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{{Short description|Tiger conservation programme in India (1973-present)}}
{{Short description|Tiger conservation programme in India (1973-present)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
'''Project Tiger''' is a [[tiger conservation]] programme launched in April 1973 by the [[Government of India]] during [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]] [[Indira Gandhi]]'s tenure. The project aims at ensuring a viable population of the [[Bengal tiger]] in its natural habitats, protecting it from extinction, and preserving areas of biological importance as a natural heritage that represent the diversity of [[ecosystem]]s across the tiger's range in the country. The project's task force visualised these [[Tiger reserves in India|tiger reserves]] as breeding nuclei, from which surplus animals would migrate to adjacent forests. Funds and commitment were mustered to support the intensive program of habitat protection and rehabilitation under the project.<ref name="panwar1987">{{cite book |author=Panwar, H. S. |year=1987 |chapter=Project Tiger: The reserves, the tigers, and their future |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YdC-wfyZwZEC&pg=PA110 |pages=110–117 |title=Tigers of the world: the biology, biopolitics, management, and conservation of an endangered species |editor1-last=Tilson, R. L. |editor2-last=Sel, U. S. |publisher=Minnesota Zoological Garden, IUCN/SSC Captive Breeding Group, IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group |location=Park Ridge, N.J. |isbn=9780815511335}}</ref>
{{Infobox government agency
During the tiger census of 2006, a new methodology was used extrapolating site-specific densities of tigers, their co-predators and prey derived from [[camera trap]] and sign surveys using [[GIS]]. Based on the result of these surveys, the total tiger population was estimated at 1,411 individuals ranging from 1,165 to 1,657 adult and sub-adult tigers of more than 1.5 years of age.<ref name="jhala2008">{{cite book |title=Status of the Tigers, Co-predators, and Prey in India |author=Jhala, Y. V. |author-link=Yadvendradev Vikramsinh Jhala |author2=Gopal, R. |author3=Qureshi, Q. |name-list-style=amp |publisher=National Tiger Conservation Authority, Govt. of India, New Delhi; Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun |year=2008 |series=TR 08/001 |url=http://projecttiger.nic.in/whtsnew/status_of_tigers_in_india_2008.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602124630/http://projecttiger.nic.in/whtsnew/status_of_tigers_in_india_2008.pdf |archive-date=2 June 2013}}</ref> Owing to the project, the number of tigers increased to 2,603–3,346 individuals by 2018.<ref name=Jhala2019>{{cite report |author=Jhala, Y. V. |author2=Qureshi, Q. |author3=Nayak, A. K. |name-list-style=amp |year=2020 |title=Status of tigers, co-predators and prey in India 2018 |publisher=National Tiger Conservation Authority, Government of India, Wildlife Institute of India |location=New Delhi, Dehradun |url=http://moef.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Tiger-Status-Report-2018_For-Web_compressed_compressed.pdf}}</ref>
|type= Tiger conservation programme
|logo= Project Tiger banner logo.jpg
|logo_caption= Banner logo of Project Tiger
|formed= 1 April 1973
|motto= India Leads Tiger Conservation
|parent_department = [[National Tiger Conservation Authority]]
|website= https://ntca.gov.in/
}}
'''Project Tiger''' is a [[wildlife conservation]] movement initiated in India to protect the [[endangered species|endangered]] [[tiger]]. The project was initiated in 1973 by the [[Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change]] of the [[Government of India]]. As of March 2025, there are 58 protected areas that have been designated as [[Tiger reserves of India|tiger reserves]] under the project. As of 2022, there were 3,682 wild tigers in India, which is almost 75% of the world's wild tiger population.


