RISE IN TIGERS POPULATION IN INDIA
WHY IN NEWS ?
- Recently, Project Tiger completed 50 years of its launch.
- The Prime Minister marked the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger by putting out a 5th cycle of India’s Tiger Census.
- According to the survey, the tiger population in India has grown from 1,411 in 1972 to 3,167 in 2022.
MORE ABOUT THE NEWS
- India is home to 75% of the global tiger population and it is also the “largest tiger range country in the world”.
- The rate of increase has slowed down to less than 7%, which was more than 30% in the previous four years.
- According to the latest report, the number of tigers has recorded a 6.74% increase from 2,967 in the last census in 2018 to 3,167 in 2022. The number was 1,411 in 2006.
- The tiger populations have declined in the states of Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
SIGNIFICANCE OF TIGER CONSERVATION
- Tigers are the apex predators in their ecosystem, thus their presence helps maintain a balance in the food chain.
- The tiger is a unique animal which plays a pivotal role in the health and diversity of an ecosystem.
- Tigers are also a keystone species and their conservation provides a valuable insights into ecological processes and conservation of the ecosystem..
- Tigers are a genetically diverse species, with distinct subspecies found in different regions of the world.
- Conserving tiger populations helps preserve this genetic diversity, which can be important for the long-term survival of the species.
- The presence of tigers in protected areas also attracts tourists from around the world, which help in generating significant revenue for local communities and governments.
- Tiger conservation also create employment opportunities in ecotourism..
- Conserving tigers help preserve cultural and spiritual heritage for future generations.
Protection Status:
Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List: Endangered.
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES): Appendix I.
REASONS RESPONSIBLE FOR INCREASE IN TIGER’S POPULATION
- Government launched Project Tiger in 1973 to protect tigers and their habitats.
- It has led to an increase in tiger populations in many areas.
- India has also implemented various conservation efforts to protect tigers, including the establishment of protected areas, anti-poaching patrols, and community involvement.
- India has implemented strict laws against poaching and the illegal trade of tiger parts.
- This has reduced the number of tigers killed for their skin, bones, and other body parts.
- Efforts are also being made to improve the prey base for the big cat.
- This is done by managing their populations and reducing their hunting by humans.
- Measures are also taken to reduce man-animal conflict.
- Various measures such as building barriers, compensation for livestock losses, and relocation of problematic tigers, have helped to prevent the loss of tigers due to human-wildlife conflict.
CHALLENGES IN TIGER CONSERVATION
- Faling prey base :The population of tigers is dependent on the prey population, thus the prey base for the tigers must be sustainable.
- The natural habitat of tigers has been gradually destroyed due to reasons such as deforestation.
- Managing man-animal conflict at socially and economically tolerable limits will be challenging.
- Lack of corridors connecting adjacent tiger reserves.
GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES TOWARDS TIGER CONSERVATION
- LAUNCH OF PROJECT TIGER: The ‘Project Tiger’ is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, providing funding support to tiger range States for in-situ conservation of tigers in designated tiger reserves.
- This has put the endangered tiger on an assured path of recovery by saving it from extinction.
- It is revealed by the recent findings of the All India tiger estimation using the refined methodology.
- National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) : It 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.
- It works closely with state governments and other stakeholders to implement various measures for the protection and management of tiger reserves.
- The government also conducts a national tiger census every four years to estimate the tiger population in the country.
- The government has declared several areas around tiger reserves as Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) to protect the biodiversity of these areas.
- Eco Sensitive Zones act as some kind of “shock absorbers” to the Protected Areas.
WAY FORWARD
- International cooperation and collaboration are necessary to address issues such as habitat loss, poaching, and illegal trade, which are global in nature.
- The government needs to provide adequate funding for conservation efforts and ensure that laws and regulations related to wildlife conservation are strictly enforced.
- Involving local communities in conservation efforts and providing them with alternative livelihood options can help reduce the pressure on forests and wildlife.
SYLLABUS: MAINS, GS-3, ENVIRONMENT
SOURCE: THE HINDU
