and FRA require forest-dwellers’ rights to be recognised even inside CTHs. The Union Environment Ministry issued the guidelines in January 2018 and NTCA withdrew the ban order two months later.

FRA provides for the establishment of 13 basic government public utilities (as stated earlier). Each of these can involve felling up to 75 trees over forest land smaller than one hectare. The Gram Sabha’s consent is mandatory for such diversion of land. But on October 28, 2020, the Union Environment Ministry insisted that the National Board for Wildlife, a statutory body under WLPA, must issue a wildlife clearance if these diversions are from National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.

However, in the law, a wildlife clearance itself is required only for projects that require environmental clearance under the Environment (Protection) Act 1986. Similarly, environmental clearances are required for 39 large industrial and infrastructure, none of which these public utilities are.

With further increase in tigers and Tiger Reserves, and tiger corridors to link them up, India’s tiger terrain is set to become a hotspot not for biodiversity but anxiety and conflict.

C.R. Bijoy examines natural resource conflicts and governance issues.

• The first tiger census, in 1972, used the unreliable pug-mark method to count 1,827 tigers.
• The government created the ‘Critical Tiger Habitat’ to vouchsafe a part of India’s forests for tiger-centric agendas.

Related Topics

The Hindu Explains / habitat (conservation) / civil rights / forests

Top News Today

• Access 10 free stories every month
• Save stories to read later
• Access to comment on every story
• Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
• Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products

Terms & conditions   |   Institutional Subscriber

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.

• Current Issue
• Arts & Culture
• Social Issues
• Science & Technology
• Environment
• World Affairs
• Data Stories
• Photo Essay
• Newsletter Sign-up
• Print Subscription
• Digital Subscription
• Digital Exclusive Stories

• CONNECT WITH US

Project Tiger @50: Success but at what cost?

Published : Apr 20, 2023 11:00 IST - 14 MINS READ

READ LATER SEE ALL Remove

At Kanha Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh. Questions can be asked about the “success” of Project Tiger: after 50 years, there has been only a 33 per cent increase in the population. | Photo Credit: A.M. Faruqui

The count of tigers in India has increased but has this come at the expense of other species and vulnerable local communities.

It is the 50th anniversary of arguably one of the most important pieces of legislation in Indian history. The Wild Life (Protection) Act (WLPA) of India was passed in 1972 with the goal of safeguarding the nation’s wild animals and birds and their habitats. The legislation established protected areas, prohibited hunting of most species of wildlife, and created a new “protectionist” paradigm for conservation of wildlife in India. The law was enacted in response to concerns that wildlife, the tiger in particular, was in danger of extinction due to uncontrolled hunting. The concept of an “umbrella species” was used to justify focussing protection efforts on tigers, as they occupy the top of the ecological food pyramid, to ensure that the entire food chain remained healthy and safeguarded.

Over the past five decades, the WLPA has helped set conservation priorities where they might have otherwise been overshadowed by other pressing social and economic considerations. As India commemorates 50 years of wildlife protection, it is vital to pose critical questions about the law and associated projects, such as Project Tiger, and their impact on wildlife and biodiversity conservation, the lives and livelihoods of vulnerable local communities, and what is the way forward for the next 50 years.

In the following sections, we will examine the outcomes of the WLPA by scrutinising the extent of protected areas, the current status of species originally listed in Schedule I, which denotes the highest level of protection, and the protection of habitat within these areas. Additionally, we will reflect on the role of the WLPA in securing the future of not only a few large, charismatic, rare, and threatened species but also the overall biodiversity of India’s ecosystems and the people that depend on them.

Exponential increase in protected area: But what about the species within them?

The WLPA is widely recognised for its success in expanding the network of protected areas in India. Since 1972, the number of protected areas has increased exponentially (figure 1) from 65, covering one million hectares, to 998, covering 17.4 million ha, and now encompassing approximately 5.3 per cent of India’s land area. Additionally, over seven million hectares of tiger reserves have been created since 1973 to exclusively protect tigers (figure 1).

However, questions remain about the effectiveness of protected areas in preserving wildlife and their habitats. One way to measure effectiveness is to examine the long-term trends of species that receive the highest protection, such as the Schedule I species, primarily large mammals, in the 1972 Act. Later amendments added species from other taxa, such as plants, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and insects.

State of the tiger and its habitat

The main idea behind the declaration of tiger reserves was to arrest the rapid decline in tiger numbers, reduce their hunting, and improve the habitat within the reserves to start with. How did the tiger reserves fare in ensuring the above goals?

In 1973, when Project Tiger was launched, the country had an estimated 2,000 tigers. Tiger reserves were established across the country as part of the effort to revive the tiger population and those of their associated prey. In the early days, this also involved the often involuntary relocation of people from the “core areas” of reserves.

The Indian Grey Wolf. The alarming decline of open habitat essential for the survival of such species is symptomatic of the emphasis the Wild Life Act and Forest Departments put on the “place” where species exist. | Photo Credit: Mihir Godbole

The initial successes in a few reserves masked a more fundamental problem that threatened to undermine the previous two decades of conservation effort. In the 2000s, tiger populations were reported to be at an all-time high in all tiger reserves, often showing unrealistic growth rates. The numbers turned out to be a lie. As scientists and other whistle-blowers started raising the alarm, tigers were found to have gone extinct in two tiger reserves and their numbers had been inflated in many other parts of India. The reality dawned that after 25 years of Project Tiger, tiger numbers might be less than what they were in 1972.

It took another massive effort to restart the revival process, along with more scientifically robust population-monitoring techniques. Now, another 25 years later, the numbers are estimated to be around 3,000. The huge costs, both monetary and non-monetary, associated with tiger protection and wildlife conservation, such as human displacement, loss of access to forest-based livelihoods, and loss of productive land, can lead to legitimate questions about the “success” of Project Tiger: after 50 years, it has resulted in a “modest” 33 per cent increase in the population.

Furthermore, the state of tiger habitats in India is a cause for concern. According to a 2019 study, over 50 per cent of the 13 tiger reserves have experienced a decline in habitat quality. The study raised doubts on their long-term viability and concluded that creating “Tiger Reserves” and increasing protection might not be enough to preserve the condition of the vegetation. 1

Most of India’s tigers are concentrated in increasingly isolated pockets of highly productive habitats, in a matrix of mixed use and human-dominated landscapes. While tiger numbers have increased, so too have human-animal conflicts as dispersing tigers venture farther out in search of rapidly vanishing new homes.

The other Schedule I species

We conducted an analysis of conservation trends for the 43 mammal species that were originally listed in Schedule I of the WLPA. We utilised data from the Red List of Threatened Species portal of the International Union for Conservation of Nature to gain insights into the fate of these species with the highest level of protection under the WLPA.

The analysis sought to answer two questions: What are the long-term population trends of these species, and is there any change in their Red List status since their inclusion in Schedule I?

The findings are sobering. Out of the 43 mammal species, 37 species, or 86 per cent, remain under threat and 32 species, or 74 per cent, continue to decline. The Malabar civet ( Viverra civettina ) is probably extinct, and the Chinese pangolin ( Manis pentadactyla ), the Kashmir stag ( Cervus elaphus hanglu ), and the pygmy hog ( Sus salvanius ) are Critically Endangered.

Six species have shown relatively stable or increasing population trends. And even though the Asiatic lion ( Panthera leo persica ) and the greater one-horned rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros unicornis ) remain Endangered and Vulnerable respectively, their recovery from near extinction is widely regarded as a conservation success story. Significant and protracted delays in translocation in creating founder populations, caused primarily by political one-upmanship, is a cause for serious conservation concern for both the species.

Other taxa, such as birds, have not fared any better. Out of the 22 species of birds initially included in Schedule I, the pink-headed duck ( Rhodonessa caryophyllacea ) is likely extinct, whereas the Jerdon’s courser ( Rhinoptilus bitorquatus ), the great Indian bustard ( Ardeotis nigriceps ), the lesser florican ( Sypheotides indicus ), the Bengal florican ( Houbaropsis bengalensis ), and the white-winged duck ( Asarcornis scutulata ) are all Critically Endangered and on the verge of extirpation in India. Recently, a conservation breeding programme was launched for the great Indian bustard, but its habitats continue to be under severe threat.

Development triumphs over protection

Apart from habitat degradation, protected areas are shrinking , and such loss is driven largely by their denotification and diversion for development, infrastructure, extractive industries, and defence-related projects.