==Objectives==
== History and objectives ==
[[File:Tiger Yawning Mudumalai Mar21 DSC01305.jpg|thumb|Bengal tiger in [[Mudumalai National Park]]]]
{{Wildlife of India}}
Project Tiger's main aims are to:
The tiger population in India had dwindled to 1,827 individuals by the early 1970s from an estimated 40,000 at the end of the 19th century. Due to the alarming decline of [[tiger]] population, the Indian Board of Wildlife, established in 1952, to advice the [[Government of India]] on wildlife conservation, formed a task force to save the tigers. Based on the recommendation of the task force, Project Tiger was launched on 1 April 1973 by the [[Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change]] of the Government of India.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Yadav |first=S.P. |title=Tiger conservation in India: A critical analysis |url=https://ntca.gov.in/assets/uploads/stripes/Vol1_Issue1_2020.pdf? |journal=Stripes |publisher=[[National Tiger Conservation Authority]] |date=April–June 2020 |volume=10 |issue=1 |page=7}}</ref> The project was initiated to protect the tiger and its habitats and to establish dedicated [[Tiger reserves of India|tiger reserves]] for sustaining tiger populations.<ref name="PT">{{cite web|title=Project Tiger|publisher=National Tiger Conservation Authority|url=https://ntca.gov.in/about-us/#project-tiger|access-date=1 April 2024|archive-date=5 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240405081950/https://ntca.gov.in/about-us/#project-tiger|url-status=live}}</ref> As per the section 38 of the [[Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972]], the state governments are responsible for preparing a Tiger Conservation Plan which includes planning and management of notified areas and maintaining the requisite competent staff to ensure the protection of the tiger reserve and providing inputs for maintaining a viable population of tigers, co-predators and prey animals.<ref name="Reserve">{{cite report |title=Tiger reserves |publisher=National Tiger Conservation Authority |url=https://ntca.gov.in/tiger-reserves/#tiger-reserves-2 |access-date=1 April 2024 |archive-date=18 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240318135018/https://ntca.gov.in/tiger-reserves/#tiger-reserves-2 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="guidelines">{{cite web |url=http://projecttiger.nic.in/COMPENDIUM%20OF%20GUIDELINES.pdf |title=Project Tiger |publisher=Government of India |access-date=22 January 2016 |archive-date=2 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002055640/http://projecttiger.nic.in/COMPENDIUM%20OF%20GUIDELINES.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
*Reduce factors that lead to the depletion, of tiger habitats and to mitigate them by suitable management. The damages done to the habitat shall be rectified to facilitate the recovery of the ecosystem to the maximum possible extent.
*Ensure a viable tiger population for economic, scientific, cultural, aesthetic and ecological values.


The monitoring system [[M-STrIPES]] was developed to assist patrol and protect tiger habitats. It maps patrol routes and allows forest guards to enter sightings, events and changes when patrolling. It generates protocols based on these data, so that management decisions can be adapted.<ref>{{cite web |title="MSTrIPES": Monitoring System for Tigers – Intensive Protection & Ecological Status |publisher=India Environment Portal |year=2010 |url=http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/mstripes-ppt.pdf |work=National Tiger Conservation Authority, Wildlife Institute of India, Zoological Society of London}}</ref>
Tiger reserves consist of a core area which includes part(s) of protected areas such as a [[national park]] or a [[wildlife sanctuary]] and a buffer zone which is a mix of forested and non-forested land. Project tiger is aimed at performing the necessary activities to ensure viability of tiger population in the core area and to promote a balance between the existence of people and animals in the buffer zones.<ref name="PT"/> In 2006, [[National Tiger Conservation Authority]] was formed to administer the tiger reserves which were set up as a part of Project Tiger with Project Tiger becoming a centrally sponsored scheme (CSS) to provide funding for the establishment and administration of the tiger reserves.<ref name="PT"/>


==Management and population ==
In 1973, nine protected areas were initially designated as tiger reserves. By the late 1980s, the initial nine reserves covering an area of {{cvt|9115|km2}} had been increased to 15 reserves covering an area of {{cvt|24700|km2}}.<ref>{{cite book |author=Panwar, H. S. |year=1987 |chapter=Project Tiger: The reserves, the tigers, and their future |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YdC-wfyZwZEC&pg=PA110 |pages=110–117 |title=Tigers of the world: the biology, biopolitics, management, and conservation of an endangered species |editor1-last=Tilson, R. L. |editor2-last=Sel, U. S. |publisher=Minnesota Zoological Garden, IUCN/SSC Captive Breeding Group, IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group |location=Park Ridge, N.J. |isbn=978-0-815-51133-5 |access-date=19 November 2020 |archive-date=31 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240331152818/https://books.google.com/books?id=YdC-wfyZwZEC&pg=PA110 |url-status=live }}</ref> By 1997, 23 tiger reserves encompassed an area of {{cvt|33000|km2}}.<ref>{{cite book |editor1=Seidensticker, J. |editor2=Christie, S. |editor3=Jackson, P. |year=1999 |title=Riding the Tiger. Tiger Conservation in human-dominated landscapes |publisher=Cambridge University Press |place=Cambridge |isbn=0-521-64057-1 |author=Thapar, V. |chapter=The tragedy of the Indian tiger: starting from scratch |pages=296–306}}</ref> As of December 2024, there are 57 [[protected area]]s that have been designated as tiger reserves.<ref name="Reserve"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/ratapani-mp-tiger-reserve-protected-areas-9708543/|title=With Ratapani in MP declared India's latest tiger reserve, all about the protected areas|date=5 December 2024|access-date=1 January 2025|newspaper=[[The Indian Express]]|quote=On December 2, India got its 57th tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh’s Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary...}}</ref>
[[File:State_wise_Bengal_Tiger_Population_India,_2019.jpg|thumb|523x523px|State wise Bengal Tiger Population India, 2019]]
Project Tiger was administered by the [[National Tiger Conservation Authority]]. 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 hills|Shivalik]]-[[Terai]] Conservation Unit
==Tiger population==
* North-East Conservation Unit
[[File:Growth in Tiger population.jpg|thumb|Tiger population in India (2006&ndash;2022)]]
* [[Sunderbans]] Conservation Unit
* [[Western Ghats]] Conservation Unit
* [[Eastern Ghats]] Conservation Unit
* Central India Conservation Unit
* [[Sariska Tiger Reserve|Sariska]] Conservation Unit
* [[Kaziranga National Park|Kaziranga]] Conservation Unit


