50 YEARS OF PROJECT TIGER -

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 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.

50 YEARS OF PROJECT TIGER