Tiger conservation in India

Tigers are the mammals belong to the family Felidae. The Royal Bengal Tiger is the most
common among the nine subspecies. India is home to the half of the total population of
tiger. (about 1700 tigers). To conserve this species GOI has started project tiger in 1973.
Why should we conserve tiger in India?
1. Tiger is the animal placed top in the food pyramid. It means it is eating other
secondary producers to maintain the ecological balance. They keep prey population
in control by hunting them. If tiger population got reduced it would flare up the
ungulate population. Further, ungulate population will cause more harm by over
grazing. So if the tigers go extinct, the entire ecosystem would collapse.
2. As India is the home to the half of the population it is necessary to take steps to
preserve the tiger for preserve the Indias image at international level.
3. Conservation of tiger will be helpful for the protection of forest indirectly because in
order to save the tiger we need to protect forest first.
4. It would also promote the ecotourism and will create more employment for the local
communities.
Project Tiger (PT)
The PT is a wildlife conservation programme for the conservation of tiger, initiated in 1973.
The project aimed at tiger conservation in the special area called tiger reserves and
maintain viable population in their natural environment.
PT was started with the 9 tiger reserves. Allocation of area for the tiger reserve created the
problem for the people living in that area. To solve this problematic situation, core-buffer
strategy was developed.
Core-buffer strategy
The core area was an area where human activities were banned.
The buffer areas were subjected to conservation oriented land use. Here human
activities were allowed.

The idea was to relocate the people from the core areas, but they were allowed to live in the
buffer areas with the cats.

Achievements of PT
This project has saved the endangered tiger from going to the extinction state.
From 9 tiger reserves, it has been expand to 42 in 2013
Tiger population are found more in the tiger reserve areas than the outside areas
It contributed several intangible environmental benefits to society such as absorption
of co2, improving microclimate and rainfall.
The project has generated considerable wages for the benefit of buffer dwelling
communities who are deployed as local force for protection. Eco tourism has also
provided employment for the local people.
Finally, the project has served as role model for the wildlife management planning,
habitat restoration, protection and Eco development.

NTCA (National Tiger Conservation Authority)

It has been constituted under the wild life protection act 1972, to provide statutory authority
to project tiger so that their action becomes legal. It strives to streamline scientific modules
of conservation and make communities as responsible stakeholders.

Composition
It was setup with HQ in New Delhi under the chairmanship of MoEF. The authority has
experts/professionals having experience in the field of wild life conservation and tribal
people welfare, apart from 3 MP.
Functions
To lay down the specific guidelines for the tiger reserve, apart from national park and
wild life sanctuary.
Provides information about the
Future conservation plan
Tiger estimation
Disease surveillance
Mortality survey
Patrolling
Support tiger reserve management in the states through eco-development and
peoples participation
Required to prepare an annual report, which would be laid down in the parliament.
Challenges to conserve tiger in India:
Loss of habitat and prey: is one of the reasons making it difficult to conserve in India. As a
solitary animal, it needs more living space than other animals. Urbanization, destruction of
forest for commercial and agricultural purposes are reducing the habitat which is meant for
tiger. Further, decrease in prey population also causing threat to tiger population
Hunting, Poaching, and Illegal trade:
Until 1930, tiger was hunted for sports and traditional use of Asian medicines. From 1990
onwards, trading of tiger bone for the Chinese medicine threated the whole tiger population
to move into the endangered level.

Conflict with human:

As tigers continue to lose their habitat and prey population, they are increasingly becoming
man-eater. This causes angry man to hunt the Tiger.
Suthan SP