The various tiger reserves were created in the country based on the 'core-buffer' strategy:
During the tiger census of 2006, a new methodology was used extrapolating site-specific densities of tigers, their co-predators and prey derived from [[camera trap]] and sign surveys using [[GIS]]. Based on the result of these surveys, the total tiger population was estimated at 1,141 individuals ranging from 1,165 to 1,657 adult and sub-adult tigers of more than 1.5 years of age.<ref>{{cite book |title=Status of the Tigers, Co-predators, and Prey in India |author=Jhala, Y. V. |author-link=Yadvendradev Vikramsinh Jhala |author2=Gopal, R. |author3=Qureshi, Q. |name-list-style=amp |publisher=National Tiger Conservation Authority, Govt. of India, New Delhi; Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun |year=2008 |series=TR 08/001 |url=http://projecttiger.nic.in/whtsnew/status_of_tigers_in_india_2008.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602124630/http://projecttiger.nic.in/whtsnew/status_of_tigers_in_india_2008.pdf |archive-date=2 June 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-49148174|title=India's tiger population sees 33% increase|publisher=BBC|date=2019|access-date=11 April 2024|archive-date=1 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190801021152/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-49148174|url-status=live}}</ref> The 2010 National Tiger Assessment estimated the total population of wild tigers in India at 1,706. As per [[Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change|Ministry of Environment and Forests]], the wild tiger population in India stood at 2,226 in 2014 with an increase of 30.5% since the 2010 estimate.<ref name=NTA>{{cite web|url=http://moef.nic.in/downloads/public-information/tiger-brochure.pdf|title=Tiger Estimate in India|work=Public Information Brochure|page=9|publisher=Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India|date=28 March 2011|access-date=21 June 2011|archive-date=12 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612082807/http://moef.nic.in/downloads/public-information/tiger-brochure.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>


* Core area: the core areas 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.
In 2018, according to the National Tiger Conservation Authority, there were an estimated 2,603–3,346 wild tigers with an average of 2,967 in existence in India.<ref>{{cite report |author=Jhala, Y. V. |author2=Qureshi, Q. |author3=Nayak, A. K. |name-list-style=amp |year=2020 |title=Status of tigers, co-predators and prey in India 2018 |publisher=National Tiger Conservation Authority, Government of India, Wildlife Institute of India |location=New Delhi, Dehradun |url=http://moef.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Tiger-Status-Report-2018_For-Web_compressed_compressed.pdf |access-date=17 September 2021 |archive-date=28 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028125314/http://moef.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Tiger-Status-Report-2018_For-Web_compressed_compressed.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The wild tiger population increased to 3,682 as of 2022.<ref name="Report">{{cite report |author1=Qureshi, Q. |author2=Jhala, Y. V. |author3=Yadav, S. P. |author4=Mallick, A. |name-list-style=amp |year=2023 |title=Status of tigers, co-predators and prey in India 2022 |publisher=National Tiger Conservation Authority & Wildlife Institute of India |location=New Delhi, Dehradun |url=https://wii.gov.in/images//images/documents/publications/statu_tiger_copredators-2022.pdf |access-date=11 April 2024 |archive-date=5 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240505145403/https://wii.gov.in/images//images/documents/publications/statu_tiger_copredators-2022.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> As India is home to majority of the global wild tiger population, the increase in population of [[tigers in India]] played a major role in driving up global populations as well; the number of wild tigers globally rose from 3,159 in 2010 to 3,890 in 2016 according to the [[World Wide Fund for Nature|World Wide Fund]] and Global Tiger Forum.<ref name="Global">{{Cite web |url=http://tigers.panda.org/news/what-the-new-global-tiger-number-means/ |title=2967 – What the new global Tiger number means |publisher=WWF |date=2016 |access-date=11 April 2024 |archive-date=27 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190927044921/http://tigers.panda.org/news/what-the-new-global-tiger-number-means/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Buffer areas: the 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.