According to a report by the Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment, in the first half of 2021 alone, the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) approved the denotification of 13,855.784 ha of protected areas from four wildlife sanctuaries, including the complete denotification of the Galathea Bay and Megapode wildlife sanctuaries in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 2 In 2020, the NBWL recommended the diversion of more than 1,00,000 ha of protected areas across several sites. However, diversions for non-conservation activities are illegal as a 2000 Supreme Court order prohibits the denotification of any protected area whatsoever. A detailed analysis of the role of the NBWL in the diversion of protected areas, published in Economic & Political Weekly in 2010, concluded that between 1998 and 2009, nearly 10,000 ha was denotified for mining and the expansion of highways and railways. 3

Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros. The recovery of this psecies through militarised protection in Kaziranga is the big conservation success story of the 20th century. | Photo Credit: RITU RAJ KONWAR

The consequences of such extractive and linear developments have been extremely harmful, particularly for large mammals such as tigers, leopards, and elephants whose ecological and reproductive success is largely determined by the size of their home range.

As India’s forests and other natural ecosystems continue to become more fragmented, degraded, and isolated, animals seeking newer territories often face increased conflicts with humans or fall victim to speeding vehicles on highways or trains along railway tracks that run across most forests in India today.

Rarity versus biodiversity: Missing the bees and bugs for the elephants and the tigers

Is India’s focus on iconic species such as tigers and elephants enough to protect its biodiversity? Can the country’s current approach to protected areas adequately address the wider concerns of biodiversity conservation and its importance for human well-being?

India’s current protection-centric model, which prioritises conservation of large charismatic species, may not effectively address the threats to human well-being caused by the ongoing biodiversity and climate crises. While the protectionist approach is important to prioritise the rarest and most threatened species, it often neglects the more abundant species that play a crucial role in supporting the services and benefits that humans derive from natural ecosystems.

For example, a single species of bee, the giant rock bee ( Apis dorsata ), which can be found in colonies consisting of thousands of individuals, can pollinate on a much larger scale than 100 species of solitary bees that are much rarer. However, conservation efforts are often focussed on rare species to the detriment of more abundant species that are important for the well-being of humans. This is especially so for the rural poor and marginalised communities who often depend on the abundance of a diverse range of biodiversity, including plants, insects, fishes, slugs, snakes, and frogs. The services provided by these species, whether tangible or indirect, are vital to sustain human livelihoods and well-being requirements, such as providing food and income, pollinating crops, sequestering carbon and water, and providing a sense of joy, wonder, inspiration, and awe. 4

The protected area-centric approach, also known as the “fortress conservation model”, often imposes barriers between humans and nature, creating imaginary and physical boundaries. In extreme cases, walls are erected around protected areas, but more commonly, people with legal, usufruct, historical, and customary claims to forested areas are penalised and restricted from accessing them. Such restrictions alienate local communities from conservation projects and, in the worst cases, turn them against the very species the state is trying to protect.

The Great Indian Bustard. This Schedule I listed bird is facing extinction because it and its habitat were not considered worthy of protection. | Photo Credit: Abi Tamim Vanak

One of the most critical flaws in India’s protected area model is its exclusion of local communities from participation in conservation and protection efforts. Despite efforts to engage communities, including through conservation reserves aligned with IUCN norms, decision-making and conservation prioritisation remain the purview of government authorities. The 2002 amendment to the WLPA expanded protected areas but did little to promote sustainable use of wild bioresources as intended and thus missed an opportunity to create a more inclusive model of biodiversity conservation and address the larger concerns of human well-being.

A more holistic approach to biodiversity conservation is necessary so that it supports the needs of all citizens, especially those most vulnerable to the impacts of biodiversity loss and climate change. This requires moving beyond fortress conservation and promoting sustainable use of wild bioresources. By recognising and respecting the legal, customary, and traditional rights of local communities, through the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, conservation efforts can benefit both biodiversity and human well-being.

Beyond protected areas

The WLPA has long been criticised for its narrow focus on protecting forests, perpetuating the flawed idea that treeless landscapes are inherently degraded and worthless. As a result, many iconic species that call these so-called “wastelands” home have become increasingly rare over time. Only in cases where these areas contain grasslands with large herbivores such as rhinoceroses, elephants, and wild buffaloes are they deemed worthy of protecting.

The historical neglect of dry and semi-dry grasslands or other “open natural ecosystems” has had dire consequences, with many native grassland species such as the great Indian bustard and the Jerdon’s courser teetering on the brink of extinction because of the lack of habitat protection by State Forest Departments. The alarming decline of open habitat that species such as the great Indian bustard, lesser florican, and the Indian grey wolf ( Canis lupus pallipes ) need to survive is also symptomatic of a broader conservation problem. The WLPA and State Forest Departments are strongly tied to the “place” where species exist. By protecting these places, they assume that the species within them will also thrive. This approach generally works for most forest-dependent species. However, “landscape” species such as the bustard, the wolf, the leopard, and many bird species have always lived in shared spaces well outside the purview of what a Forest Department considers its domain. Hence, the conservation of these species has suffered because the place-based approach of protecting a few 10s or 100s of square kilometres does not match the thousands of square kilometres that these species typically need.

This also highlights another problem with the WLPA. At its very core, it is a restrictive and punitive Act. It carries with it the heft of a long stick to punish wrongdoers if they violate the principles of conservation set forth in it. However, the carrot of incentivising conservation is missing from its purview. Therefore, while the mechanical, and often unscientific, cataloguing of species into the various schedules was meant to denote different levels of protection, the WLPA did little to actually promote their conservation. The ultimate goal of conservation should be to create conditions so that species are no longer under threat. Such a framework is entirely missing from the WLPA. The listing of a species within a particular schedule does little to galvanise State agencies into action to first determine the current status of the species and then prepare and implement a species recovery plan so that ultimately the species can be “delisted” from the schedule.

For a radical shift in conservation ideology

As we breach the 50-year mark, it is a fitting time for reflection. To not only look at where we were and where we stand today but also start working towards where we envisage that India’s biodiversity will be in the next 50 years.

Currently, India’s commendable efforts to expand its protected areas and tiger reserves are undermined by an excessive fixation on tiger numbers. Moving forward, it is crucial to broaden the metrics of conservation efficacy beyond narrow quantitative goals to include more qualitative aspects, such as promoting connectivity across protected areas, enhancing habitat within existing reserves, and providing ample space for all species, and not merely tigers, to move freely and maintain genetic diversity. Going forward, the Act must envisage biodiversity conservation as a goal rather than simply protecting a few select species. In addition to that, future plans should include predictive models to design interventions and strategies to tackle the complex conservation challenges posed by the ongoing climate-driven crisis.

However, this will require a radical shift in India’s conservation ideology from a strictly “protectionist” and punitive approach to a more inclusive and enabling one that prioritises biodiversity conservation as a mainstream goal. To fully embrace this approach, India must also acknowledge that biodiversity belongs everywhere and should not be confined to protected areas.

Looking ahead to the next 50 years, we must continue to push for progress in the fight to protect our planet’s biodiversity. By learning from the past and looking towards the future, we can ensure a safe, sustainable, and equitable world for not just the biodiversity that the WLPA is mandated to conserve and protect but also the lives and livelihoods of millions of people dependent on biodiversity.

Rajkamal Goswami is a Fellow in residence at the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology & the Environment (ATREE), Bengaluru. Abi Tamim Vanak is a Senior Fellow at ATREE.

• Koulgi, P.S., N. Clinton, , and K.K. Karanth (2019): “Extensive vegetation browning and drying in forests of India’s Tiger Reserves”, Science Reports , 9, 14976.
• https://thelifeindia.org.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/analysis-of-wildlife-2021.pdf
• Menon, M., K. Kohli, and V. Samdariya (2010): “Diversion of Protected Areas: Role of the Wildlife Board”, Economic & Political Weekly , 45, pp. 18–21.
• Naeem, S., R. Chazdon, J.E. Duffy, C. Prager, and B. Worm (2016): “Biodiversity and human well-being: an essential link for sustainable development”, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences , 283, 20162091.

CONTRIBUTE YOUR COMMENTS

SHARE THIS STORY

More stories from this issue

How 10 young women overcome challenges in Rajasthan as Shiksha Sambal Fellows

The monkey whisperers of Delhi

Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre: Culture as spectacle

Where is Amritpal Singh? Drama unravels in Punjab around missing preacher

A road map to limbo: World Bank-IMF plans to resolve global economic crises

Vivan Sundaram: Inviting the world into his art

Vivan Sundaram (1943-2023): Rebel, writer, thinker, artist

Online video games vs online real money games: not one and the same.

1987 Maliana massacre verdict: Travesty of justice

Rise of the regionals

Editor’s note: what the 2024 election results mean for india.

• Bookmark stories to read later.
• Comment on stories to start conversations.
• Subscribe to our newsletters.
• Get notified about discounts and offers to our products.

Terms & conditions   |   Institutional Subscriber

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment

English rendering of PM’s address at the inauguration Session of Commemoration of 50 years of Project Tiger in Mysuru

My colleagues in the Union Cabinet Shri Bhupender Yadav ji, Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey ji, ministers from other countries, ministers from states, other representatives, ladies and gentlemen!

