Union Environment Minister releases Tiger Census report on Global Tiger Day

News: Union Environment Minister has released a detailed report of All India Tiger Census 2018 ahead of Global Tiger Day.

Facts:

  • The All India tiger estimation has been carried out once in every four years since 2006.

Key Takeaways:

  • Tigers: The total count of tigers has risen to 2,967 in 2018 from 2,226 in 2014 — an increase of 741 individuals or 33% in four years.
  • Tiger population within reserves is 1,923 (65% of the total tiger population of India) which means 35% of the tiger population still lives outside the reserves.
  • State wise: Madhya Pradesh has maximum tigers at 526 followed by Karnataka at 524 and 442 in Uttarakhand.
  • Chhattisgarh and Mizoram saw a decline in the tiger population and all other States saw a positive increase.
  • Highest Tiger Reserves: Corbett Tiger Reserve(Uttarakhand) has the highest tigers followed by Nagarhole tiger reserve(Karnataka) and Bandipur Tiger Reserve(Karnataka).
  • Dampa Tiger Reserve(Mizoram), Buxa Tiger Reserve(West Bengal) and Palamau Reserve(Jharkhand) have no tigers left.

Additional Facts:

  • Global Tiger Day: It was observed for the first time in 2010 on July 29th at the St. Petersburg Tiger Summit in Russia when all 13 tiger range countries came together for the first time with the commitment of doubling the number of wild tigers by 2022.
  • 13 tiger range countries: India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam.
  • Project Tiger: It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Government of India launched in 1973 for in-situ conservation of wild tigers in designated tiger reserves.