The important thrust areas for the Plan period are:
== Management and administration ==
*Stepped-up protection/networking surveillance.
[[File:Tiger Yawning Mudumalai Mar21 DSC01305.jpg|thumb|A [[Bengal tiger]] in [[Mudumalai National Park|Mudumalai tiger reserve]]]]
*Voluntary relocation of people from core/critical tiger habitat to provide inviolate space for tiger.
Project Tiger is headed by an additional director general (ADG) based at [[New Delhi]] with regional offices at [[Bangalore]], [[Guwahati]] and [[Nagpur]].<ref name="PT"/> The wildlife habitats that fall under Project Tiger are categorized into different conservation units: [[Siwalik Hills|Shivalik-Terai]], [[North East India|North East]], [[Sunderbans]], [[Western Ghats]], [[Eastern Ghats]], [[Central India]] and [[Sariska Tiger Reserve|Sariska]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.india.com/travel/articles/project-tiger-everything-you-need-to-know-about-this-initiative-3232921/|title=Project Tiger: Everything You Need to Know About This Initiative|date=27 February 2020|access-date=1 December 2023|archive-date=22 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322034853/https://www.india.com/travel/articles/project-tiger-everything-you-need-to-know-about-this-initiative-3232921/|url-status=live}}</ref>
*Use of information technology in wildlife crime prevention.
*Addressing human-wildlife conflicts.
*Capacity building of frontier personnel.
*Developing a national repository of camera trap tiger photographs with IDs.
*Strengthening the regional offices of the NTCA.
*Declaring and consolidating new tiger reserves.
*Foresting awareness for eliciting new tiger reserves.
*Foresting Research.


For each tiger reserve, management plans were drawn up based on the following principles:
Function under the ambit of Project Tiger include protection of tiger habitats, daily monitoring, facilitating ecological development for local people in the buffer zones, voluntary relocation of people from core/critical tiger habitats and addressing human-wildlife conflicts. As a part of the project, state are provided assistance on curtailing poaching activities such as disseminating information on poachers, assisting in combing forest floor to check for traps and other anti-poaching activities, maintaining tiger database, providing grants and training for deployment of Special Tiger Protection Force.<ref>{{cite web|title=About us, Project Tiger|publisher=National Tiger Conservation Authority|url=https://ntca.gov.in/about-us/#ntca|access-date=1 April 2024|archive-date=5 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240405081950/https://ntca.gov.in/about-us/#ntca|url-status=live}}</ref>


* Elimination of all forms of human exploitation and biotic disturbance from the core area and rationalization of activities in the [[buffer zone]]
[[Wireless communication]] systems, [[infrared]] [[thermal camera]]s and [[M-STrIPES|monitoring system]]s have been developed within the tiger reserves to assist in patrol activities.<ref>{{cite web |title="MSTrIPES": Monitoring System for Tigers – Intensive Protection & Ecological Status |publisher=India Environment Portal |year=2010 |url=http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/mstripes-ppt.pdf |work=National Tiger Conservation Authority, Wildlife Institute of India, Zoological Society of London |access-date=8 September 2019 |archive-date=6 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806135612/http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/mstripes-ppt.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wwfindia.org/?12021/Valmiki-Tiger-Reserve-conducts-training-workshop-on-wildlife-monitoring-using-wireless-technology|title=Valmiki Tiger Reserve conducts training workshop on wildlife monitoring using wireless technology|work=WWF India|date=19 September 2014|access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref>
* Restricting the habitat management only to repair the damages done to the [[ecosystem]] by human and other interferences to facilitate recovery of the ecosystem to its natural state
* Monitoring the faunal and floral changes over time and carrying out research about wildlife


