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Context :

• Recently , Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the inclusion of Madhav Tiger Reserve as the 58th Tiger Reserve in India.
• Environment Minister made this official announcement on March 8, 2025.

 Conservation of Tigers (Panthera Tigris)

• IUCN Status: Endangered
• Protection: Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. It is granting them the highest level of protection in India.
• Transboundary Conservation: India works closely with neighboring countries( Bangladesh) to protect tigers in shared ecosystems, especially in the Sundarbans.

What is Project Tiger?

• Launch Date: April 1, 1973
• Prime Minister Indira Gandhi launched Project Tiger as a response to the decline in India's tiger population.
• The initiative aimed to protect the rapidly dwindling tiger numbers due to excessive hunting, poaching, and habitat loss.

Background:

• Before Independence: India had around 40,000 tigers.
• 1970s: The tiger population had plummeted to below 2,000 due to rampant hunting, poaching, and habitat destruction.
• In 1970, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) declared the tiger an endangered species.
• The 1972 census estimated India’s tiger population to be only 1,800.

Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 :

• To address the growing crisis, India passed the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which laid the legal foundation for the protection of wildlife, including tigers.
• The Act also provided for the creation of protected areas such as national parks and sanctuaries.
• International Tiger Day: Every year on July 29, International Tiger Day is celebrated to raise awareness about tiger conservation globally.

Launch of Project Tiger

• Vision of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi: The initiative was launched after a task force report highlighted the critical situation of tigers in India.
• Initial Launch Location: The program was launched at Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand.
• 9 Initial Reserves: Initially, nine tiger reserves were created in various states, covering over 14,000 sq km of land:
  • Assam
  • Bihar
  • Karnataka
  • Madhya Pradesh
  • Maharashtra
  • Odisha
  • Rajasthan
  • Uttar Pradesh
  • West Bengal

Holistic Approach:

• Project Tiger was not just about tiger protection but also about preserving their habitats.
• Indira Gandhi emphasized that tigers, as apex predators, could not survive in isolation and needed a safe habitat free from threats like human intrusion, commercial forestry, and cattle grazing.

Progress and Challenges

• 1990s Growth: By the 1990s, India’s tiger population had grown to around 3,000.
• Sariska Incident (2005): Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan lost all its tigers due to poaching, causing a national outcry and prompting further reforms in tiger conservation.

Reconstitution of Project Tiger (2005):

• Following the Sariska crisis, the Indian government, under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, set up a task force that led to the reconstitution of Project Tiger.
• National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA): The NTCA was established with more authority and resources to prevent poaching, monitor habitats, and strengthen the enforcement of tiger conservation laws.

Tiger Population Growth in India

The tiger population in India has shown a steady increase since the implementation of Project Tiger:

• 2014: 2,226 tigers
• 2018: 2,967 tigers
• 2022: 3,167 tigers

This increase has been attributed to improved protection measures, habitat restoration, and more stringent enforcement of conservation laws.

About the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)

• Establishment: The NTCA is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change and was established under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

What are the Key Role of NTCA :

• The NTCA conducts the All India Tiger Estimation every four years to assess tiger population and habitat quality.
• 2022 Report: India is home to 3,167 tigers, marking a steady increase from previous years.
• The NTCA also works on ensuring the monitoring and strengthening of tiger reserves and conservation efforts across India.

What is the Process of Creating a Tiger Reserve

1. Identification of Suitable Areas: The state government identifies areas with viable tiger populations and appropriate habitats through ecological assessments, including prey base studies.
2. Proposal Preparation: A comprehensive proposal, including ecological studies, management plans, and maps, is prepared and submitted to the NTCA for review.
3. Approval and Notification: After NTCA approval, the proposal is forwarded to the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change for final approval. A preliminary notification is issued under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, declaring the area as a tiger reserve, followed by a final notification after addressing any objections.
4. De-notification: According to Section 38W of the Wildlife Protection Act, no state government can de-notify a tiger reserve unless in the public interest, and it requires approval from the Tiger Conservation Authority and the National Board for Wildlife.

Conservation Assured Tiger Standards (CA|TS) Accreditation

• CA|TS is an international system that ensures the effective management of tiger reserves based on strict conservation protocols.
• Tiger reserves are evaluated to ensure they meet high standards for tiger conservation.

International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA)

• Launched: 2023 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• Objective: To enhance global protection efforts for seven big cats:
  • Tiger
  • Leopard
  • Snow Leopard
  • Lion
  • Cheetah
  • Puma
  • Jaguar

The IBCA aims to promote international collaboration for the conservation of these species in their native habitats.

Source: TOI