Project Tiger

Project Tiger is an important movement aimed at the Wildlife conservation

of tiger in India. The program came at a time when India’s tiger population was
rapidly dwindling. According to reports, while there were 40,000 tigers in the
country at the time of the Independence, they were soon reduced to below 2,000 by
1970 due to their widespread hunting and poaching. The International Union for
Conservation of Nature declared the tiger as an endangered species. Two years
later, the Indian government conducted its own tiger census and found that there
were only 1,800 of them left in the country.
Project Tiger was first initiated in the year April 1, 1973. It was launched
in Jim Corbett National Park, Uttrakhand under the leadership of Indira Gandhi.
The objectives of the Project Tiger was saving Royal Bengal Tigers from getting
extinct. Project Tiger has been successful in increasing the population of the
tigers. There are around fifty national parks and sanctuaries that are involved in
this project.
Human interference in any of the reserves and forests is not allowed. A
proper habitat has been created for the Tigers to hunt, live and survive. The world
has recognised this project as the ‘Most successful project’. It has been 50 years of
Project Tiger. Nearly 75 per cent of the world’s tiger population can now be found
in India and tiger reserves in the country span 75,000 square kilometres. The
current population of tigers in the country stands at 3,167.
Save the tiger, Save the Nation Pride.