[[Image:Sunderbans 049.jpg|thumb|200px|Tiger pug marks at [[Sunderbans Tiger Reserve]], West Bengal]]
== Challenges ==
 
Project Tiger's efforts are hampered by [[poaching]], [[deforestation]], construction and irregularities in administration of certain reserves.<ref>{{cite web|date=13 June 2019|url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/rajasthans-sariska-may-become-tiger-less-again-fear-experts-as-male-relocated-to-reserve-dies-forest-department-sends-sos-to-ntca-6809781.html|title=Rajasthan's Sariska may become tiger-less again|work=Firstpost|access-date=1 December 2023|archive-date=21 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201121022935/https://www.firstpost.com/india/rajasthans-sariska-may-become-tiger-less-again-fear-experts-as-male-relocated-to-reserve-dies-forest-department-sends-sos-to-ntca-6809781.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=24 February 2020|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/highway-threatens-tiger-territory-in-arunachal-pradesh/article30896798.ece|title=Highway threatens tiger territory in Arunachal Pradesh|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=1 December 2023|archive-date=7 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607131525/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/highway-threatens-tiger-territory-in-arunachal-pradesh/article30896798.ece|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|work=Northeast Now|date=12 March 2020|url=https://nenow.in/north-east-news/arunachal-pradesh/arunachal-namdapha-national-park-facing-rampant-deforestation.html|title=Namdapha National Park facing rampant deforestation|access-date=1 December 2023|archive-date=1 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201032712/https://nenow.in/north-east-news/arunachal-pradesh/arunachal-namdapha-national-park-facing-rampant-deforestation.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Forest Rights Act]] enacted by the Indian government in 2006 recognizes the rights of forest dwelling communities in the buffer zones. Some of the wildlife experts have questioned the implications of the same on tiger conservation as it will increase human-animal conflict and might give opportunities for poaching.<ref>{{cite news|author=Buncombe, A.|date=31 October 2007|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/the-face-of-a-doomed-species-398373.html|title=The face of a doomed species|work=The Independent|access-date=1 December 2023|archive-date=4 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190704130910/https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/the-face-of-a-doomed-species-398373.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_NO8xdKRW5EC&pg=PA118|title=An Environmental History of Postcolonial North India: The Himalayan Tarai in Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal|last=Strahorn|first=Eric A.|date=2009-01-01|publisher=Peter Lang|isbn=978-1-433-10580-7|pages=118}}</ref> While others argue that this overlooks the reality of human-tiger coexistence and the abuse of power by authorities wherein local people who have been co-existing with the animals are being evicted from their traditional lands rather than allowing them a proper role in decision-making to aid the tiger crisis.<ref>{{cite report|publisher=Government of India|year=2005|url=http://projecttiger.nic.in/TTF2005/index.html|title=Tiger Task Force Report|access-date=27 March 2009|archive-date=27 March 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327203407/http://projecttiger.nic.in/TTF2005/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forestrightsact.com/tiger-conservation/item/4-tiger-conservation-a-disaster-in-the-making|title=Campaign for Survival and Dignity ''Tiger Conservation: A Disaster in the Making''|access-date=11 July 2011|work=Forestrightsact.com|archive-date=11 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711020220/http://www.forestrightsact.com/tiger-conservation/item/4-tiger-conservation-a-disaster-in-the-making|url-status=dead}}</ref>
By the late 1980s, the initial nine reserves covering an area of {{convert|9115|km2|sqmi|abbr=off|sp=us}} had been increased to 15 reserves covering an area of {{convert|24700|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}. More than 1100 tigers were estimated to inhabit the reserves by 1984.<ref name="panwar1987"/> By 1997, 23 tiger reserves encompassed an area of {{convert|33000|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, but the fate of tiger habitat outside the reserves was precarious, due to pressure on habitat, incessant [[poaching]] and large-scale development projects such as dams, industry, and mines.<ref>Thapar, V. (1999). ''The tragedy of the Indian tiger: starting from scratch''. In: Seidensticker, J., Christie, S., Jackson, P. (eds.) ''Riding the Tiger. Tiger Conservation in human-dominated landscapes.'' Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. hardback {{ISBN|0-521-64057-1}}, paperback {{ISBN|0-521-64835-1}}. pp. 296–306.</ref>
 
Wireless communication systems and outstation patrol camps have been developed within the tiger reserves, due to which poaching has declined considerably. Fire protection is effectively done by suitable preventive and control measures. Voluntary Village relocation has been done in many reserves, especially from the core area. Livestock grazing has been controlled to a great extent in the tiger reserves. Various compensatory developmental works have improved the water regime and the ground and field level vegetation, thereby increasing the animal density. Research data about vegetation changes are also available from many reserves. Plans include the use of advanced information and communication technology in wildlife protection and crime management in tiger reserves, GIS-based digitized database development, and devising a new tiger habitat and population evaluation system.
 