At the outset, I want to apologize to all of you that I am late by an hour. I left at six in the morning; I thought that I would be back after visiting the forests on time. I apologize for keeping you all waiting. It is a proud moment in view of the new number of tigers; this family is expanding. I request all of you to give a standing ovation to the tiger. Thank you!

Today we are witnessing a very important milestone. Project Tiger has completed 50 years. The success of Project Tiger is a matter of pride not only for India but for the entire world. India has not only saved the tiger, but has also given it an excellent ecosystem to flourish. It is even more pleasant for us that India is home to 75 percent of the world's tiger population in the 75th year of India’s independence. It is also a coincidence that the tiger reserve in India is spread over 75,000 square kilometers and the tiger population has also increased by 75 per cent in the last 10-12 years. This has been possible due to everyone's efforts and I congratulate the entire country for this success.

Today, the wildlife lovers around the world are bewildered that at a time when the population of the tigers is stagnant or decreasing in many countries, then how come it is increasing rapidly in India. The answer is hidden among the traditions and culture of India and its natural urge towards biodiversity and environment. We do not believe in conflict between ecology and economy, but give equal importance to co-existence of both. We have thousands of years of old history related to tigers. The graphical representations of tigers have been found on the ten-thousand-year-old rock art in Madhya Pradesh. Many communities of the country, like the Bharias living in Central India and the Worlis living in Maharashtra, worship the tiger. Tiger is considered as our friend and brother in many tribes in our country. And, the tiger is the vehicle of Maa Durga and Lord Aiyappa.

India is a country where protecting nature is part of culture. This is why it has many unique achievements in wildlife conservation. With only 2.4 per cent of the world’s land area, India contributes about 8 per cent of the known global biodiversity. India is the largest tiger range country in the world. With nearly 30,000 elephants, we are the largest Asiatic elephant range country in the world! Our rhino population of nearly 3,000 makes us the largest single-horn rhino country in the world. We are the only country in the world to have Asiatic lions. The lion population has increased from around 525 in 2015 to around 675 in 2020. Our leopard population went up by over 60 per cent in just 4 years. The work being done to clean up rivers such as the Ganga has helped bio-diversity. Some aquatic species that were considered to be in danger have shown improvement. These achievements are all due to people’s participation and a culture of conservation, ‘Sabka Prayas’ (collective efforts).

For wildlife to thrive, it is important for ecosystems to thrive. This has been happening in India. While celebrating 75 years of independence, India added eleven wetlands to its list of Ramsar sites. This took the total number of Ramsar sites to 75. Forest and tree cover are also increasing. India added over 2,200 square kilometers of forest and tree cover by 2021, when compared to 2019. In the last decade, the number of Community Reserves increased from 43 to over 100. In a decade, the number of National Parks and sanctuaries around which Eco-sensitive Zones were notified increased from nine to 468. 

I have had the benefit of my long experience in Gujarat as far as these wildlife conservation efforts are concerned. When I was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, we worked on the population of the lions. I learned that limiting to just one geographical area cannot save a wild animal. It is necessary to create a relationship between the local people and the animal. And this relationship should be based on emotion as well as economy. Therefore, we launched the Wildlife Mitra program in Gujarat. Under it, the incentive of cash reward was offered to monitor activities like hunting. We also opened a rehabilitation center for the Lions of Gir. We also recruited women-beat guards and foresters in the Forest Department in Gir area. This helped in strengthening the spirit of ‘Lion Hai to Hum Hai, Hum Hai to Lion Hai’. Today you can also see that a huge ecosystem of tourism and ecotourism has now been established in Gir.

Like the initiatives taken in Gir, the success of Project Tiger also has many dimensions. As a result, tourist activity also increased and there was a huge reduction in man-animal conflicts in Tiger Reserves due to the awareness programs that we ran. The number of tourists in Tiger Reserves has increased due to big cats and this has strengthened the local economy. The presence of big cats has made a positive impact on the lives and ecology of the local people.

A few months back, we also took another important initiative to enrich India's biodiversity. The cheetah became extinct in India decades ago. We brought this magnificent big cat to India from Namibia and South Africa. This is the first successful trans-continental translocation of a big cat. A few days back, four beautiful cubs were born in Kuno National Park. The cheetah became extinct from Indian soil about 75 years ago. In other words, a cheetah has taken birth on the land of India after about 75 years. This is a very auspicious beginning. This is also proof of how important international co-operation is for the protection and prosperity of biodiversity.

Wildlife protection is not a one-country issue, but a universal one. International Alliance is the need of the hour in this regard. I called for an alliance against poaching and illegal wildlife trade in Asia on Global Tiger Day in 2019. The International Big Cat Alliance is an extension of this spirit. It will help mobilize financial and technical resources for the entire ecosystem associated with the big cat. It will also be easier to implement the conservation and protection agenda that has emerged from the experiences of various countries, including India. The focus of the International Big Cat Alliance will be on the conservation of seven major big cats of the world. The countries which have Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Puma, Jaguar and Cheetah will be a part of this alliance. Under this alliance, the member countries will be able to share their experiences and they will be able to help their fellow country more quickly. This alliance will also lay emphasis on Research, Training and Capacity Building. Together we will save these species from extinction and create a safe and healthy ecosystem.

A better future for humanity is possible only when our environment remains safe and our bio-diversity continues to expand. This responsibility belongs to all of us, to the entire world. We are continuously encouraging this spirit during our G-20 presidency. The G20 motto, ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’, conveys this message. At COP26 too, we have set big and ambitious goals for ourselves. I have full faith that we will achieve every goal of environmental protection with mutual cooperation.

I would also like to say one more thing to the foreign guests and our guests from other states attending this program. You must take advantage of one more thing here. There is the region of Sahyadri, the region of Western Ghats, where many tribes live. For centuries, they have been engaged in enriching every bio-diversity, including tigers. Their life and their culture is a very good example for the whole world. We get to learn from this tribal tradition how to create a balance of give and take with the Nature. I also got late as I was talking to many colleagues who are working in this direction. ‘The Elephant Whisperers’  documentary, which won an Oscar, also reflects our heritage of the amazing relationship between Nature and Creature. The lifestyle of the tribal society also helps a lot in understanding the vision of Mission LiFE i.e. Lifestyle for Environment. I urge you to definitely take something from the life and tradition of our tribal society for your country and your society. Once again, I express my gratitude to all of you for attending this event. I assure you that we will better this new figure of tigers in the near future and make new achievements. 

Thanks a lot!

DISCLAIMER: This is the approximate translation of PM’s speech. Original speech was delivered in Hindi.

DS/VJ/VK/AK

UK Edition Change

• UK Politics
• News Videos
• Paris 2024 Olympics
• Rugby Union
• Sport Videos
• John Rentoul
• Mary Dejevsky
• Andrew Grice
• Sean O’Grady
• Photography
• Theatre & Dance
• Culture Videos
• Fitness & Wellbeing
• Food & Drink
• Health & Families
• Royal Family
• Electric Vehicles
• Car Insurance Deals
• Lifestyle Videos
• UK Hotel Reviews
• News & Advice
• Simon Calder
• Australia & New Zealand
• South America
• C. America & Caribbean
• Middle East
• Politics Explained
• News Analysis
• Today’s Edition
• Home & Garden
• Broadband deals
• Fashion & Beauty
• Travel & Outdoors
• Sports & Fitness
• Climate 100
• Sustainable Living
• Climate Videos
• Solar Panels
• Behind The Headlines
• On The Ground
• Decomplicated
• You Ask The Questions
• Binge Watch
• Travel Smart
• Watch on your TV
• Crosswords & Puzzles
• Most Commented
• Newsletters
• Ask Me Anything
• Virtual Events
• Wine Offers
• Betting Sites

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in

How the return of poaching threatens India’s tiger success story

50 years of project tiger: india’s wildlife authorities insist poaching is not happening at an ‘alarming’ rate, but campaigners and local rangers say grim incidents of dead tigers being found without claws, whiskers and teeth are part of a bigger and growing problem. arpan rai reports from madhya pradesh, india.

Article bookmarked

Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails, thanks for signing up to the breaking news email.

T he poachers who killed T32 in India ’s Madhya Pradesh had a simple plan, and executed it at night. Running wire through a field and applying a strong current, they electrocuted the tigress as she patrolled her territory, beating her to death after she lost consciousness. They then pulled out her canines, whiskers and claws before dumping the body in a village well, weighted down by a stone.

T32 was declared missing by rangers, until three days later the stone gave way and her remains floated up to the surface of the well. The grim image of the tigress’s mutilated body floating in the water sent ripples of outrage through the conservation community.

Here in the dense forests in the heart of central India, the reserves of Madhya Pradesh are playing a crucial role in what the government says is the success story of Project Tiger . Launched 50 years ago, the country’s flagship conservation programme has seen tiger numbers rise from 2,967 to 3,167 as of the latest census released by prime minister Narendra Modi this April .

