50 YEARS OF PROJECT TIGER

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Why in the News? 

The Indian government officially marked 2023 as the 50th year of ‘Project Tiger’. 

About Project Tiger:

  • A Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), launched in 1973.
    • Initially launched in 9 Tiger reserves (TRs) in different states of India. 
  • Provides central assistance to tiger range States for in situ conservation of tigers in designated tiger reserves. 
  • Objective: 
    • To ensure the maintenance of a viable population of tigers in India for scientific, economic, aesthetic, cultural and ecological values. 
    • The project also strives to maintain the stability of ecosystems by also supporting abundant prey populations. 
  • Implementing Agency: National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
    • NTCA was launched in 2005, following the recommendations of the Tiger Task Force. 
    • It was given statutory status by 2006 amendment of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
  • Funding pattern: 
    • 60% Central Assistance is being made available to States for expenditure on all non-recurring items. For recurring items, Central Assistance is restricted to 50% of the expenditure, while a matching grant is provided by the Project States. 
    • North Eastern and Himalayan States are provided 90% central assistance in both cases. 
  • Project Tiger and Project Elephant were merged as Project Tiger & Elephant. 

Activities undertaken under Project Tiger:

    • Establishment and development of Tiger Reserves: 55 tiger reserves. (Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve and Dholpur – Karauli Tiger Reserve were declared in 2023) 
  • Core-buffer strategy to manage tigers: 
    • Core areas have the legal status of a national park or a sanctuary. 
    • Whereas buffer or peripheral areas are a mix of forest and non-forest land, managed as a multiple-use area. 
  • Technological advancements: The e-Bird project uses Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) for Surveillance and Monitoring.
    • NTCA conducts assessment using the application M-STrIPES (Monitoring System for Tigers Intensive Protection & Ecological Status). 
  • Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF): Deployed in several TRs for focused anti-poaching operations.
The conservation of tigers in India can be divided into two phases. 

  • 1st Phase: Starting in the 1970s, involved the enactment of the Wildlife Protection Act and the establishment of protected areas that helped conserve tigers and tropical forest ecosystems. 
  • 2nd Phase: Began in 2005-06, with the government adopting a landscape-level approach and implementing strict monitoring for tiger conservation.
About Tiger:

  • A flagship species of India was declared a National Animal of India. 
  • Habitat: The largest population is in India, with smaller groups in Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, China and Myanmar. 
    • India harbours almost 75% of the world’s wild tiger population. 
  • Distribution of Tiger population in India: Habitats ranging from the high mountains, mangrove swamps, and tall grasslands, to dry and moist deciduous forests, as well as evergreen and shola forest systems. 
  • Solitary and territorial animals and an adult male’s territory may encompass territories of two to seven females. 
  • Stripes are individually as unique as human fingerprints. 
  • Tigers are excellent swimmers.
  • Tigers are both a Flagship and Umbrella species. 
    • As a Flagship species they are important for conservation and as an Umbrella species, conservation of tigers leads to conservation of other species. 
  • Tigers help in Ecotourism and related industries. 
  • They are symbols of power and strength. 

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