==Controversies and problems==
Project Tiger's efforts were hampered by [[poaching]], as well as debacles and irregularities in [[Sariska Tiger Reserve|Sariska]] and Namdapha, both of which were reported extensively in the Indian media.<ref>Ajay Suri (13 June 2019) [https://web.archive.org/web/20201121022935/https://www.firstpost.com/india/rajasthans-sariska-may-become-tiger-less-again-fear-experts-as-male-relocated-to-reserve-dies-forest-department-sends-sos-to-ntca-6809781.html ''Rajasthan's Sariska may become tiger-less again'']. Firstpost</ref><ref>Rahul Karmakar (24 February 2020) [https://web.archive.org/web/20200607131525/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/highway-threatens-tiger-territory-in-arunachal-pradesh/article30896798.ece ''Highway threatens tiger territory in Arunachal Pradesh'']. The Hindu </ref><ref>Northeast Now (12 March 2020) [https://web.archive.org/web/20201201032712/https://nenow.in/north-east-news/arunachal-pradesh/arunachal-namdapha-national-park-facing-rampant-deforestation.html ''Namdapha National Park facing rampant deforestation'']. </ref> 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. 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".<ref>Buncombe, A. (31 October 2007) [https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/the-face-of-a-doomed-species-398373.html ''The face of a doomed species'']. The Independent</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_NO8xdKRW5EC&pg=PA118|title=An Environmental History of Postcolonial North India: The Himalayan Tarai in Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal|last=Strahorn|first=Eric A.|date=2009-01-01|publisher=Peter Lang|isbn=9781433105807|pages=118|language=en}}</ref> 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 rather than allowing them a proper role in decision-making, in the tiger crisis. The latter position was supported by the Government of India's Tiger Task Force, and is also taken by some forest dwellers' organizations.<ref>Government of India (2005) [http://projecttiger.nic.in/TTF2005/index.html ''Tiger Task Force Report''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327203407/http://projecttiger.nic.in/TTF2005/index.html |date=27 March 2009 }}.</ref><ref>[http://www.forestrightsact.com/tiger-conservation/item/4-tiger-conservation-a-disaster-in-the-making Campaign for Survival and Dignity ''Tiger Conservation: A Disaster in the Making''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711020220/http://www.forestrightsact.com/tiger-conservation/item/4-tiger-conservation-a-disaster-in-the-making |date=11 July 2011 }}. forestrightsact.com</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
* [[List of Indian states by tiger population]]
* [[List of Indian states by tiger population]]
* [[Tiger reserves of India]]
* [[Tiger poaching in India]]
* [[Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education]]
* [[Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education]]
* [[Tiger poaching in India]]
* [[Save China's Tigers]]
* [[Tiger reserves of India]]
* [[Project Elephant]]
* [[Project Dolphin (India)|Project Dolphin]]
* [[Project Cheetah]]
* [[International Big Cat Alliance]]


==References==
==References==
Line 67: Line 53:


==External links==
==External links==
* [https://projecttiger.nic.in/ Project Tiger official website]
* [https://ntca.gov.in/ Project Tiger official website]
* [https://www.peoplenotpoaching.org/ People Not Poaching: The Communities and IWT Learning Platform]


{{Tiger Reserves Of India}}
{{Tiger Reserves Of India}}

Latest revision as of 09:51, 6 March 2026


Project Tiger
File:Project Tiger banner logo.jpg
Banner logo of Project Tiger
Tiger conservation programme overview
Formed1 April 1973
MottoIndia Leads Tiger Conservation
Parent departmentNational Tiger Conservation Authority
Websitehttps://ntca.gov.in/

Project Tiger is a wildlife conservation movement initiated in India to protect the endangered tiger. The project was initiated in 1973 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of the Government of India. As of March 2025, there are 58 protected areas that have been designated as tiger reserves under the project. As of 2022, there were 3,682 wild tigers in India, which is almost 75% of the world's wild tiger population.