Yet while this figure was lauded as “an achievement not only for India, but for the entire world” by Modi and celebrated by the country as a whole, conservationists say this actually represents the smallest increase in tiger numbers for a five-year period going back at least two decades.

Another number, they say, should be getting more attention – the 324 tiger deaths India has seen in just the last 29 months, equivalent to the loss of one tiger every three days. At least 87 tigers have already died this year alone.

Some deaths must inevitably be the result of old age, sickness or natural competition between these fearsome and territorial predators. But poaching is also a major factor, one which is rarely acknowledged, let alone debated, in the official conversation around India’s tiger success story.

The last time tiger poaching got out of control in India it had a devastating impact on the overall population of the animals: official figures show that between 2002 and 2006, the country lost a total of more than 2,200 tigers.

A return to those days is many conservationists’ worst nightmare, and there are concerns that Madhya Pradesh is emerging as a new hotspot for poachers, accounting for more than 90 of the deaths between 2021 and April 2023.

Besides the way the body had been disposed of, the fact that T32 was found with claws, whiskers and canines missing is an unmistakable indicator that she was poached, says Vincent Rahim, who was the top forest official at Bandhavgarh national park at the time.

During Rahim’s tenure another star tigress also died in suspicious circumstances. Solo was seen as the park’s friendliest tiger and a tourist’s delight, undisturbed by the noise of jeeps and canter vans and always happy to put on a display.

In October 2020 she was found dead alongside her cub, and while no official reason has ever been given for her death, officials and locals believe she was poisoned. “Some traces of poison were found in her stomach in the autopsy,” says Rahim, adding that mystery remains over why she was targeted.

One theory is that Solo was poisoned by villagers, possibly angered by the threat she and other tigers pose to their livestock. Villagers have been known to use commonly available pesticides as a reliable method of killing big cats, says Kuldeep Chaturvedi, a member of the tiger protection force in Bandhavgarh tiger reserve.

Rahim describes Solo’s death as a “huge loss for the park”, and as sad as it was shocking. But the cause of death was not a surprise, recognised as one of the two most common ways in which tigers are deliberately killed in India.

“[This is] how tigers die – either they are poisoned out of vengeance or they are electrocuted,” the tiger reserve’s current sub-divisional officer Sudhir Mishra tells The Independent. “You cannot rule out poaching, it is not going away, ever,” he adds.

Some poaching of tiger parts is most likely opportunistic – villagers kill an animal who was threatening their farms, and then try to sell some of the remains knowing they will fetch large prices on the black market. Poached tiger parts can go for anywhere between £1,000 and £100,000 in Nepal and China, officials told The Independent .

Such amounts draw organised criminals as well, as was suspected to be the case in Tamil Nadu earlier this year when a group of men and women travelled from northern India to seek employment as labourers in the Nilgiris tiger reserve in order to hunt the big cats at night, police say. They were caught during one such poaching attempt and arrested in February.

“The modus operandi was simple, they would trap a tiger, skin it and sell it along with the bones and canines,” says a top forest official in Nilgiris who was directly involved in the arrest.

The official says they are now investigating the poachers’ possible connections in other parts of the country, as well as the established logistics network that transports the tiger parts via train to port cities like Chennai, and from there to Bangladesh, Nepal and China.

It means the rangers in Madhya Pradesh are always on the lookout for both the poachers and their support networks – keeping one eye on the forest inside the reserve, and the other on key railway junctions like Katni which connects central India to major ports.

While the most lucrative black markets for tiger parts are in traditional medicine abroad, there are also plenty of superstitions and occult practices around the animals in India that create local demand for parts.

“If you mix tigers’ whiskers in your enemy’s food, be assured that the person will die within a month and a half. No medicine in the world can stop it,” one villager employed in the national parks tells The Independent.

Tackling such views and creating a sense of pride in tiger protection among locals is one of the most important and challenging tasks for forest officials. There are more than 5,000 people living within Bandhavgarh tiger reserve, with small pockets of villages having schools, pharmacies, local grocery stores and even grounds for holding social functions within the protected area.

It is the perfect set-up for human-animal conflict. Gudda, a 50-year-old villager who was attacked by a tiger in February this year while grazing his cattle, says the attack occurred at a time when tigers are normally not active – around 1pm in the afternoon.

Gudda tells The Independent he had no warning before the attack apart from the gentlest rustling of nearby leaves. He turned and saw nothing, but then was slammed off his feet by a force that felt like a hurricane.

He landed face-to-face with a snarling fully-grown tiger, a dominant male well-known to those who live in the village which he counts as his territory alongside a fellow tigress and their cubs.

The tiger looked Gudda in the eye and then went for his face. The cattle-herder reacted instinctively by raising his right forearm, offering it to the tiger instead. “I wanted to stop the tiger from eating my face,” he says.

Gudda howled for help, screaming “come running, save me, I am being eaten alive”, but with the nearest houses still far away he had little hope of rescue. “I knew I was going to die just like hundreds of other villagers who previously succumbed to tiger attacks,” he tells The Independent .

Then suddenly, almost as if he changed his mind, the tiger walked off.

Chaturvedi says this part of Madhya Pradesh sees between 10 and 15 such instances a year of tigers charging villagers while they graze their cattle, and that deaths are also not uncommon. Persuading these same villagers to help protect tigers from poachers is not always easy.

Many of the villagers living around or in tiger reserves consist of tribal communities long associated with tigers, like the Baheliyas – which is also the Hindi word for hunter. Though big cats are no longer on the menu for these groups, many continue to survive on bushmeat from spotted deer and peacocks – and tigers are inevitably caught in their traps from time to time. Traps are also laid as a protective measure by farmers, to keep grazers off their agricultural land.

SP Yadav, a top official with India’s National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the additional director general of Project Tiger, suggests these kinds of incidents are more likely than deliberate poaching of tigers for their parts.

“There have been a few instances of electrocution of tigers and poisoning happening in Madhya Pradesh,” he admits. “Sometimes the electric fence which is used by farmers for protecting their crops has unintended consequences when a tiger strays into the field.”

He says the Indian government is working hard to prevent these accidental deaths. “Now no new [power] transmission line is permitted in protected areas [of the tiger reserve] without insulating them or bushing them,” Yadav tells The Independent.

This year, authorities have found just one case of a tiger’s skin being poached in Madhya Pradesh, he says. “In the current year, though there are 55 tiger deaths reported so far (nationally, up to March) only four cases pertain to seizure of skin, which can be attributed directly to poaching,” he says.

The Modi administration, he says, is “very well aware about the real threat posed by the trans-national poaching syndicates”.

Yadav says the NTCA maintains a national repository of camera trap photographs of tigers. “So in case of seizure of tiger skin, it is matched against the databases of the park as well as the national database to identify the origin of the skin.

“Poaching of prey and sometimes tiger cannot be ruled out, but it is not at an alarming rate,” he says.

Prominent wildlife activist Ajay Dubey disagrees, claiming that the only difference in the 50 years since Project Tiger was launched in 1973 is that hunting the animals has become illegal – but only on paper.

“Poor conviction rates along with zero tightening of legal provisions on the state level has led to the decimation of the tiger population in India,” he says, calling on the government to release state-by-state figures of the tiger population so it can be verified by local experts.

Dubey alleges that the claims made by the NTCA of rising tiger numbers on a national level do not tally with what he and other campaigners are seeing on the ground, adding that the tiger reserves of India are failing in conflict management between humans and tigers.

Mishra says his forest department in Bandhavgarh is putting the majority of its resources towards protecting wildlife and averting poaching, rather than boosting tourism or other logistical requirements, as the park is, if anything, facing a problem of plenty.

He says there are more than 150 tigers vying for space and their own territory in the reserve, with some inevitably forced to the periphery where they risk running into humans.

“Mark my words: there is a population explosion among tigers, much beyond what our existing capacity permits,” he says.

Rahim, Bandhavgarh’s former head, says reserves in Madhya Pradesh “are reaching their saturation point. Of course there will be violence and natural selection.”

Does that imply more deaths among tigers and villagers to come? “Nature and the wild will take care of it,” he says.

For the first part in our series on 50 Years of Project Tiger, read here about how a decorative shrub introduced by the British to India is now threatening tiger habitats.

In the second part of the series, read here about how traditional communities are coping with a rise in tiger attacks and deaths in the world’s largest mangrove forest, the Sundarbans.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.

New to The Independent?

Or if you would prefer:

Hi {{indy.fullName}}

• My Independent Premium
• Account details
• Help centre

To save its tigers, India has relocated thousands of people – it could enlist their help instead

Postgraduate Researcher, Global Development Institute, University of Manchester

Assistant Professor, Binghamton University, State University of New York

Visiting Professor of Environmental Studies, Ashoka University

Disclosure statement

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Binghamton University, State University of New York provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation US.

University of Manchester provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK.

