Project Tiger Facts: History, Objectives, Challenges

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Project Tiger Facts includes important details such as the year it was launched, its objectives to protect tigers, the challenges faced during its implementation, and the establishment of the first tiger reserve under the initiative.

As of December 2024, there are 57 protected areas designated as tiger reserves under this project. According to 2023 tiger census data, India is home to 3,682 wild tigers, which account for nearly 75% of the world’s wild tiger population.

This topic is crucial for upcoming competitive exams such as SSC, RRB NTPC, UPSC, and all State-level exams.

Table of Contents

What is Project Tiger?

Project Tiger is a wildlife conservation program started in India to protect the endangered tiger species.

Launched in 1973 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of the Government of India, Project Tiger aims to conserve tigers and their habitats across the country.

◾Don’t Miss: Updated List of Tiger Reserves in India with GK Facts

Tiger Conservation Programme Overview

Project Name	Project Tiger
Formed	1 April 1973
Motto	India Leads Tiger Conservation
Parent Department	National Tiger Conservation Authority
Website	https://ntca.gov.in/
First Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger	Jim Corbett National Park (Uttaralhand)

History and objectives

Introduction to Project Tiger

Project Tiger was launched in 1973 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change of the Government of India.

The primary aim of this initiative was to protect the Bengal Tiger and its natural habitats.

The project also focused on creating special tiger reserves to help maintain the tiger population in the wild.

The Role of State Governments

Under Section 38 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, state governments are responsible for preparing a Tiger Conservation Plan.

This plan includes the management of tiger reserves and ensuring the protection of these areas.

It also requires states to maintain qualified staff to safeguard these reserves and provide support for the tiger population and other animals in the ecosystem, including co-predators and prey.

Tiger Reserves: Core Area and Buffer Zones

Each tiger reserve is made up of two main areas:

Core Area: This is a fully protected area, which can include parts of national parks or wildlife sanctuaries.
Buffer Zone: This area consists of a mix of forested and non-forested land, where human activities can be allowed under certain conditions.

The goal of Project Tiger is to keep the tiger population stable in the core area while balancing the needs of local communities and wildlife in the buffer zones.

Formation of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)

In 2006, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) was established to oversee the management of the tiger reserves.

This organization also turned Project Tiger into a centrally sponsored scheme (CSS), which means the government provides funding for the creation and management of tiger reserves.

Growth of Tiger Reserves

When Project Tiger started in 1973, only nine tiger reserves were set up, covering an area of 9,115 km².

By the late 1980s, this number increased to 15 tiger reserves, covering 24,700 km².

By 1997, the number grew further to 23 tiger reserves, covering 33,000 km².

As of December 2024, there are 57 tiger reserves in India, making it a significant part of global tiger conservation efforts.

Importance of Project Tiger for Wildlife Conservation

Project Tiger has been critical in protecting India’s tiger population. It has not only helped save the Bengal Tiger but also contributed to the conservation of other species in these protected areas. With its successful efforts, India now holds nearly 75% of the world’s wild tigers.

Tiger Population Growth in India

Tiger Census Methodology and Results (2006)

In 2006, a new approach was introduced during the tiger census in India. The census used a combination of camera traps and sign surveys to estimate the population of tigers, their co-predators, and prey in specific areas.

Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), experts were able to extrapolate the density of tigers in different regions.

The result of these surveys showed that the tiger population in India was estimated to be 1,411 tigers, with adult and sub-adult tiger populations ranging from 1,165 to 1,657.

National Tiger Assessment (2010)

In 2010, the National Tiger Assessment found that the wild tiger population in India had increased to about 1,706 tigers. This showed that conservation efforts were starting to make a difference.

Tiger Population Increase in 2014

By 2014, the tiger population in India was estimated to be 2,226 wild tigers. This represented a 30.5% increase from the 2010 tiger census, showing significant progress in tiger conservation.

National Tiger Census (2018)

In 2018, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) reported an estimated tiger population in India ranging from 2,603 to 3,346 tigers, with an average of 2,967 tigers. This was another step forward in ensuring the survival of tigers in India.

Tiger Population Growth in 2022

The tiger population continued to rise and reached 3,682 tigers in 2022. This marked a significant success in India’s tiger conservation efforts.

Global Impact of India’s Tiger Conservation

India is home to the majority of the world’s wild tigers. As India’s tiger population grew, it helped boost the global tiger population as well. In 2010, the global wild tiger population was 3,159, but by 2016, the number had risen to 3,890. The World Wide Fund (WWF) and Global Tiger Forum credited India’s successful conservation programs for this global increase in tiger numbers.

Management and administration

Leadership and Regional Offices

Project Tiger is led by an Additional Director General (ADG), based in New Delhi, with regional offices in Bangalore, Guwahati, and Nagpur.

This network of offices oversees the tiger reserves across India and ensures the smooth implementation of the project’s objectives.

Conservation Units under Project Tiger

The wildlife habitats covered by Project Tiger are divided into various conservation units based on their geographical location and ecological characteristics. These include:

Shivalik-Terai
North East
Sunderbans
Western Ghats
Eastern Ghats
Central India
Sariska

Each of these regions has its unique challenges and requires specific conservation measures to protect the Bengal tiger and its habitat.

