The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change recently released the ‘Status of Tigers, Co-predators and Prey in India (2018) Report’. The report outlines the latest findings on tiger populations in India, comparing data from the 2018-19 survey with figures from three previous studies conducted in 2006, 2010, and 2014.
St. Petersburg Declaration: A Triumph for India
The 2010 St Petersburg Declaration stated a goal to double the global tiger population by 2022. India has achieved this target well ahead of schedule – four years early, to be exact. Back in 2006, India had a tiger population of around 1,400, but the 2018 report indicates that there are now 2,967 tigers living in the country. This significant achievement has been celebrated on Global Tiger Day on 29th July each year, initially decided upon during the meeting at St. Petersburg.
The countries currently recognized as ‘tiger range countries’ include Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, India, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
India’s National Scenario
According to the national tiger status assessment of 2018-19, the tiger population in India has seen an overall increase of 33% since 2014, reaching an estimated total of 2,967. The 2018 census, which is conducted every four years, set a Guinness World Record as it was the largest camera-trap wildlife survey to date.
From 2006 to 2018, India’s tiger population demonstrated a consistent annual growth rate of 6%. The Western Ghats region hosts the largest contiguous tiger population in the world, home to roughly 724 tigers.
Regional Trends in Tiger Population
Madhya Pradesh leads the count with the highest number of tigers, at 526, closely followed by Karnataka (524) and Uttarakhand (442). However, a decline in tiger population was observed in the Northeast and states like Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha.
Out of the 50 Tiger Reserves in India, three reserves – Dampa reserve in Mizoram, Buxa reserve in Bengal, and Palamau reserve in Jharkhand – have no tigers. The Corbett Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand had the most significant population of tigers in 2018, numbering around 231.
Concerns amid Progress
Despite these promising numbers, there are still areas of concern. Most of the tiger populations are confined to smaller Protected Areas, with some having habitat corridors that allow movement between them. However, many of these corridor habitats are degrading due to unsustainable human use and developmental projects.
Solutions and Restoration Efforts
In areas where tiger populations have either declined or disappeared completely, restoration efforts are needed, focusing on improved protection, augmentation of prey, and reintroduction of tigers from an appropriate source. Some reserves, such as Similipal in Odisha and Pakke in Arunachal Pradesh, are working below their capacity and require more resources and targeted management strategies.
Government’s Response
The Indian Government views its wildlife, including tigers, as a form of soft power that can be used to demonstrate the country’s commitment to conservation on the international stage. Despite limitations like less land mass, India boasts 8% of global biodiversity due to its culture of conservation and preservation of nature, trees, and wildlife.
India is home to 70% of the world’s tiger population and continues to work extensively with all 13 tiger range countries to protect and nurture these magnificent creatures. The Government has also initiated a program to provide water and fodder to animals within the forest to prevent human-animal conflict that often results in the loss of animal lives.
This project will utilize Lidar-based survey technology for the first time, an innovative method that uses laser light to measure distances by illuminating the target and measuring the reflection with a sensor.