View all partners

British colonialism turned India’s tigers into trophies. Between 1860 and 1950, more than 65,000 were shot for their skins . The fortunes of the Bengal tiger, one of Earth’s biggest species of big cat, did not markedly improve post-independence. The hunting of tigers – and the animals they eat, like deer and wild pigs – continued, while large tracts of their forest habitat became farmland.

India established Project Tiger in 1972 when there were fewer than 2,000 tigers remaining; it is now one of the world’s longest-running conservation programmes. The project aimed to protect and increase tiger numbers by creating reserves from existing protected areas like national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. Part of that process has involved forcing people to relocate.

In protected areas globally, nature conservationists can find themselves at odds with the needs of local communities . Some scientists have argued that, in order for them to thrive, tigers need forests that are completely free of people who might otherwise graze livestock or collect firewood. In a few documented cases, the tiger population has indeed recovered once people were removed from tiger reserves .

But in pitting people against wildlife, relocations foster bigger problems that do not serve the long-term interests of conservation.

India’s relocation policy

Under Project Tiger, 27 tiger reserves were established by 2005, each spanning somewhere between 500 and 2,500 square kilometres. Tiger reserves have a core in which people are prevented from grazing livestock, hunting wildlife and collecting wood, leaves and flowers. A buffer zone encircles this. Here, such activities are allowed, but regulated.

About 3,000 families were relocated from these core zones in the first three decades of the project, and from 2005 until 2023, about 22,000 families were moved. Most relocations were involuntary and some plunged those ousted into deeper poverty.

In Sariska tiger reserve in Rajasthan, northwestern India, the first relocation was made during 1976-77. Some of the families returned to the reserve after being given land unsuitable for farming as compensation. This was a poor advertisement for relocation which few other communities opted for voluntarily .

After they were moved from Rajaji tiger reserve in 2012, Gujjar pastoralists who make their living grazing buffalo were prompted to take up farming on new land. With little experience in agriculture, and having been denied their traditional source of income, many struggled to adjust.

The Gujjar did at least gain access to water pumps and electricity . In one case, in the Bhadra tiger reserve in Karnataka, southwestern India, relocation was less painful as people were offered quality agricultural land who already had prior farming experience .

Most people who lost their right to graze livestock or collect forest produce in newly established tiger reserves went on to labour in tea and coffee plantations or factories.

Despite widespread relocations, the tiger population in India continued to plummet, reaching an all-time low of fewer than 1,500 in 2006. Tigers became extinct in Sariska and Panna tiger reserves in 2004 and 2007 respectively.

Local extinction in Sariska prompted the government to enlist the help of tiger biologists and social scientists in 2005. This task force found that illegal hunting of tigers was still happening, their claws, teeth, bones and skin harvested for use in Chinese medicine . Mining and grazing had also continued within many reserves.

Corridors of power

The tiger task force acknowledged that having the local community onside helped prevent illegal hunting and forest fires. The Soliga tribes of Biligiri Rangananthaswamy temple tiger reserve in Karnataka decided not to relocate when offered compensation, but instead took up work rooting out invasive plants like lantana and curbing illegal hunting and timber felling . The Soliga are among the very few communities who have been rewarded with rights in tiger reserves.

Similarly, in Parambikulam tiger reserve in Kerala, a state on India’s tropical Malabar coast, communities that were not relocated found work as tour guides and forest guards. People here have supplemented their income by collecting and selling honey, wild gooseberry and medicinal spices, under the joint supervision of the community and forest department officials. Many families have been able to give up cattle rearing as a result, reducing grazing pressure on the forest.

Despite these successes, the government’s policy of relocation remains.

Tiger numbers have recovered to more than 3,000 as of 2022, but Project Tiger shows that relocation alone cannot conserve tigers indefinitely.

A great opportunity awaits. Over 38 million hectares of forest, suitable tiger habitat , lies outside tiger reserves. Declaring these forests “corridors” that allow tigers to move between reserves could reduce the risk of inbreeding and local extinction and reinforce the recovery of India’s tigers.

Studies in certain tiger reserves show that large numbers of villagers would support further relocations if it meant gaining access to drinking water, schools, healthcare and jobs in resettlement sites. A portion of the US$30 million (£22.7 million) spent annually by Project Tiger should be used to make relocations fair. Or better yet, promote the kind of community-based conservation nurtured in the Biligiri Ranganathaswamy temple and Parambikulam tiger reserves.

Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like? Get our award-winning weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 35,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

• Conservation
• Protected areas

Service Centre Senior Consultant

Director of STEM

Community member - Training Delivery and Development Committee (Volunteer part-time)

Chief Executive Officer

Head of Evidence to Action

• IAS Preparation
• UPSC Preparation Strategy
• 50 Years of Project Tiger UPSC Current Affairs

50 Years of Project Tiger [UPSC Current Affairs]

The tiger population “part report” was published to mark the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger in April 2023. In this article, you can read more on the latest tiger conservation efforts in India and their status. This topic is relevant for the IAS exam environment and ecology segment.

Project Tiger 50th Anniversary

Project Tiger was launched in 1973 by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi after tiger numbers became worryingly low in the country.

• Project Tiger has been the largest species conservation initiative of its kind in the world. The field implementation of the project, protection and management in the designated reserves is done by the project States.
• Project Tiger has been converted into a statutory authority (NTCA) by providing enabling provisions in the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 through an amendment, viz. Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2006.

Read more on Project Tiger in the linked article.

Tiger Numbers in India – Current Status

• The all-India tiger estimation conducted in 2022 estimates that the number of tigers in India is 3,167 individuals.
• India’s tiger population increased by 200 in the last four years. The growth, however, slowed to 6.7 per cent in these four years from around 33 per cent during 2014-2018. 
• The tiger census covered forested habitats in 20 states of India. 
• The Shivalik Hills and Gangetic Plains saw a significant increase in the tiger population . As many as 804 individuals were photographed in the landscape spanning several states that includes five important tiger reserves and several other protected areas.
• According to the 2022 report , the tiger population has increased substantially in the Shivalik and Gangetic flood plains in the north followed by central India, where tigers have entered new areas in the states of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
• The highest number of tigers were photographed in central and eastern India i.e 1161. 
• India is divided into five zones for the survey – Gangetic Plains, Central India and Eastern Ghats, Western Ghats , North Eastern Hills and Brahmaputra Flood Plains, and Sundarbans. 

Read a comprehensive article on tiger conservation in India in the linked article.

Tiger Counting Techniques

• It helps in tracking. Rangers would trace the joint marks off the foot and trace it on butter paper to draw and record the footprint with the idea of using it to track that particular tiger in the future.
• The basic idea is to capture a small number of tigers, place a harmless mark on them, and release them back into the population. At a later date, you catch another small group and record how many have a mark.
• Tiger reserves and national parks use the camera trap method to estimate the tiger population by photographing the tigers across the length and breadth of the parks. Camera trapping methodology involves photographing individual tigers who are uniquely identifiable by their stripe patterns.

50 Years of Project Tiger:- Download PDF Here

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your Mobile number and Email id will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Request OTP on Voice Call

Post My Comment

IAS 2024 - Your dream can come true!

Download the ultimate guide to upsc cse preparation, register with byju's & download free pdfs, register with byju's & watch live videos.

[email protected]

• Our Centers Delhi Bhubaneswar Lucknow

CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR UPSC IAS

50 Years of Project Tiger

Published: 6th Apr, 2023

India marked 50 years of Project Tiger on April 1, 2023.

About Project Tiger:

• Project Tiger is a tiger conservation programme launched in April 1973 by the Government of India during Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's tenure.
• The project aims at ensuring a viable population of Bengal tigers in their natural habitats, protecting them from extinction, and preserving areas of biological importance as a natural heritage forever represented as close as possible the diversity of ecosystems across the distribution of tigers in the country.
• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and climate change
• The project is administered by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) .
• While it initially covered nine Tiger Reserves ( Manas, Palamau, Simlipal, Corbett, Ranthambhore, Kanha, Melghat, Bandipur and Sundarban ) spread over 18,278 sq km, India now has 54 such reserves covering more than 75,000 sq km (approximately 2.4% of the country’s geographical area).

Facts related to Tigers in India:

• There are 54 tiger reserves in India that are governed by Project Tiger.
• In 2006, there were 1,411 tigers which increased to 1,706 in 2010, 2,226 in 2014 and 2967 in 2018 .

• Every 4 years the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) conducts a tiger census across India.
• The Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris ), also called the Indian tiger or the Royal Bengal tiger is native to the Indian subcontinent.
• They are currently found in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.
• It is listed as Endangered in Nepal, India, and Bhutan, While Bangladesh and China list it as Critically Endangered.
• White Tiger, Bengal Tiger and Indochinese Tiger.

