PROJECT TIGER

Tigers occupy an important place in the Indian culture. Since ages, the tiger has been the
symbol of magnificence, power, beauty and fierceness and has been associated with
bravery and valor.

The tiger is a unique animal which plays a pivotal role in the health and diversity of an
ecosystem. It is a top predator and is at the apex of the food chain.
HISTORY
■ Project tiger launched in 1973 was a giant leap by India in the field
of tiger conservation in general and forest protection in particular.
■ It was launched at the command of then Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi.
■ Efforts for the protection of tiger was going on since long time and IUCN in its meeting
in 1969 in Delhi had expressed concerns at the decline in wild life.
■ Then another step in tiger protection was taken by imposing ban on its hunting in
1970.Though late it was very much needed. In 1972, first ever tiger census was done in
India when a startling figure of mere 1827 wild tigers was discovered The reaction of
the government and the conservationist in the shape of Project tiger was panicky. In the
same year, Wildlife Protection Act came into existence.
Project Tiger – A Conservation
Strategy
■ The national animal of India is tiger . In 1900, the total population of Tigers in India
was estimated to be around 20000 to 40000 Individuals. However, in the first country
wide tiger census of 1972, the total number of tigers had declined to about 1800. This
raised alarm bells in the government machinery and the wildlife conservationists
■ Central government constituted a tiger task force under the leadership of Minister
Karan Singh and finally in 1973, Project tiger was launched from Corbett national park
in Uttarakhand. It initially covered nine tiger reserves covering an area of 13017 Sq kms
and tiger population of 268 tiger.
■ The project was based on the core-buffer strategy where core area was devoid of any
human activity while buffer area was armed at preserving the land.
Aim and objectives of Project Tiger

■ To maintain a viable population of tigers in their natural habitats and save them from
extinction to preserve its scientific, economic, ecological and cultural value.
■ To ensure conservation of other endangered species, and harmonise the rights of tribal
people with conservation of wildlife in the tiger reserves and areas around it.
■ The Tiger Reserves are divided into core zone and buffer zone.

 
Core zone

■ Core zone is the areas which are to be kept free of biotic disturbances and Forestry
operations and are required to be kept inviolate to ensure Tiger conservation. The above
objectives have to be achieved without affecting the lawful rights of Scheduled Tribes
and other forest dwellers.
■ The state governments, after consultation with an expert committee which is constituted
for this purpose, notify the core areas and the Tiger Reserves.
■ Activities such as Forestry operations, a collection of minor forest produce grazing of
domestic animals and human disturbances etc. are not allowed in core areas.
Buffer zone

■ Buffer zone includes the area which is peripheral to the core area of Tiger Reserves. It aims at providing supplementary habitat
for dispersing tigers along with allowing the coexistence of human activity.
■ Buffer zone areas aim to promote coexistence of tigers and its prey species with the tribal population and ensure their livelihood,
developmental, social and cultural rights.
■ The gram sabha and expert committee constituted for this purpose determine the limitations of human activity in the buffer zone.
■ The boundaries of tiger reserves cannot be changed without the recommendations of National tiger conservation authority and the
approval of the national board for wildlife.
■ The state governments, cannot de-notify any tiger reserve, except in public interest with the approval of and NTCA and the
national board for wildlife.
■ To ensure the proper implementation of Project Tiger; it required the need for a statutory authority to ensure Tiger conservation.
The Tiger task force was set up to look after the problems of Tiger conservation in India, on the recommendations of the national
board for wildlife.
■ The Tiger task force has given recommendations to strengthen the project tiger by providing it statutory and administrative
powers.
TIGER TASK FORCE

■ To ensure the proper implementation of Project Tiger; it required the need for a statutory
authority to ensure Tiger conservation. The Tiger task force was set up to look after the
problems of Tiger conservation in India, on the recommendations of the national board
for wildlife.
■ The Tiger task force has given recommendations to strengthen the project tiger by
providing it statutory and administrative powers.
National Tiger conservation authority (NTCA)

■ In December 2005, after the recommendations of Tiger task force, the national Tiger
conservation authority was established.
■ The Wildlife Protection Amendment Act, 2006 provides for constitution of a Statutory
authority, the national Tiger conservation authority. This was to help in the
implementation of various Tiger conservation efforts and measures.
Powers and functions of NTCA

■ Its functions include the approval of Tiger conservation plans which have been prepared by the various state governments.
■ Assessment and evaluation of different aspects of sustainable ecology and ecosystem and to disallow the ecological and
sustainable land use practices which include mining, industrial development etc. in the Tiger Reserves.
■ For better implementation of Tiger conservation plans ensuring the provision of critical support which includes scientific,
information technology and legal support.
■ It has a responsibility to provide information about the protection and conservation plan of Tiger Reserves, estimation of the
number of tigers and their natural prey species, surveillance of disease, mortality of tigers; and providing information about
patrolling, and other management aspects which are necessary for the future plan of conservation of Tiger Reserves.
■ It prescribes the normative standards and guidelines which are necessary for tourism activities in the tiger Reserves. It also
ensures the implementation of its guidelines for tiger conservation in the buffer zone and core area of tiger reserves.
■ It facilitates the tiger reserve management in the state for the protection and conservation of biodiversity initiatives through
eco-development and people's as per the approved guidelines and management plans.
■ It has the responsibility to ensure capacity building and skill development of staff and officers who are responsible for the
management and protection of Tiger Reserves
Estimation of Tiger population in India

■ In India, Tiger census is carried out every four years, the last census was conducted in 2014 in which the
total number of Tigers in India was 2226. Tiger census is conducted to know about the tiger population
trend and estimates the number, density and change in tiger population indices - which is a measure of tiger
occupancy in a particular area.
■ It also helps to gather information about the density of tiger populations and their prey species.
■ Pugmark census technique is one of the most commonly used methodologies to calculate the number of
tigers. The imprints of the pugmark of tigers are recorded and used for the identification of individual tigers.
■ New methods such as camera trapping, DNA fingerprinting, and mobile app are now being used to
accurately calculate the total number of individual tigers.
■ In-camera trapping, the photograph of different tigers are recorded and the individual tigers are
differentiated by analysing the stripes of tigers which are different for different tigers. Indian DNA
fingerprinting, tigers are identified by using their scats for DNA analysis.
Phase IV monitoring protocol

■ For the proper monitoring of Tiger population, India has initiated the Phase IV of Tiger estimation
program in November 2011.
■ The methodology of phase IV estimation was developed by Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and
national Tiger conservation authority NTCA after consultation with wildlife experts and
conservationists. It uses statistically sound procedures and methodology to estimate the population of
tigers and their prey species.
■ It uses camera traps, at the density of 25 double-sided cameras as per hundred square kilometres and a
minimum 1000 trap Nights per hundred square kilometres.
■ Phase IV of Tiger monitoring programme provides an early indication of the status of Tiger population
in the country. It is crucial for long-term management and conservation and protection of tigers in wild.
■ It also monitors the population of prey species using distance sampling protocols.