World Tiger Day: Once endangered, now ‘in abundance’; How India contributed to saving the tigers

New Delhi: It is always a treat to the eyes to see big cats in their natural habitat. However, with time passing by, tigers are becoming endangered and may disappear in no time. Several reports have jotted down the danger of extinct tigers in India. In February 2008, according to the report by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), there remained only 1411 tigers in the country. The report by the experts stated that the scenario is moving towards the edge of extinction.

In 10 years, the population of tigers dropped by 60%. The tigers were dying and there raised a call for urgent action. When the world population of tigers went down to 2,200-3,200, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) categorised them as endangered.

Attempt to conserve tiger began in 2010 when 13 countries including Nepal, Bhutan, and India met intending to increase their tiger population. They decided to double the wild tigers by 2022.

With the targeted year, only India has managed to achieve the goal. Nepal was far away from reaching the target. India emerged as a beacon in tiger conservation globally. As per the census of December 2021, the population of tigers in India reaches 2,967, hosting approximately two-thirds of the world’s tigers in less than one-fourth of the global range. 

What made India’s conservation of tigers a success?

Firstly, by investing billion of rupees, India worked on a war footing, studied the behaviour of big cats, and explored all areas to give them an appropriate environment to grow. 

Besides, the country even whole villages in the proximity of the protected areas and constructed the world’s largest underpass to give a safe passage to them on a highway. The funding was spent on government-sponsored studies of tigers to understand their behaviours.

The conservation efforts also included an increased number of tiger reserves from 28 in 2006 to 50 now. It is because of the increase in the tiger population in the main areas from where the tigers started moving out and resided in many new areas according to the latest census.

Another major factor for the increased number of tigers in India is strict action against organized poaching gangs. Now, most of the new tigers are limited to small areas and for tourism purposes.