India recently made headlines as its 2018 Tiger Census secured a place in the Guinness World Records for being the world’s largest camera trapping wildlife survey. The numbers also indicate that India has indeed doubled its tiger population, a resolution made at the St. Petersburg Tiger Summit in 2010 aiming to be achieved by 2022. The tiger count in India has significantly increased from about 1500 in 2010 to 2976 in 2020.
The Comprehensive Nature of the Tiger Census 2018
The 2018 Tiger Census, carried out during 2018-19, is the most comprehensive ever, both in terms of resources used and data gathered. It revealed a total of 2976 tigers, comprising 75% of the global tiger population. The census occurs every four years under the guidance of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), with the Wildlife Institute of India providing technical assistance. State Forest Departments and partners also play a pivotal role in conducting the survey.
Innovative Methods Utilized
Camera traps, sophisticated outdoor photographic devices armed with motion sensors, were set up across various locations and surveyed an effective area of 121,337 square kilometers. In addition to this, they performed extensive foot surveys sampling habitat plots for vegetation and prey dung.
Identification of Tigers
Using stripe-pattern-recognition software, they could identify 83% of the total tiger population from the photographs taken. The software enables matching a new image of a tiger with an existing one in the database based on the stripe pattern.
About Project Tiger
Started in 1973, Project Tiger aimed to conserve the national animal across nine tiger reserves. It is an ongoing centrally sponsored scheme under the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change. The coverage of Project Tiger has now extended to 50 reserves across 18 tiger range states, covering roughly 2.21% of India’s geographical area.
Role of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)
Formed in 2005, NTCA stemmed from the recommendations of the Tiger Task Force. It serves as a statutory body with supervisory and coordination roles, carrying out functions as provided in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
M-STrIPES Monitoring System
M-STrIPES is an app-based monitoring system launched across Indian tiger reserves by NTCA in 2010. The system bolsters field manager’s ability to track patrol intensity and spatial coverage in a GIS domain.
Understanding Tigers: Species, Habitat, and Importance
Tigers, scientifically known as Panthera tigris, span from Siberian temperate forests to subtropical and tropical forests on the Indian subcontinent and Sumatra. As the largest cat species and a member of the genus Panthera, they play an important role as terminal consumers in the ecological food pyramid.
Threats and Protection Status
Despite their importance, tigers face threats such as habitat destruction and fragmentation and poaching. They are protected under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List, and under Appendix I of CITES.
Tiger Reserves in India
India houses 50 Tiger reserves, with Nagarjunsagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve in Andhra Pradesh being the largest and Orang National Park in Assam being the smallest.