Key Functions of Project Tiger

Under Project Tiger, several important activities are carried out to ensure the protection of tigers and their habitats:

Protection of Tiger Habitats: Ensuring that tigers and other wildlife have safe environments to live in.

Daily Monitoring: Regular monitoring of tiger populations and their movements to assess the health of the tiger reserves.

Ecological Development: Facilitating development activities for local communities living in the buffer zones, promoting harmony between humans and wildlife.

Voluntary Relocation: Helping to move people out of core tiger habitats to minimize human-wildlife conflict.

Addressing Human-Wildlife Conflicts: Developing solutions to reduce the conflicts between humans and tigers, such as crop damage or livestock predation.

Assistance in Combating Poaching

Project Tiger provides state-level assistance in preventing poaching. This includes:

Sharing information about poachers
Conducting forest floor combing to find traps
Keeping a tiger database to track populations
Providing training for the Special Tiger Protection Force to help maintain the security of tiger habitats

Technology and Monitoring Systems

To improve patrol activities, Project Tiger has implemented advanced technology such as:

Wireless communication systems
Infrared thermal cameras
Monitoring systems

These technologies help in tracking tigers and patrolling reserves more effectively, ensuring better protection against poaching and human-wildlife conflicts.

Challenges Faced by Project Tiger

Despite the positive strides made by Project Tiger, several challenges continue to hamper its effectiveness. These challenges include:

Poaching: The illegal hunting of tigers remains a significant threat to the population.

Deforestation: The destruction of forests not only reduces the habitat available for tigers but also affects the availability of prey.

Construction Activities: Development activities such as roads, buildings, and industries disrupt tiger habitats and migration routes.

Irregularities in Reserve Administration: Some reserves face issues related to mismanagement and lack of proper administration, which affect their conservation efforts.

Impact of the Forest Rights Act (2006)

The Forest Rights Act, passed by the Indian government in 2006, recognizes the rights of forest-dwelling communities living in buffer zones of tiger reserves. While this act aims to empower local communities, it has raised concerns among wildlife experts regarding its potential impact on tiger conservation. Some experts believe that:

The presence of humans in buffer zones could increase human-animal conflicts, putting tigers and humans at risk.

The Act might enable poaching, as it could offer opportunities for illegal activities by giving more access to these sensitive areas.

Debate on Human-Tiger Coexistence

On the other hand, some conservationists argue that the Forest Rights Act addresses the realities of human-tiger coexistence. They believe that:

Local communities who have lived alongside tigers for generations should not be evicted from their traditional lands. Instead, these communities should be involved in decision-making processes to help protect tigers and resolve conflicts.

The abuse of power by authorities, which leads to the displacement of local people, could be more harmful than beneficial to conservation efforts.

Thus, there is a delicate balance between conservation and community rights, and this issue remains a point of debate in the ongoing efforts of Project Tiger.

Project Tiger Facts in a Nutshell

1. Bharat mein Project Tiger ki shuruaat kab hui?

Answer: Project Tiger was launched in India on April 1, 1973. It was started by the Government of India to protect the Bengal tiger and its habitats.

2. Project Tiger was started in which national park?

Answer: Project Tiger was first started in the Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand. It was the first tiger reserve under this project.

3. Who started Project Tiger in India?

Answer: Project Tiger was started by Indira Gandhi, the Prime Minister of India, in 1973. The project was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to protect tigers.

4. How many Project Tiger reserves are there in India?

Answer: As of December 2024, there are 57 tiger reserves in India, which are protected areas dedicated to conserving tiger populations.

5. How successful is Project Tiger in India?

Answer: Project Tiger has been quite successful in increasing the tiger population in India. The tiger population in India has grown from 1,411 tigers in 2006 to around 3,682 tigers in 2022. The project has helped create safe spaces for tigers, reducing poaching and protecting their habitats.

6. What is the primary aim of Project Tiger?

Answer: The primary aim of Project Tiger is to protect the Bengal Tiger and its natural habitats, ensuring the survival of tigers in the wild.

7. What is the role of state governments under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972?

Answer: Under Section 38 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, state governments are responsible for preparing a Tiger Conservation Plan. This plan includes managing and protecting tiger habitats and ensuring the safety of tiger populations.

8. When was the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) established?

Answer: The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) was established in 2006 to oversee the management of tiger reserves in India and to strengthen the conservation efforts of Project Tiger.

9. What is the role of NTCA in Project Tiger?

Answer: The NTCA turned Project Tiger into a centrally sponsored scheme (CSS), which means the government provides financial support for the establishment and management of tiger reserves across the country.

10. How many tiger reserves were there when Project Tiger started?

Answer: When Project Tiger was launched in 1973, it began with nine tiger reserves, covering an area of 9,115 km² for tiger conservation.

11. Who leads Project Tiger?

Answer: Project Tiger is led by the Additional Director General (ADG), Dr. Gobind Sagar Bhardwaj, who is also the Member Secretary of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). The ADG is based in New Delhi, with regional offices located in Bangalore, Guwahati, and Nagpur to manage conservation efforts across India.

▪️Source: Project Tiger official website