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Project Tiger – Environment Notes
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The 'Project Tiger' is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) of the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, and it has put the
endangered tiger on an assured path of recovery by saving it from extinction, as revealed by the recent findings of the All India tiger estimation
using the refined methodology. In this article, we will discuss regarding Project Tiger which will be helpful for UPSC exam preparation.

Project Tiger – Background

The Indira Gandhi government launched Project Tiger in 1973 from the Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand.
The tiger is a globally endangered species. India had a tiger population ranging from 20000 to 40000 at the turn of the twentieth century.
Due to the Maharajas' and British's hunting practises, as well as poaching, their numbers had dwindled dramatically to around 1820 in the 1970s. Another reason
for the wild cat population's decline is a lack of prey.
A group of conservationists and researchers applied sustained pressure on the Indian government around 1970.
Dr. Kailash Sankhla, a notable conservationist, made a personal appeal to then Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi, who proved to be sympathetic and
understanding of the need to protect India's Natural Heritage - the country's oldest heritage.
As a result, the Wildlife Protection Act was drafted in 1972, effectively ending all hunting in India and legally protecting individual species.
In 1973, Project Tiger was launched, and Dr. Kailash Sankhla was named the first Director of Project Tiger in India.

Other Relevant Links

Tiger Reserves National Tiger Conservation Authority

International Cooperation for Project Tiger Project Snow Leopard

Project Elephant Project Hangul

Project vulture Captive Breeding

Project Rhino Project Dolphin

Government Measures taken to Prevent the Menace Of Wild Animal’s Entry to Human Habitats SAWEN

What is Project Tiger?

Project Tiger was established in 1973. It was one of the most significant conservation efforts launched in India to protect tigers.
It was the first project of its kind in India to maintain the population of tigers and protect them from poaching and other threats.
The NTCA addresses ecological and administrative issues related to tiger conservation.
It establishes a legal framework for the protection of tiger reserves and strengthens institutional safeguards for ecologically sensitive areas and endangered
species.
Project Tiger was made a statutory authority (NTCA) by inserting enabling provisions into the Wild Life (Protection) Act of 1972 via an amendment, the Wild
Life (Protection) Amendment Act of 2006.
The Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand was India's first tiger reserve.
In the early years of this project, India had only nine tiger reserves. There are currently 53 such reserves in India.

Objectives of Project Tiger

To ensure the survival of India's tiger population for scientific, economic, cultural, and aesthetic reasons.
To identify and mitigate factors causing tiger habitat loss through appropriate management practises.
To preserve areas of such biological importance as a national heritage for the benefit of education and enjoyment of the people at all times.
The preservation of endangered species.
To safeguard the rights of tribals and local people living near tiger reserves.

The success of Project Tiger

India was facing a huge conservation challenge. The tiger population was only one thousand and two hundred in the 1970s, but according to a recent census,
there has been a 33% increase in population in the last eight years.
The NTCA deserves special recognition for launching Project Tiger in 1973.
The tiger population is now around 3,000, which is still not healthy or stable, but Project Tiger has helped.
This speaks volumes about the government's and national parks' efforts. While the rest of the world is looking for ways to increase the number of tigers, India
has already begun to achieve milestones through Project Tiger.
From hunting grounds to tiger reserves, India has demonstrated its ability to conserve wildlife in general. They have also updated the forest and wildlife acts. Any
form of illegal animal trading is banned.
Human intervention is not permitted in any of the reserves or forests. For the Tigers to hunt, live, and survive, a suitable habitat has been created. This project
has been named the "Most Successful Project" in the world.
The project is still ongoing and will continue until the tigers are removed from the endangered species list.
The population of Royal Bengal Tigers is still a concern, but it is increasing and more people are working together to conserve Tigers.
Many people are now aware of conservation measures and actively participate in wildlife conservation-related activities.

