All the potential tiger habitats within the country will soon be brought under tiger reserve network, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said on Wednesday even as he shared that plans are afoot to formulate a vision plan for the conservation of the royal big cat.
India is home to 52 tiger reserves covering approximately 75,000 Sq Km area in 18 States with approximately 75 per cent population of the wild tiger at the global level.
Tigers in India are found in diverse habitats: rain forests, grasslands, savannas and even mangrove swamps. Unfortunately, 93 percent of historical tiger lands have disappeared primarily because of expanding human activity. Underlining that such situation is leading to man-tiger conflict, the Minister while speaking at the pre-summit meeting of the Tiger Range Countries being held here as a prelude to the Tiger Range Countries Summit slated at Valadivostak, Russia, also stressed on taking inclusive conservation efforts by involving local communities who live in close proximity to tiger reserves.
He further added that “it is time for focusing more on consolidating the gains and the country is in the process of formulating the vision plan for tiger conservation in India by involving all the stakeholders.” Despite all odds and ever transforming world order, Tiger Range Countries have put up a brave front and done a commendable job on the wild tiger front, he said.
During the 3rd Asia Ministerial Conference, the Prime Minister of India had observed that tiger conservation is not a drag on development and both can happen in a mutually complementary manner by reorienting our conservation strategies. The codified practices for wild tiger conservation has proven to be useful in reintroducing locally extinct species like the Cheetah which will happen very soon, he said, referring to the proposed relocation of the wild cats from Africa.
India achieved the goal of doubling the tiger numbers in 2018 itself, four years in advance from the targeted year 2022.
Also, so far 17 tiger reserves in the country have got CA|TS international accreditation and two tiger reserves have received the International Tx2 award, said a senior official from the Ministry.