History and objectives[edit | edit source]

Template:Wildlife of India The tiger population in India had dwindled to 1,827 individuals by the early 1970s from an estimated 40,000 at the end of the 19th century. Due to the alarming decline of tiger population, the Indian Board of Wildlife, established in 1952, to advice the Government of India on wildlife conservation, formed a task force to save the tigers. Based on the recommendation of the task force, Project Tiger was launched on 1 April 1973 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of the Government of India.[1] The project was initiated to protect the tiger and its habitats and to establish dedicated tiger reserves for sustaining tiger populations.[2] As per the section 38 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, the state governments are responsible for preparing a Tiger Conservation Plan which includes planning and management of notified areas and maintaining the requisite competent staff to ensure the protection of the tiger reserve and providing inputs for maintaining a viable population of tigers, co-predators and prey animals.[3][4]

Tiger reserves consist of a core area which includes part(s) of protected areas such as a national park or a wildlife sanctuary and a buffer zone which is a mix of forested and non-forested land. Project tiger is aimed at performing the necessary activities to ensure viability of tiger population in the core area and to promote a balance between the existence of people and animals in the buffer zones.[2] In 2006, National Tiger Conservation Authority was formed to administer the tiger reserves which were set up as a part of Project Tiger with Project Tiger becoming a centrally sponsored scheme (CSS) to provide funding for the establishment and administration of the tiger reserves.[2]

In 1973, nine protected areas were initially designated as tiger reserves. By the late 1980s, the initial nine reserves covering an area of 9,115 km2 (3,519 sq mi) had been increased to 15 reserves covering an area of 24,700 km2 (9,500 sq mi).[5] By 1997, 23 tiger reserves encompassed an area of 33,000 km2 (13,000 sq mi).[6] As of December 2024, there are 57 protected areas that have been designated as tiger reserves.[3][7]

Tiger population[edit | edit source]

Tiger population in India (2006–2022)

During the tiger census of 2006, a new methodology was used extrapolating site-specific densities of tigers, their co-predators and prey derived from camera trap and sign surveys using GIS. Based on the result of these surveys, the total tiger population was estimated at 1,141 individuals ranging from 1,165 to 1,657 adult and sub-adult tigers of more than 1.5 years of age.[8][9] The 2010 National Tiger Assessment estimated the total population of wild tigers in India at 1,706. As per Ministry of Environment and Forests, the wild tiger population in India stood at 2,226 in 2014 with an increase of 30.5% since the 2010 estimate.[10]

In 2018, according to the National Tiger Conservation Authority, there were an estimated 2,603–3,346 wild tigers with an average of 2,967 in existence in India.[11] The wild tiger population increased to 3,682 as of 2022.[12] As India is home to majority of the global wild tiger population, the increase in population of tigers in India played a major role in driving up global populations as well; the number of wild tigers globally rose from 3,159 in 2010 to 3,890 in 2016 according to the World Wide Fund and Global Tiger Forum.[13]

Management and administration[edit | edit source]

A Bengal tiger in Mudumalai tiger reserve

Project Tiger is headed by an additional director general (ADG) based at New Delhi with regional offices at Bangalore, Guwahati and Nagpur.[2] The wildlife habitats that fall under Project Tiger are categorized into different conservation units: Shivalik-Terai, North East, Sunderbans, Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, Central India and Sariska.[14]

Function under the ambit of Project Tiger include protection of tiger habitats, daily monitoring, facilitating ecological development for local people in the buffer zones, voluntary relocation of people from core/critical tiger habitats and addressing human-wildlife conflicts. As a part of the project, state are provided assistance on curtailing poaching activities such as disseminating information on poachers, assisting in combing forest floor to check for traps and other anti-poaching activities, maintaining tiger database, providing grants and training for deployment of Special Tiger Protection Force.[15]

Wireless communication systems, infrared thermal cameras and monitoring systems have been developed within the tiger reserves to assist in patrol activities.[16][17]

Challenges[edit | edit source]

Project Tiger's efforts are hampered by poaching, deforestation, construction and irregularities in administration of certain reserves.[18][19][20] The Forest Rights Act enacted by the Indian government in 2006 recognizes the rights of forest dwelling communities in the buffer zones. Some of the wildlife experts have questioned the implications of the same on tiger conservation as it will increase human-animal conflict and might give opportunities for poaching.[21][22] While others argue that this overlooks the reality of human-tiger coexistence and the abuse of power by authorities wherein local people who have been co-existing with the animals are being evicted from their traditional lands rather than allowing them a proper role in decision-making to aid the tiger crisis.[23][24]

