India’s Tiger Population Reaches 3,925 with 6.1% Annual Growth Rate, Holds 75% of Global Wild Tiger Population: In 1973, the Government of India launched Project Tiger, a comprehensive conservation project aimed at protecting the nation’s tiger population and preserving biodiversity. Over the past fifty years, Project Tiger has seen extraordinary success, with India becoming home to about 75% of the world’s wild tiger population. On Global Tiger Day, 29th July 2023, Minister of State for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Ashwini Kumar, released a comprehensive report revealing India’s tiger population estimate of 3,925, with an annual growth rate of 6.1%.
Daily Current Affairs Quiz: July 2023
I. Project Tiger’s Success and Evolution:
- Project Tiger began in 1973, initially encompassing nine tiger reserves totaling 18,278 km2. It has now grown to 53 reserves spread across 75,796 km2, accounting for 2.3% of India’s entire land area.
- The first phase of tiger conservation focused on enacting the Wildlife Protection Act and establishing protected areas, while the second phase in 2005 adopted a landscape-level approach, community involvement, strict law enforcement, and scientific monitoring.
II. The Growth of India’s Tiger Population:
- During the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger in 2022, the Hon’ble Prime Minister declared a minimum tiger population estimate of 3,167 from the camera-trapped area.
- Further analysis of data by the Wildlife Institute of India, considering both camera-trapped and non-camera-trapped tiger presence areas, resulted in an estimated tiger population of 3,925 with an annual growth rate of 6.1% per annum.
- Notably, the tiger population in Central India and the Shivalik Hills and Gangetic Plains increased significantly, particularly in Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Maharashtra. However, certain areas, like as the Western Ghats, have had localised reductions, necessitating specific conservation efforts.
III. States with Largest Tiger Populations
India’s Tiger Population Reaches 3,925 with 6.1% Annual Growth Rate, Holds 75% of Global Wild Tiger Population
| State | Tiger Population |
| Madhya Pradesh | 785 |
| Karnataka | 563 |
| Uttarakhand | 560 |
| Maharashtra | 444 |
IV. Tiger Reserve Abundance
| Tiger Reserve | Tiger Population |
| Corbett | 260 |
| Bandipur | 150 |
| Nagarhole | 141 |
| Bandhavgarh | 135 |
| Dudhwa | 135 |
| Mudumalai | 114 |
| Kanha | 105 |
| Kaziranga | 104 |
| Sundarbans | 100 |
| Tadoba | 97 |
| Sathyamangalam | 85 |
| Pench-MP | 77 |
V. Conservation Challenges and Measures:
- Approximately 35% of tiger reserves require immediate enhancements in protection, habitat restoration, ungulate augmentation, and tiger reintroduction.
- Challenges like poaching continue to pose a threat to tiger conservation.
- To preserve ecological integrity, eco-friendly development, minimizing mining impacts, and addressing human-wildlife conflict are crucial steps.
- Fortifying protected area management and intensifying anti-poaching measures are essential for the future of India’s tigers and their ecosystems.