Challenges to Project Tiger

 Various government officials' efforts and dedication was required to make Project Tiger a successful piece of work. It was difficult to take hunting lands off the
market. Many people objected to it and voiced their displeasure. Nonetheless, the project went ahead.
Poaching was another major issue. Many people used to sell tiger bones and skin to foreign markets. This was a significant revenue generator for them.
Tigers are killed on a regular basis so that their body parts can be used in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Despite all of the project's efforts, they were unable to halt the illegal trade in animal skins. Individuals used to violate the law in order to sell them to
international buyers. This resulted in the extinction of tigers.
During the construction of sanctuaries and reserves, the human population living there encountered a problem and thus spoke out against it.
They passed a Forest Rights Act outlining their difficulties. They wanted to have space for them as well and did not want to leave their current location.
Large-scale development projects such as dams, industry, mines, railway lines, and so on cause habitat pressure, fragmentation, and destruction.
Invasive species: annihilate the local producers. The food chain suffers as a result of this. Tigers suffer the most because they are at the bottom of the food
chain.

Tiger Reserves
In India, there are 53 tiger reserves that are governed by Project Tiger, which is administered by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
The Government of India launched Project Tiger in 1973 in order to save the endangered species of tiger in India.
India is home to 80% of the world's tigers.
Tiger reserves are designated areas for the protection of tigers and their prey, and are governed by Project Tiger, which was established in the country in 1973.
On the recommendation of the National Tiger Conservation Authority, the State Government shall declare an area a tiger reserve.
There were 1,411 tigers in 2006, which increased to 1706 in 2011, 2226 in 2014 and 2967 in 2018.
According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Global Tiger Summit (GTF), the total number of wild tigers worldwide increased to 3890 in 2016.
Beginning with nine reserves in 1973-74, the number has grown to fifty-three.
These project tiger areas cover a total area of 71027.10 km2.
The existing tiger reserves cover roughly one-third of India's dense forest area.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Tiger Reserves in India

National Tiger Conservation Authority

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change established under the
enabling provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as amended in 2006, to strengthen tiger conservation in accordance with the powers and functions
delegated to it by the Act.
It is the apex body that administers ‘Project Tiger’.
The NTCA was established in 2005 in response to the Tiger Task Force's recommendations.
The authority is comprised of the Minister in charge of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (as Chairperson), the Minister of State in the Ministry of
Environment and Forests (as Vice-Chairperson), three members of Parliament, the Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests, and other members.
The NTCA has been carrying out its mandate under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, by maintaining oversight through advisories/normative guidelines based
on tiger status assessments, ongoing conservation initiatives, and recommendations of specially constituted Committees.
The NTCA also conducts a country-level assessment of the status of tigers, co-predators, prey, and habitat once every four years, using the Tiger Task Force-
approved methodology.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)

Estimation of Tiger Populations

'Tiger census' refers to the process of estimating the number of tigers in a given area.
This exercise gives us an estimate of the number of tigers, their density, and the change in tiger indices - a measure of tiger occupancy in a given area.
It is carried out on a regular basis to determine the current tiger populations and population trends.
Aside from estimating the number of tigers, the method also assists in gathering data on the density of tiger populations and associated prey.
The 'Pugmark Census Technique' was the most commonly used technique in the past. The imprints of the tiger's pugmark were recorded and used to identify
individuals using this method.
It is now widely used as an indicator of tiger occurrence and relative abundance.
Camera trapping and DNA finger-printing are two recent methods for estimating the number of tigers.
In camera trapping, a photograph of the tiger is taken, and individuals are distinguished by the stripes on their bodies.
Tigers can be identified from their scats using the most recent DNA fingerprinting technique.
M-STrIPES (Monitoring System for Tigers - Intensive Protection and Ecological Status) is an app-based monitoring system launched by the NTCA in 2010
across Indian tiger reserves.
Field managers would be able to use the system to improve the intensity and spatial coverage of patrols in a geographic information system (GIS) domain.

Assessment Methodology for Tiger Estimation

The All India Tiger Estimation is a critical component of our national tiger conservation efforts.
This monitoring has been carried out every four years since 2006.
This report presents the findings of the 2010 National Tiger Assessment, which was conducted using best-in-class scientific methods.
This report provides an estimate of India's current tiger population as well as a more comprehensive assessment of our tiger landscapes.
The following are the three stages of the tiger estimation procedure:
Phase 1: Field data is collected by trained personnel at the beat level (i.e., the primary patrolling unit) using a standardised protocol.
Phase 2: Using satellite data, assess the habitat status of tiger forests.
Phase 3: The primary method was camera trapping, in which individual tigers were identified from photographs based on their distinct stripe patterns. This
data was examined using a well-established scientific framework. Wildlife biologists and local forest personnel worked together to set up camera traps.
An estimate for other contiguous tiger-occupied landscapes was made based on the tiger numbers recorded in sampled sites. Additional information such as
tiger signs, prey availability, habitat conditions, and human disturbance was used for this.
As a result, the final estimates provide a comprehensive and statistically sound result for the entire country.