Other Tiger Conservation Measures:

• NATIONAL TIGER CONSERVATION AUTHORITY : It was established in 2005, following the recommendations of the Tiger Task. It was given statutory status by the 2006 amendment of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 for strengthening tiger conservation, as per powers and functions assigned to it.
• TIGER RELOCATION PROJECTS : The tiger relocation project was initiated in 2018 wherein two big cats, a male (Mahavir) from Kanha Tiger Reserve and a female (Sundari) from Bandhavgarh from Madhya Pradesh were relocated to Satkosia Tiger Reserve in Odisha, to shore up the tiger population
• TIGER SPECIAL PROTECTION FORCE : It will be effective in checking illegal human intrusion into the reserve through villages located on its fringes and serve as a second layer of protection for tigers
• GLOBAL TIGER FORUM : It is an Inter-Governmental international body working exclusively for the conservation of Tigers. Established in 1994, the Global Tiger Forum (GTF) has its headquarters in New Delhi
• GLOBAL TIGER INITIATIVE : Global Tiger Initiative (GTI) was launched in  2008  as  a  global  alliance  of  governments, international organizations, civil society, conservation, and scientific communities, and the private sector, with the aim of working together to save wild tigers
• MSTrIPES : MSTrIPES program uses Global Positioning System (GPS), General Packet Radio Services (GPRS), and remote sensing, to collect information from the field, create a database using modern Information Technology (IT) based tools, analyses the information using GIS and statistical tools to provide inferences that allow tiger reserve managers to better manage their wildlife resources.

More Articles

Verifying, please be patient.

Our Centers

DELHI (Karol Bagh)

GS SCORE, 1B, Second Floor, Pusa Road, Karol Bagh, New Delhi - 110005 (Beside Karol Bagh Metro Station Gate No. 8)

Get directions on Google Maps

BHUBANESWAR (Jaydev Vihar)

GS SCORE, Plot No.2298, Jaydev Vihar Square, Near HCG Day Care, BBSR - 751013

LUCKNOW (Aliganj)

GS SCORE, 2nd Floor, B-33, Sangam Chauraha, Sector H, Aliganj, Lucknow, UP - 226024

Delhi (Karol Bagh) Centre

GS SCORE, Second Floor, Metro Tower, 1B, Pusa Road, Karol Bagh, New Delhi - 110005 (Beside Karol Bagh Metro Station Gate No. 8)

Email: [email protected]

Phone: +91 8448496262

Classroom / online / Live programs

• Mains Classes
• Mains Advance Classes
• Ethics & Essay Classes
• IAS Foundation
• Aadhar:NCERT Foundation
• Target PT:Prelims Classes
• Current Affairs Mentorship Program
• Optional Classes
• Optional Q&A (TEST SERIES & Mentorship)
• Mains Previous Year Questions

TEST SERIES/ MENTORSHIP

• ITS:Integrated Test Series & Mentorship
• GS Mains Q&A (Mentorship & Test Series)
• GS Test Series
• Ethics & Essay Test Series
• Samarth - Mains Answer Writing

STUDY MATERIAL

• Prelims Study Material
• Mains Study Material
• Mains Answer Writing Workbook
• Meet the Mentor
• Terms & Conditions
• © 2024 - IAS SCORE

All Rights Reserved.

Welcome to our secure login portal. Access your account with ease.

• Using Password

Not registered yet? register here!

Welcome to our secure register portal. For a brighter future, register now and unlock endless learning opportunities.

User Register

Already have an account? Login

Oops, forgot your password? Don't worry, we've got you covered. Reset it here

Lost your login details? No problem! forgot your password in just a few clicks

Forgot Password

Verify your mobile number, you have successfully logged in.

Join Us on WhatsApp

50 Years of “Project Tiger”

The 5th cycle of India’s Tiger Census has been released recently to mark the 50th year of Project Tiger.

Table of Contents

Context : The 5 th cycle of India’s Tiger Census has been released recently to mark the 50 th year of Project Tiger.

Key Findings of the Tiger Census

• India’s tiger population rose by 200 from 2,967 in 2018 to 3,167 in 2022.
• This is around 6.7% higher than the previous estimate of 2018.
• As per the report- some areas like the Shivalik and Gangetic floodplains, Central Indian and Eastern Ghats landscape s have recorded a “substantial” increase in minimum tiger populations, while others like the Western Ghats landscape and northeastern hills, Brahmaputra plains have witnessed a decline .
• There has been local extinction of tigers in some areas such as Kawal Tiger Reserve in Telangana.

Tiger Estimation

• The process of estimating the number of tigers in a given area is called ‘ Tiger estimation.’
• The census estimates are done every four years by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) with technical help from the Wildlife Institute of India.
• The first countrywide assessment was done in 2006 , followed by 2010, 2014, 2018, and the latest 2022.
• In 2020, the 2018 census made it to the Guinness Book of World Records for being the largest camera-trapping exercise in the world.

National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)

• NTCA is a  statutory body  under the  Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
• It was established in  2005  following the recommendations of the Tiger Task Force.
• It was constituted under enabling provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 as amended in 2006, for strengthening tiger conservation, as per powers and functions assigned to it.

Wildlife Institute of India

• It is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.
• Established– In 1982, in Dehradun (Uttarakhand).
• It offers training programs, academic courses, and advisory in wildlife research and management.
• Vision- To develop the Institute as ‘ A Global Centre of Excellence’ in the field of wildlife research, training, and advocacy.
• Mission- To nurture the  development of wildlife science and promote its application in  conservation, in consonance with our culture and socio-economic milieu.

50 years of Project Tiger

Project Tiger was launched by the Central government in 1973 to promote the conservation of the tiger.

More about Project Tiger

• it is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
• It was initially launched in 9 Tiger reserves (TRs) in different states of India.
• It provides central assistance to tiger range States for in-situ conservation of tigers in designated tiger reserves.
• Implementing Agency: National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) was established through Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2006 to provide statutory authority to Project Tiger.
• Funding pattern: Centre provides financial assistance to States of 60% and 50% for expenditure on all non-recurring items and expenditure on recurring items respectively. Northeastern and Himalayan States are provided 90% central assistance in both cases.
• States Covered: 18

Achievement/Milestones Reached: Project Tiger has achieved the following Milestones

• Highest tiger population in the world: India hosts more than 75% of the global wild tiger population , with a current population of about 3,167 tigers, which is increasing at an annual rate of 6%.
• Establishment and development of new Tiger Reserves: From nine tiger reserves covering 18,278 sq km in 1973, ‘Project Tiger’ has today expanded to 54 reserves covering over 75,000 sq km (2.4% of India’s geographical area).
• Anti-poaching initiatives: Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) are deployed in several TRs for focused anti-poaching operations and a special strategy for monsoon patrolling.
• Fostering awareness for eliciting local public support enabled by branding and marketing of project tiger.
• Scientific research and monitoring: ‘Project Tiger’ has provided opportunities for scientific research and monitoring, which has led to a better understanding of the behavior, ecology, and population dynamics of tigers.

About Tigers

Tigers are the largest cat species and are both umbrella and flagship species.

• IUCN: Endangered
• CITES: Appendix I
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I
• World Tiger Day- 29 th July
• Largest Tiger Reserve – Nagarjunsagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve, Andhra Pradesh
• Smallest Tiger Reserve- Bog Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra
• Highest Tiger Density- Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand

Where are Tigers found in the Wild?

• Tiger Range Countries: India, Nepal, China, Russia, Bhutan, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Sumatra (Indonesia), and Malaysia.
• Eight subspecies of tiger existed in the past out of which three have been extinct for many years.
• Indian Tiger or Royal Bengal Tiger (native to Indian Subcontinent)
• Indo-Chinese tiger
• Siberian or Amur Tiger  
• Sumatran Tiger  
• South China Tiger
• The three subspecies of tigers that became extinct in the past century are: the Bali Tiger, the Javan Tiger, and the Caspian Tiger.

What are the Concerns Associated with the Project Tiger?

• Habitat fragmentation: The creation of designated tiger reserves has led to habitat fragmentation, which can result in isolated tiger populations that are more vulnerable to genetic problems, disease, and other threats.
• Human wildlife conflicts and Retaliatory killings: Human-tiger conflict has increased in recent years due to factors like- habitat loss/fragmentation/degradation, saturation of tiger populations in certain regions, increase in human settlements and agricultural lands around protected areas etc.
• Limited genetic diversity: The expansion of tiger populations in designated reserves has led to inbreeding and a lack of genetic diversity, which can impact the health and survival of tiger populations in the long term.
• Lack of confidence and trust building between the forest department and the local communities leading to absence of their proactive participation in conservation efforts.
• Low capacity among local forest officials to effectively conduct surveillance and monitoring of tiger population.
• Lack of adequate protection in outside areas: As per the latest cycle of the All-India Tiger Estimation, 2018 nearly 35% of tigers in India are found outside tiger reserves.
• Issues related to rehabilitation and relocation of population from critical tiger habitats.
• Financial constraints in some TRs to undertake activities like restoration of habitats.

