International Tiger Day 2023: Reasons to Celebrate and Be Concerned About the Growing Tiger Population in India
Though Project Tiger
Though
Project Tiger, which began with 268 tigers in 1973 and has since grown to
3,167, has been successful, it has also raised certain issues.
As they
focus their binoculars and cameras on the one tiger while perilously getting
close to the animal, dozens of visitors in open jeeps implore each other in
piercing whispers to remain quiet.
Numerous social media posts
Numerous social media posts showed the all-too-familiar
scene, which might have occurred in any one of four locations: Ranthambore,
Corbett, Tadoba, or Kanha. It
was, in a sense, a snapshot of the conflict between people and animals that has
seen the number of tigers in India increase while their habitat has shrunk and
frequently brought people dangerously close to the big cats.
Prior
to Saturday's International Tiger Day, experts warned that the growing tiger
population, which has also highlighted the development vs ecology issue, is
both cause for celebration and cause for fear.
The once elusive bright orange fur
The
once elusive bright orange fur and distinctive low rumbling scream of the
tigers are no longer so uncommon, with the 2022 tiger census reporting 3,167
tigers, or nearly 75% of the total number. In 1973, when there were just 268
tigers left, Project Tiger began, beginning a wonderful tale of conservation.
The improvements
The
improvements, however, may be negated by growing human intervention in wildlife
corridors, a decline in prey density, a deterioration in the condition of India's
forest cover, and changes in legislation, according to the experts.
Conservatizing tigers
"Conservatizing
tigers hasn't been easy, and it's been a steady process since the beginning of
Project Tiger, despite our population density and other challenges. Even if the
tiger is sadly gone in several range countries, India can rightfully be pleased
of how well it is doing. Prerna Bindra, a wildlife activist, told PTI that this
accomplishment can be credited to our people's tolerance, political resolve,
and one of the strongest legal and legislative frameworks in the world.
The
passing of harmful development projects in protected areas, mining in tiger
habitats, and projects like the Ken Betwa river link in the Panna tiger
reserve, she claimed, have all resulted in the legal framework being
"diluted" over the past few years. She cited these as examples.
There are numerous comparable examples
There are
numerous comparable examples, including mines and linear infrastructure in the
central Indian tiger region, that show how contradictory it is to say you are
devoted to tiger conservation while allowing Panna to be submerged in a river
connection project. In addition to Rajaji National Park and the Kanha-Pench
corridor, there is a movement to build a motorway through the center of the
Corbett Tiger Reserve, according to Bindra.
Senior
scientist Qamar Qureshi from the Wildlife Institute of India presented an
opposing viewpoint and stated that corrective actions are being made.
We must consider development
"We
must consider development from an ecological standpoint. We are now considering
building secure corridors for tigers and other animals to travel through while
building motorways. It is already taking place in a number of locations across
India, according to Qureshi, who mentioned recent infrastructure developments
in Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)
The
National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has made sure that any land use
modification in a tiger corridor likely to have a barrier impact requires
approval from the National Board of Wildlife, according to a government
assessment on Project Tiger's 50-year history.
But the
numerous obstacles still exist.
Ken-Betwa river connection project
For instance, the Ken-Betwa river connection project was opposed by environmental groups and activists long before the Center gave its approval in December 2021.
According
to the Water Resources Ministry's proposal, the Daudhan Dam constructed as part
of the project will allegedly submerge 4,141 hectares of the Panna Tiger
Reserve.
The ratio
of predators to prey can become out of balance as a result of human
involvement. According to renowned scientist and former dean of the Wildlife
Institute of India, Y. V. Jhala, the equilibrium is kept in check
naturally by predators like tigers moving around from their birthplaces in
accordance with the availability of their prey.
When
infrastructure like highways, railways, mines, walled resorts, and orchards act
as obstacles to dispersal within corridors, it affects this natural tendency to
leave their native area.
Human-tiger conflict typically occurs
"Human-tiger
conflict typically occurs when tiger prey is exhausted and there is no longer a
corridor for tigers to disperse. Additionally, conflicts arise when people
enter jungles that are home to a lot of tigers, the expert pointed out.
In order to
identify potentially dangerous tigers, which can then be managed before they
attack humans, the tiger conservationist proposed that proactive dispersal of
young tigers and very old tigers (that typically attack humans) in community
forests and monitoring them by camera traps and radio-telemetry.
The five primary landscapes
The five primary landscapes that make up tiger habitats are
the Sundarbans, the North Eastern Hills, the Brahmaputra Flood lowlands,
Central India and the Eastern Ghats, and the Shivalik-Gangetic lowlands.
According to a government estimate, 53 tiger reserves currently together preserve an area of 75,796.83 sq km, or over 2.3% of the country's geographic area, up from the original nine tiger reserves that covered 18,278 sq km of land in 1973.
Total number of tigers has increased
From 646 in 2018 to 804 in 2022, the number of tigers in the
Shivalik-Gangetic plains, home to several significant tiger reserves, including
Corbett, Rajaji, Pilibhit, Dudhwa, and Valmiki, increased. Similarly, from
1,033 in 2018 to 1,161 in 2022, there were more big cats in Central India and
the Eastern Ghats, which are home to tiger sanctuaries like Panna, Sariska, and
Kanha.
Qureshi emphasized the significance
Qureshi emphasized the significance of taking care of tribal
people in light of tales of big cats migrating into towns and villages outside
of their natural environment, maneaters preying on weak villagers, and a
blending of the lines separating human settlements and forests.
He claimed that they are some of the least fortunate people
in the nation, relying on the forests for both their food and a means of
subsistence.
Under the Wildlife Protection Act
Under the Wildlife Protection Act, 2006 Amendment, the
government provided incentives for relocation in order to enhance the amount of
land set aside for tiger protection and to rehabilitate tribal members. After
the resolution of their legal rights, it provided for a financial package of
Rs. 10 lakh for each adult in the family to leave the core areas of tiger
reserves.
Later, the price was increased to Rs. 15 lakh per adult in
the household. The '50 Years of Project Tiger' study states that at least 19,478
families have since been moved thanks to Project Tiger.
Even though India has finished many years of difficult
conservation work, there is still a long way to go. Bindra remarked,
"Tiger conservation does not happen quickly, and we cannot rest on our
laurels.” Tiger conservation depends on a consistent commitment.
