Forests, which are essential carbon sinks and wildlife habitats, play a crucial role in combating climate change. Strengthening tiger conservation programs is vital to protect their ecosystems, benefiting both tigers and humans, writes BK SINGH on the eve of International Tiger Day
Scientific studies have consistently brought out that the planet Earth is warming at a faster pace than ever before. The report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned of the consequences of frequent and destructive climatic catastrophes if the global rise in temperature is not contained within 1.5 degrees Celsius concerning pre-industrial (1850–1900 levels). Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) dealing with the European Union’s ‘earth observation program’ launched in January 2023, has recently taken stock of the project and found that June 2024 marks the 13th month of global temperature at 1.50 C above pre industrial levels. The monthly average surface air temperature from June 2023 to June 2024 was 16.660C and was .760C higher than the average for 1991-2020 and 1.640C above pre industrial 1850-1900 levels. So far 2023 has been the warmest year on record, but 2024 is on course to break this.
We are left with no option but to transition away from fossil fuel consumption and develop renewable energy with speed and scale. Forests are the biggest carbon sink that can suck CO2 emitted into the atmosphere due to industrial activities and fossil fuel burning. It is the home of wild animals. Forests not only provide food and shelter to wild animals but also provide a series of ecological services necessary for the survival of mankind. Tiger is at the apex of wild animals. If a tiger is saved, other wild animals and the forests are secure. Project Tiger was launched in India in 1973 by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi covering nine tiger-bearing areas extending over 16338 sq km of good quality forests across the country namely Corbett, Kaziranga, Melghat, Bandipur etc. Since then many more areas have been added to the list and by now there are 53 Tiger Reserves (TRs) in India. To commemorate 50 years of Project Tiger an international conference was held at Mysuru on 9th April 2023, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The most important takeaway of the conference was the launch of the international big cat alliance to protect seven species namely tiger, leopard, jaguar, lion, snow leopard, puma and cheetah worldwide. Among 94 member countries harbouring these species, the Ministers from India, Armenia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Suriname, Tanzania, Vientiane, and Vietnam presented the status of conservation of big cat species in their country. They also pledged to conserve the species. Forests and wildlife have a symbiotic relationship and both cannot survive without the other.
In this long journey of 50 years, the Project tiger coverage has been increased from 9 to 53 sites. The area under Project Tiger management has also been increased from 16338 sq km to 75000 sq km. Though tiger security was the focus in all 53 tiger reserves of the country, aggressive activities of interstate poaching gangs who killed tigers at will and decimated tigers from many reserves namely Sariska (Rajasthan), Panna (Madhya Pradesh), Buxa (West Bengal), Namdapha and Kamlang (Arunachal Pradesh) and Dampa (Mizoram). Project Tiger was revamped when the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) was brought in 2006 and enabling provisions were made in the Wildlife (Protection) Act through amendment. A robust methodology for All India Tiger estimation was developed by our Scientists at the Wildlife Institute of India and experts from NTCA and used for tiger estimation in the same year. First first-ever exercise was carried out in all forest areas of the country, which revealed that India had 1411 tigers in the wild. Thereafter the estimation was repeated every four years that was in 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022 which brought out the tiger numbers as 1710, 2226, 2967 and 3682 respectively.
An increasing trend in tiger numbers has been noticed, but the most worrying part that surfaced was the shrinkage in the areas of tiger occupancy. Though the recovery of tigers has grown from 1411 to 3682, the area of its occupancy has declined. From 92,000 sq km area in the first cycle of estimation in 2006, it has been reduced to 88,000 sq km in the fourth cycle in 2018. Despite all stringent measures the fragmentation of habitats and encroachments in forest lands have continued resulting in the loss of tiger-occupied areas. The western Ghats landscape itself has lost 527 sq km of tiger occupancy in four years between 2014 and 2018. North northeastern part of the country has lost more than 6000 sq km area under tiger occupancy in this period.
Survey of India biannual report, which was last published in 2021 has assessed the change in forest cover of all tiger reserves over a decade (from 2011 to 2021). The report brings out that the forest cover has decreased by 22.62 sq km (0.04%) in this period. Twenty tiger reserves have gained in forest cover, while the remaining 33 have lost. While Buxa (West Bengal, Annamalai (Tamil Nadu) and Indravati (Chhattisgarh) have gained, Kawal (Telangana), Bhadra (Karnataka) and Sunderbans (West Bengal) have lost.
The latest tiger estimation report about the Western Ghats landscape reads, “Majority of tiger populations remain stable and some have declined, a significant reduction of tiger occupancy has been observed throughout the landscape.” Central Indian Highlands and Eastern Ghats landscape are reported to have added tigers but several threats are looming large; The report adds “High concentration of mining activity poses a significant challenge to conservation. The forests of this region are under threat from various activities, despite their high biodiversity and conservation significance. - Tiger occupancy declined in states of Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Telangana.” The description from the north eastern landscape is no different. It indicates some major threats the region is facing “The landscape has experienced extensive change in land-use patterns in the past, leading to severe loss of natural habitat.” Overall, the report is positive about the increase in tiger numbers from 2967 to at least 3167; the loss in the Western Ghats landscape has been wiped out by the gains in the central Indian landscape.
Human-carnivore conflict is prevalent in several landscapes, especially where buffer forests are disturbed due to human and livestock presence. When an area of occupancy decreases and the number increases, tigers are bound to stray outside the reserve and come in conflict with humans. Forest department faces challenges across the tiger landscapes; the conflicts can disturb the relationship with communities. The country should pledge to focus on conservation even outside tiger reserves. Diversion of natural forests, whether inside or outside the tiger reserve is detrimental to conservation. There is a mechanism for paying compensation for the loss of human life as well as livestock, but the community has to be taken in confidence.Losing tigers would mean losing tree cover and vice versa. Loss of forest cover is the loss of sink for Carbon dioxide and further warming of the planet.
(The writer is retired Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Karnataka; views are personal)