India and Tiger Conservation

• Tx2 is the global goal to double the number of wild tigers by the year 2022.
• The goal has been set by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) through Global Tiger Initiative and Global Tiger Forum.
• It was adopted in 2010 at the St. Petersburg Tiger Summit by 13 tiger range countries.
• It is a globally accepted conservation tool that sets best practices and standards to manage tigers and encourages assessments to benchmark progress.
• CA|TS, which was officially launched in 2013, is an important component of Tx2.

International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA)

• India has recently proposed to launch  global alliance for big cats  with an investment of  $100 million.
• The proposed alliance will provide assured support  over five years  with guaranteed funding of  over Rs 800 crore.
• The group will work towards the protection of the  seven big cats  — tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar and cheetah.
• Membership to the alliance will be  open to 97 “range” countries,  which contain the natural habitat of these big cats, as well as other interested nations, international organisations, etc.
• The IBCA will  engage in advocacy, partnership, knowledge e-portal, capacity building, eco-tourism, partnerships between expert groups  and  finance tapping .
• The alliance will  disseminate information on benchmarked practices , capacity building, resources repository, research and development, and awareness creation.
• Its  governance structure  will comprise a  General Assembly  consisting of all member countries, a  council of at least seven.

Way Forward

• India also needs to further community involvement through a cultural model of conservation  i.e. including local tribes like  Idu Mishmi  in Arunachal Pradesh.
• Also, we need a paradigm shift in tiger conservation policies in India. A landscape approach is the urgent need of time to protect the entire landscape instead of a few islands.

Sharing is caring!

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Trending Event

• SSC GD 2025 Apply Online
• SSC GD Notification 2025
• SSC CGL Tier 1 Admit Card 2024
• AIBE 19 Notification 2024
• TNPSC Group 2 Hall Ticket 2024
• RPSC RAS Notification 2024
• TNPSC Group 4 Result 2024

Recent Posts

UPSC Exam 2024

• UPSC Online Coaching
• UPSC Syllabus 2024
• UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2024
• UPSC Mains Syllabus 2024
• UPSC Exam Pattern 2024
• UPSC Age Limit 2024
• UPSC Calendar 2025
• UPSC Syllabus in Hindi
• UPSC Full Form
• UPPSC Exam 2024
• UPPSC Calendar
• UPPSC Syllabus 2024
• UPPSC Exam Pattern 2024
• UPPSC Application Form 2024
• UPPSC Eligibility Criteria 2024
• UPPSC Admit card 2024
• UPPSC Salary And Posts
• UPPSC Cut Off
• UPPSC Previous Year Paper

BPSC Exam 2024

• BPSC 70th Notification
• BPSC 69th Exam Analysis
• BPSC Admit Card
• BPSC Syllabus
• BPSC Exam Pattern
• BPSC Cut Off
• BPSC Question Papers

SSC CGL 2024

• SSC CGL Exam 2024
• SSC CGL Syllabus 2024
• SSC CGL Cut off
• SSC CGL Apply Online
• SSC CGL Salary
• SSC CGL Previous Year Question Paper
• SSC CGL Admit Card 2024
• SSC MTS 2024
• SSC MTS Apply Online 2024
• SSC MTS Syllabus 2024
• SSC MTS Salary 2024
• SSC MTS Eligibility Criteria 2024
• SSC MTS Previous Year Paper

SSC Stenographer 2024

• SSC Stenographer Notification 2024
• SSC Stenographer Apply Online 2024
• SSC Stenographer Syllabus 2024
• SSC Stenographer Salary 2024
• SSC Stenographer Eligibility Criteria 2024

SSC GD Constable 2025

• SSC GD Salary 2025
• SSC GD Constable Syllabus 2025
• SSC GD Eligibility Criteria 2025

IMPORTANT EXAMS

• Terms & Conditions
• Return & Refund Policy
• Privacy Policy

General Studies

All Programmes

Study Material

50 Years of Project Tiger

What’s in Today’s Article?

Why in news, background of project tiger, what is project tiger, developments after the launch of the project tiger, success story of the project tiger, concerns regarding india’s tiger protection and conservation plans.

• Launched in 1973, Project Tiger introduced India’s Tiger Reserves – which have since rapidly ascended in status.
• In the National Parks, the rights of forest-dwellers were removed and vested with the State government.
• The WLPA also created ‘Wildlife Sanctuaries’, where only some permitted rights could be exercised.
• The government created the ‘Critical Tiger Habitat’ (under the WLPA) in areas of National Parks and Sanctuaries which are required to be kept as inviolate for the purposes of wildlife conservation.
• It is a tiger conservation programme (a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the MoEF&CC) launched in 1973 by the Government of India and administered by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
• Ensuring a viable population of the Bengal tiger (‘endangered’)in its natural habitats,
• Protecting it from extinction,
• Preserving areas of biological importance as a natural heritage that represent the diversity of ecosystems across the tiger's range in the country. 
• In Sariska, the government had spent Rs 2 crore per tiger in 2002-2003 for their upkeep and safety, versus Rs 24 lakh per tiger elsewhere.
• The Task Force found that the increasing conflict between the forest/wildlife bureaucracy and those who coexist with the tigers was a recipe for disaster.
• From an administrative category arbitrarily constituted and administered by the forest bureaucracy, Tiger Reserves became a statutory category in 2006.
• Under the Act, the habitation-level Gram Sabha was to democratically determine and demarcate the forest rights that FRA recognised and vested in them.
• As a result, FRA secured the livelihoods of at least 20 crore Indians – about half of them tribals – in 1.79 lakh villages.
• Importantly, FRA introduced a ‘Critical Wildlife Habitat’ (CWH), akin to the CTH, with one difference: once a CWH had been notified, it couldn’t be diverted for non-forestry purposes.
• Today, Tiger Reserves are hailed worldwide as India’s miraculous success story in environment and forest conservation, especially in this age of climate change.
• From only 9 Reserves in 1973 encompassing 9,115 sq. km, there are today 54 in 18 States, occupying 78,135.9 sq. km/ 2.38% of India’s total land area.
• CTHs covers 42,913.37 sq. km/ 26% of the area under National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.
• According to the Tiger Census 2022, there were 3,167-3,925 tigers in the country and their population is growing at 6.1% a year, prompting the government to claim India is now home to 3/4th of the world’s tigers.
• The monitoring system M-STrIPES(Monitoring System for Tigers - Intensive Protection and Ecological Status) - is a software-based monitoring system developed(by NTCA in 2010) to assist patrol and protect tiger habitats.

• The Buffer Area outside the CTH is to promote human-animal coexistence while recognising the livelihood, developmental, social, and cultural rights of the local people.
• However, the overall ‘fortress conservation’ approach to protecting tigers displaced people who had coexisted with tigers for generations.
• India bears the long-term brunt of this error: tigers have been forced to inhabit and inherit a landscape leading to increase in man-wild conflict incidences.
• With further increase in tigers and Tiger Reserves, and tiger corridors to link them up, India’s tiger terrain is set to become a hotspot not for biodiversity but anxiety and conflict.
• WLPA prohibits all relocation except “voluntary relocation on mutually agreed terms and conditions” satisfying requirements in the law.
• According to the FRA and the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR) Act 2013, no relocation can happen without the consent of the affected communities.
• LARR also requires the rehabilitation package to provide financial compensation as well as secure livelihoods to those relocated.
• However, these provisions are not followed in letter and spirit.

Q1) What is the Environment Protection Act (EPA) 1986?

The EPA 1986 is an act to provide for the protection and improvement of the environment and for matters connected therewith. The Act is widely considered to have been a response to the Bhopal gas leak and was passed by the GoI under the Article 253 of the Indian Constitution.

Q2) What is the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)?

The NTCA was constituted in 2005 under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, following a recommendation of the Tiger Task Force. It was established to reorganise the management of Project Tiger and many Tiger Reserves in India.

Source: The government has trapped Project Tiger, now 50, in a tough spot | Explained

© 2024 Vajiram & Ravi. All rights reserved

• ₹ 10 Lakh,1" data-value="Loan ₹ 10 Lakh">Loan ₹ 10 Lakh
• Games & Puzzles

• Entertainment
• Latest News
• Kolkata rape case live updates
• Web Stories
• Mumbai News
• Bengaluru News
• Daily Digest

National Tiger Conservation Authority to organise art exhibition in Delhi marking 50 years of Project Tiger

Project tiger is a wildlife conservation initiative in india that was launched in 1973 with the primary objective of protecting and preserving the bengal tiger..

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change in collaboration with the Sankala Foundation is organising an art exhibition titled, "Silent Conversation: From Margins to the Centre", from November 3 to November 5 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, said an official statement from Ministry for Environment on Sunday.