Phase IV of Estimation of Tiger Populations

Through 'Phase IV' of the national tiger estimation programme, India has announced a significant expansion of its tiger monitoring programme.
 From November 2011, this began intensive annual monitoring of tigers at the tiger reserve level across the country's protected areas.
The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) developed the methodology in consultation with experts, and it will use
statistically sound procedures to estimate the numbers of both tigers and their prey.
Camera traps are used in the tiger monitoring protocol, with a density of 25 double-sided cameras per 100 square kilometres and a minimum trapping effort of
1000 trap nights per 100 square kilometres.
This will provide a yearly indication of the status of critical tiger populations across the country, which will be critical to long-term tiger population management
and conservation.
Distance sampling protocols will be used to monitor the prey population at the same time. Distance sampling will take place along line transects that were
already established in phase I, with a minimum of 30 spatial replicates of 2 km each and a total effort of 300 km.

Innovations In the 2010 National Tiger assessment

The 2010 National Tiger Assessment differs from previous assessments in several ways. These are some examples:

Collaboration with civil society organisations.

Participation of local communities in data collection and analysis.
The use of genetic analysis to estimate tiger populations from faeces.
In addition to tigers, co-predators, prey, and habitat quality were evaluated.
Pioneering attempt to estimate tiger populations in West Bengal's Sunderbans Tiger Reserve using satellite telemetry and sign surveys.
The first tiger population estimate in Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra).

Tiger Population Estimates

In 2006 and 2010, the same scientifically sound methods were consistently used. This allowed for the comparison of results from both estimation exercises as
well as the understanding of the trend in tiger numbers.
The estimated tiger population in 2006 was 1411, but thanks to conservation efforts, it has steadily increased to 1706 in the 2010 tiger estimate.
According to the Census (2014), there were 2,226 tigers in the country, up from 1,706 in 2010.
According to the Tiger Census results (All India Tiger Estimation 2018-19), the total number of tigers has increased to 2,967 from 2,226 in 2014.
Madhya Pradesh had the most tigers (526), followed by Karnataka (524), and Uttarakhand (442).
Tiger population growth: Madhya Pradesh (71%), Maharashtra (64%), and Karnataka (29%).
Corbett Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand has the most tigers.
There have been no tiger sightings in the reserves of Buxa (West Bengal), Palamau (Jharkhand), or Dampa (Mizoram).

International Cooperation for Project Tiger

Apart from a protocol on tiger conservation with China, India has a Memorandum of Understanding with Nepal on controlling trans-boundary illegal wildlife
trade and conservation.
A bilateral protocol with Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Myanmar is in the works.
The Global Tiger Forum is an international intergovernmental organisation dedicated solely to the conservation of tigers in the wild in their range countries.
The Global Tiger Initiative (GTI) was established in 2008 as a global alliance of governments, international organisations, civil society, conservation, and scientific
communities, as well as the private sector, with the goal of collaborating to save wild tigers from extinction.
The Malaysian government and the Global Tiger Forum (GTF) recently hosted the 4th Asia Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation.
The conference is an important opportunity to review progress toward the Global Tiger Recovery Programme and tiger conservation commitments.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link International Cooperation for Project Tiger

Steps Taken Regarding Tiger Conservation

India has accomplished the incredible feat of doubling the tiger population in 2018 alone, four years ahead of the target year of 2022.
The successful model of tiger governance in India is now being replicated for other wildlife such as the Lion, Dolphin, Leopard, Snow Leopard, and other small
wild cats.
Tiger conservation funding has increased from Rs 185 crore in 2014 to Rs 300 crore in 2022.

Legal Steps
To fully implement the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, major changes in policy and management of tiger populations are made.
Increased punishment for offences involving a tiger reserve or its core area.