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Yadav, S.P. (April–June 2020). "Tiger conservation in India: A critical analysis" (PDF). Stripes. 10 (1). National Tiger Conservation Authority: 7.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Project Tiger". National Tiger Conservation Authority. Archived from the original on 5 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Tiger reserves (Report). National Tiger Conservation Authority. Archived from the original on 18 March 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  4. ↑ "Project Tiger" (PDF). Government of India. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  5. ↑ Panwar, H. S. (1987). "Project Tiger: The reserves, the tigers, and their future". In Tilson, R. L.; Sel, U. S. (eds.). Tigers of the world: the biology, biopolitics, management, and conservation of an endangered species. Park Ridge, N.J.: Minnesota Zoological Garden, IUCN/SSC Captive Breeding Group, IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group. pp. 110–117. ISBN 978-0-815-51133-5. Archived from the original on 31 March 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  6. ↑ Thapar, V. (1999). "The tragedy of the Indian tiger: starting from scratch". In Seidensticker, J.; Christie, S.; Jackson, P. (eds.). Riding the Tiger. Tiger Conservation in human-dominated landscapes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 296–306. ISBN 0-521-64057-1.
  7. ↑ "With Ratapani in MP declared India's latest tiger reserve, all about the protected areas". The Indian Express. 5 December 2024. Retrieved 1 January 2025. On December 2, India got its 57th tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh's Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary...
  8. ↑ Jhala, Y. V.; Gopal, R. & Qureshi, Q. (2008). Status of the Tigers, Co-predators, and Prey in India (PDF). TR 08/001. National Tiger Conservation Authority, Govt. of India, New Delhi; Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 June 2013.
  9. ↑ "India's tiger population sees 33% increase". BBC. 2019. Archived from the original on 1 August 2019. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  10. ↑ "Tiger Estimate in India" (PDF). Public Information Brochure. Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. 28 March 2011. p. 9. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 June 2011. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  11. ↑ Jhala, Y. V.; Qureshi, Q. & Nayak, A. K. (2020). Status of tigers, co-predators and prey in India 2018 (PDF) (Report). New Delhi, Dehradun: National Tiger Conservation Authority, Government of India, Wildlife Institute of India. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  12. ↑ Qureshi, Q.; Jhala, Y. V.; Yadav, S. P. & Mallick, A. (2023). Status of tigers, co-predators and prey in India 2022 (PDF) (Report). New Delhi, Dehradun: National Tiger Conservation Authority & Wildlife Institute of India. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 May 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  13. ↑ "2967 – What the new global Tiger number means". WWF. 2016. Archived from the original on 27 September 2019. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  14. ↑ "Project Tiger: Everything You Need to Know About This Initiative". 27 February 2020. Archived from the original on 22 March 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  15. ↑ "About us, Project Tiger". National Tiger Conservation Authority. Archived from the original on 5 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  16. ↑ ""MSTrIPES": Monitoring System for Tigers – Intensive Protection & Ecological Status" (PDF). National Tiger Conservation Authority, Wildlife Institute of India, Zoological Society of London. India Environment Portal. 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
  17. ↑ "Valmiki Tiger Reserve conducts training workshop on wildlife monitoring using wireless technology". WWF India. 19 September 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  18. ↑ "Rajasthan's Sariska may become tiger-less again". Firstpost. 13 June 2019. Archived from the original on 21 November 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  19. ↑ "Highway threatens tiger territory in Arunachal Pradesh". The Hindu. 24 February 2020. Archived from the original on 7 June 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  20. ↑ "Namdapha National Park facing rampant deforestation". Northeast Now. 12 March 2020. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  21. ↑ Buncombe, A. (31 October 2007). "The face of a doomed species". The Independent. Archived from the original on 4 July 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  22. ↑ Strahorn, Eric A. (1 January 2009). An Environmental History of Postcolonial North India: The Himalayan Tarai in Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal. Peter Lang. p. 118. ISBN 978-1-433-10580-7.
  23. ↑ Tiger Task Force Report (Report). Government of India. 2005. Archived from the original on 27 March 2009. Retrieved 27 March 2009.
  24. ↑ "Campaign for Survival and Dignity Tiger Conservation: A Disaster in the Making". Forestrightsact.com. Archived from the original on 11 July 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2011.

External links[edit | edit source]

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