(Also Read | India Art Festival returns to Delhi, promising a visual feast of over 3,500 artworks )

NTCA along with Sankala Foundation through this art exhibition is paying a tribute to the successful completion of 50 years of Project Tiger . Project Tiger is a wildlife conservation initiative in India that was launched in 1973 with the primary objective of protecting and preserving the Bengal Tiger, India's national animal and restoring its habitat so as to reverse the animal's alarming decline in previous decades, added the statement.

The project focuses on the selection and preservation of areas which are specially managed to conserve the tiger population and their associated ecosystems. Over the years, the number of Tiger Reserves has increased, and there are now 54 reserves across the country. An essential aspect of Project Tiger is involving local communities in conservation efforts by providing livelihood opportunities and reducing human-wildlife conflicts.

President Droupadi Murmu will be the chief guest of the inauguration ceremony which will be held on November 3rd from 4 pm onwards. The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, Arjun Munda and Minister of State, Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, will also be present, the statement read.

The art exhibition will showcase the unique relationship between tribal communities and other forest dwellers residing around India's tiger reserves and their deep-rooted connection with the forest and wildlife, all conveyed through their artwork. The art work displayed will be in the form of paintings and reflect the age-old bonds of various tribal communities such as the Gond, Bhil, and many others.

The paintings will be available for purchase, with the proceeds flowing directly into the bank accounts of the artists. Throughout the exhibition, not only will these diverse art forms be on display, but numerous tribal artists will also travel to Delhi and be present at the event, providing visitors and art enthusiasts with an opportunity for direct interaction.

NTCA was established in 2006 and has been at the forefront of tiger conservation work in India. Its work domain extends from on the ground protection initiatives to science-based monitoring of tigers and their habitat using latest technological tools, independent assessment of tiger reserves, financial and technical support to tiger reserves, creating inviolate space for wildlife while ensuring community development to international co-operation are the few thrust areas of NTCA.

• National Tiger Conservation Authority
• Lifestyle News
• Terms of use
• Privacy policy
• Weather Today
• HT Newsletters
• Subscription
• Print Ad Rates
• Code of Ethics

• India vs Sri Lanka
• Live Cricket Score
• Cricket Teams
• Cricket Players
• ICC Rankings
• Cricket Schedule
• Shreyas Iyer
• Harshit Rana
• Kusal Mendis
• Ravi Bishnoi
• Rinku Singh
• Riyan Parag
• Washington Sundar
• Avishka Fernando
• Charith Asalanka
• Dasun Shanaka
• Khaleel Ahmed
• Pathum Nissanka
• Other Cities
• Income Tax Calculator
• Petrol Prices
• Reliance AGM 2024 Live
• Diesel Prices
• Silver Rate
• Relationships
• Art and Culture
• Taylor Swift: A Primer
• Telugu Cinema
• Tamil Cinema
• Board Exams
• Exam Results
• Admission News
• Employment News
• Competitive Exams
• BBA Colleges
• Engineering Colleges
• Medical Colleges
• BCA Colleges
• Medical Exams
• Engineering Exams
• Love Horoscope
• Annual Horoscope
• Festival Calendar
• Compatibility Calculator
• Career Horoscope
• Manifestation
• The Economist Articles
• Lok Sabha States
• Lok Sabha Parties
• Lok Sabha Candidates
• Explainer Video
• On The Record
• Vikram Chandra Daily Wrap
• Entertainment Photos
• Lifestyle Photos
• News Photos
• Olympics 2024
• Olympics Medal Tally
• Other Sports
• EPL 2023-24
• ISL 2023-24
• Asian Games 2023
• Public Health
• Economic Policy
• International Affairs
• Climate Change
• Gender Equality
• future tech
• HT Friday Finance
• Explore Hindustan Times
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• Subscription - Terms of Use

• Logout Login
• Adventure Holidays
• Weekend Getaways
• Driving Holidays
• Travel News

Top Searches

Endangered Species Protection

Lesser Known State Animals

Costly Abandoned Projects

South Indian Hill Stations

Great Pyramid of Giza

Tirthan Valley

Nagarhole National Park, and its significant contribution to Project Tiger

Times of India TIMESOFINDIA.COM / TRAVEL TRENDS , KARNATAKA / Created : Sep 5, 2024, 14:11 IST

You're Reading

Nagarhole National Park in Karnataka is a vital tiger reserve under India's Project Tiger. The park's diverse ecosystems and effective conservation efforts have led to a significant increase in the Bengal tiger population. Local c … Read more

Nagarhole National Park in Karnataka is a vital tiger reserve under India's Project Tiger. The park's diverse ecosystems and effective conservation efforts have led to a significant increase in the Bengal tiger population. Local communities benefit from eco-tourism, reducing human-wildlife conflict and supporting conservation initiatives. Read less

Best places in India for guaranteed tiger spotting

The challenge, more from travel news.

Nagarhole's role

Conservation success.

Comments (0)

Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive . Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.

Comments ( ) Sort: Newest UpVoted Oldest Discussed Down Voted closecomments

SIGN IN WITH

Or post without registration.

Visual Stories

Popular Galleries

UNESCO World Heritage sites in India where you can go trekking TRAVEL TRENDS , INDIA

6 most underrated but incredible places to visit in the US TRAVEL TRENDS , WORLD

10 Asian countries with most interesting nicknames TRAVEL TRENDS , WORLD

Trending stories.

5 conservation success stories: National parks saving endangered species

UNESCO World Heritage sites in India where you can go trekking

5 of the world’s costliest projects that now lie abandoned!

10 Indian states and their lesser-known state animals

9 famous tourist places where photography is banned

• 1 Nagarhole National Park, and its significant contribution to Project Tiger
• 2 Tirthan Valley, Himachal Pradesh: How to reach, what to do, and when to visit
• 3 Why the Great Pyramid of Giza remain one of the world’s most mysterious sites
• 4 Socotra: The mysterious 'Alien Island' of the Indian Ocean
• 5 Rural tourism in India: The next big thing to look forward to

THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO DESTINATIONS, ITINERARIES, THINGS TO DO, RESTAURANTS, NIGHTLIFE and LOTS MORE!

FOLLOW US ON

Places to visit.

• Places to visit in Bangalore
• Places to visit in Mumbai
• Places to visit in Delhi
• Places to visit in Goa
• Hotels in Goa
• Hotels in Jaipur
• Hotels in Shimla
• Hotels in Mumbai

Things To do

• Things to do in Goa
• Things to do in Mumbai
• Things to do in Bangalore
• Things to do in Delhi

Travel Inspiration

• Visa on arrival for Indians
• Honeymoon Places in india
• Hill Stations in India
• Weekend getaways in Mumbai
• Weather in Delhi
• Weather in Chennai
• Weather in Bangalore
• Weather in Mumbai

Best Beaches

• Goa Beaches
• Mumbai Beaches
• Pondicherry Beaches
• Kerala Beaches
• Restaurants in Bangalore
• Restaurants in Chennai
• Restaurants in Pune
• Restaurants in Jaipur
• Hill Station near Delhi
• Winter trip to Ladakh
• Places to visit in Kerala
• Winter Honeymoon Destinations
• UK visa guide for Indians
• Winter Trip to Manali
• Vaishno Devi Yatra
• Special Train Ticket Booking
• HP inter-state Bus
• Honeymoon Destinations India

Latest News

• Florida: Kayaking with manatees in Crystal River
• Asia’s largest dinosaur-theme park, Dino Desert, has opened in Malaysia
• Island-hopping paradise: Unveiling Indonesia's untamed beauty
• Exploring the wonders of Palm Jumeirah: A man-made marvel in Dubai
• How to plan a South Asian trip on a budget
• Dubai's five-year multiple-entry visa: Essential information and application process
• Ubud, the cultural capital of Bali, for unforgettable holiday experiences
• 7 iconic things that make Australia's capital, Canberra special
• Why is Bali one of the top choices for vacation for women?
• 7 reasons to plan your trip to Europe now
• Indonesia: Exploring the immersive and hyper-local experiences in Bali
• What makes Paris the City of Love?
• Wildlife adventures on Komodo Island, Indonesia: The best place to spot Komodo dragons
• Tirthan Valley, Himachal Pradesh: How to reach, what to do, and when to visit
• Best times to visit Bali: A seasonal guide
• 7 essential documents to keep handy for your Thailand trip
• 5-year-old attacked by a mountain lion in a California State Park
• Exploring Kampong Glam: Singapore's historic and cultural district

Congratulations!

You have been successfully added to the mailing list of Times of India Travel. To complete the subscription process, kindly open your inbox and click on the confirmation link which has been emailed to you.

Share with friends

Thank You for sharing! Your friend will receive the article link on email mentioned.

• (For more than one recipient, type addresses separated by commas)

Nagarhole National Park in Karnataka is a vital tiger reserve under India's Project Tiger. The park's diverse ecosystems and effective conservation efforts have led to a significant increase in the Be...