Administrative Steps
Increased anti-poaching activity, including a special strategy for monsoon patrolling.
State-level steering committees chaired by Chief Ministers, as well as the establishment of the Tiger Conservation Foundation.
Establishment of a Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF).
The National Tiger Conservation Authority has authorised official training to deal with emergencies caused by tigers straying into human-dominated
landscapes, tiger predation on livestock, and tiger active rehabilitation.
Lidar-based survey technology is being used for the first time to address the issue of human-animal conflict, which was causing animal deaths.

Financial Steps
Various Centrally Sponsored Schemes, such as Project Tiger and Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats, provide financial and technical assistance to
states.
51 Tiger Reserves in India generate approximately 4.3 million man-days of employment, and funds from the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and
Planning Authority (CAMPA) are being used to promote voluntary village resettlement from core areas of the Tiger Reserves.

International Cooperation
India and Nepal have a bilateral agreement to control transboundary illegal wildlife trade.
India and China have signed a tiger conservation protocol.
 India and Bangladesh have signed an agreement to protect the Royal Bengal Tiger.
For collaboration with the Russian Federation, a sub-group on tiger/leopard conservation has been formed.
A Global Tiger Forum of Tiger Range Countries has been established to address international tiger conservation issues.
India is a signatory to CITES. The historic decision by CITES states that "tigers should not be bred for trade in their parts and derivatives."

Conservation Assured | Tiger Standards

CA|TS (Conservation Assured |Tiger Standards) is a globally recognised conservation tool that establishes best practises and standards for tiger management
and encourages assessments to track progress.
CA|TS is a set of criteria that enables tiger sites to determine whether their management will result in successful tiger conservation.
CA|TS is structured around seven pillars and 17 critical management activity elements.
CA|TS was created by tiger and protected area specialists.
CA|TS, which was officially launched in 2013, is an important component of Tx2, the global goal of doubling wild tiger numbers by 2022.
CA|TS's long-term goal is to provide safe havens for tigers.
14 Indian Tiger Reserves have already received international CA|TS accreditation, and efforts are underway to bring more Tiger Reserves under CA|TS
accreditation.

The 14 tiger reserves that have been accredited are as follows:

Manas, Kaziranga, and Orang - Assam

Satpura, Kanha, and Panna - Madhya Pradesh
Pench - Maharashtra
Valmiki Tiger Reserve - Bihar
Dudhwa – Uttar Pradesh
Sunderbans – West Bengal
Parambikulam - Kerala
Bandipur - Karnataka
Mudumalai and Anamalai Tiger Reserve – Tamil Nadu

Conclusion
Due to concerted efforts under Project Tiger, India now has the distinction of having the most tigers in the world, with 2,967 (SE range 2,603 to
3,346) as of 2018, when compared to other tiger range countries. When consistently sampled areas were compared from 2006 to 2018, tigers
were found to be increasing at a rate of 6% per year in India.

Other Relevant Links

Environment Notes Global Initiatives for Environment

Biodiversity Protected Area Network

Biodiversity conservation Wildlife of India

IUCN Classification The Red Data Book

Protected Areas National Park

WildLife Sanctuary Climate Change

FAQs
Question: What is Project Tiger? ➕

Question: What are the objectives of Project Tiger? ➕

Question: Highlight the involvement of international cooperation with regards to tiger conservation. ➕

MCQs
Question: The term M-STRIPES' is sometimes seen in the news in the context of (UPSC 2017)

(a) Captive breeding of Wild Fauna

(b) Maintenance of Tiger Reserves

(c) Indigenous Satellite Navigation System

(d) Security of National Highways

Answer: (b) See the Explanation ➕

Question: Consider the following protected areas: (UPSC 2012)

1. Bandipur
2. Bhitarkanika
3. Manas
4. Sunderbans

Which of the above are declared Tiger Reserves?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1, 3 and 4 only

(c) 2, 3 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer: (b) See the Explanation ➕

Other Relevant Links

Indian Polity Notes Indian Economy Notes

Art and Culture Notes Governance Notes

Ancient India History Notes Medieval India History Notes

Modern India History Notes Geography Notes

Science And Technology Notes Environment And Ecology Notes

Post Independence Notes Society Notes

Internal Security Notes Ethics Notes

Disaster Management Notes World History

International Relations Social Justice Notes

CSAT Notes Government Scheme Notes

*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.

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