International Tiger Day: How Project Tiger saved the big cat in India

International Tiger Day: How Project Tiger saved the big cat in India 1 Aug 2023

Context:

July 29 is celebrated worldwide as International Tiger Day in a bid to raise awareness on various issues surrounding tiger conservation.

About the International Tiger Day:

  • International Tiger Day was established in 2010 during the Tiger Summit held in St. Petersburg, Russia. 
  • The summit brought together 13 tiger range countries to create the global goal, Tx2, aiming to double the number of wild tigers by the year 2022.

Success of India in Tiger conservation:

  • According to the World Wildlife Fund, while some Southeast Asian countries faced challenges in controlling population decline, India achieved notable success in tiger conservation.
  • The credit for India’s achievements can largely be attributed to the success of Project Tiger, which recently celebrated its fiftieth anniversary.

What is Project Tiger?

  • Project Tiger was launched by the Central government on April 1, 1973, in a bid to promote the conservation of the tiger. 
  • Project Tiger didn’t just focus on the conservation of the big cats. It also ensured the preservation of their natural habitat as tigers are at the top of the food chain.
  • Initially implemented in nine tiger reserves across different states, including Assam, Bihar, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, the program covered an area of over 14,000 sq km. 

Fifty years of Project Tiger:

  • There are 54 tiger reserves across India. 
  • The current population of tigers in the country stands at 3,167 as opposed to 1,411 in 2006, 1,706 in 2010 and 2,226 in 2014. 
  • The 5th cycle of India’s Tiger Census, conducted this year to commemorate 50 years of Project Tiger show a 6.74 percent increase in tiger numbers since 2018, with the count reaching 3,167 from the previous 2,967.
  • Currently, India is home to almost 75 percent of the global tiger population in the wild.

Indian Efforts Towards Tiger Conservation:

  • In 1972, the Wildlife Protection Act was enacted to address the issue of hunting and poaching of not only tigers but also other animals and birds. 
  • Project Tiger was launched creating a network of reserves dedicated to tiger conservation.
  • To further tackle poaching and protect the tiger population, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) was established. 
    • The NTCA was granted more authority to combat poaching and preserve tigers, which included initiatives like setting up the Tiger Protection Force and funding the relocation of villages from protected areas.
  • Subsequently, the Indian government conducted its own tiger census, revealing that there were only 1,800 tigers remaining in the country.
  • Nature tourism is being cited as one of the reasons for the roaring success in increasing the number of tigers in India.

News Source: Indian Express

Archive Calendar

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031

Need help preparing for UPSC or State PSCs?

Connect with our experts to get free counselling & start preparing

Know about Physics Wallah

Physics Wallah is an Indian online education platform, that provides accessible & comprehensive learning experiences to students of classes 6 to 12 and those preparing for JEE and NEET exams. We also provide extensive NCERT solutions, sample papers, NEET, JEE Mains, BITSAT previous year papers, which makes us a one-stop solution for all resources. Physics Wallah also caters to over 3.5 million registered students and over 78 lakh+ Youtube subscribers with 4.8 rating on its app.

We Stand Out because

We successfully provide students with intensive courses by India's qualified & experienced faculties. PW strives to make the learning experience comprehensive and accessible for students of all sections of society. We believe in empowering every single student who couldn't dream of a good career in engineering and medical field earlier.

Our Key Focus Areas

Physics Wallah’s main focus is to create accessible learning experiences for students all over India. With courses like Lakshya, Udaan, Arjuna & many others, we have been able to provide a ready solution for lakhs of aspirants. From providing Chemistry, Maths, Physics formulae to giving e-books of eminent authors, PW aims to provide reliable solutions for student prep.

What Makes Us Different

Physics Wallah strives to develop a comprehensive pedagogical structure for students, where they get a state-of-the-art learning experience with study material and resources. Apart from catering students preparing for JEE Mains and NEET, PW also provides study material for each state board like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and others.

Aiming for UPSC?

Download Our App

# #
Quick Revise Now !
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD SOON
UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध
Quick Revise Now !
UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध

<div class="new-fform">






    </div>

    Subscribe our Newsletter
    Sign up now for our exclusive newsletter and be the first to know about our latest Initiatives, Quality Content, and much more.
    *Promise! We won't spam you.
    Yes! I want to Subscribe.