Context: A new study has found that the tiger population in India has increased by 30% over the past two decades and has doubled in a decade.
- The researchers analyzed tiger population data from four estimation cycles (2006-2018) to assess tiger habitation, local extinctions, and the factors influencing tiger settlement and persistence in India.
Key Findings of Study:
- Tigers in India occupied 30% more area between 2006-2018 and they shared space with about 6 crore people in 45% of tiger-occupied habitats.
- 25% of the tiger’s occupied habitats were in core areas of tiger reserves, while buffer areas of tiger reserves or wildlife sanctuaries.
- tiger corridors help tigers migrate between two forested patches, accounting for the remaining 20% and 10% of habitats.
- The human-free areas sustained 85% of the viable breeding population of tigers, known as the source population.
- Key habitats in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Jharkhand, covering approximately 1,57,000 sq km, remain devoid of tigers.
Tiger in India
- Indian Tiger or Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) found in India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh.
- India has a minimum of 3,167 tigers and is now home to more than 70% of the world’s wild tiger population which is the highest in the world.
- Tigers are found in 19 states, with 57 Tiger Reserves established across India along with National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries, together known as Protected Areas.
- The largest tiger population of 785 is in Madhya Pradesh, followed by Karnataka (563) & Uttarakhand (560), and Maharashtra (444).
- National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a statutory body establishes in 2005 manages tiger reserve in India.
- The tiger abundance within the Tiger Reserve is highest in Corbett (260), followed by Bandipur (150), Nagarhole (141), Bandhavgarh (135), Dudhwa (135), Mudumalai(114), Kanha (105), Kaziranga (104), Sundarbans (100), Tadoba (97), Sathyamangalam (85), and Pench-MP (77).
| Attribute | Details |
| Status | IUCN Red List (Endangered) |
| Weight | 220–660 pounds |
| Length | 6–10 feet |
| Habitats | Tropical rainforests, evergreen forests, temperate forests, mangrove swamps, grasslands, and savannas |
Important Facts About Tiger Reserves in India
| Attribute | Details |
| Number of Tiger Reserves | 57 |
| Total Area Covered | 82,836.44 sq.km. |
| Maximum Tiger Reserves State | Madhya Pradesh (8) |
| First Tiger Reserve | Jim Corbett National Park |
| Largest Tiger Reserve | Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve |
| Smallest Tiger Reserve | Bor Tiger Reserve |
| Latest Tiger Reserve | Ratapani Tiger Reserve |