Lok Sabha Question No. 3094 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-06
Subject: Tiger Population
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, Vinod Kumar Sonkar, Raja Amareshwara Naik, Sukanta Majumdar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3094 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.12.2019

## Tiger Population

3094.  SHRIMATI SANGEETA KUMARI SINGH DEO: SHRI VINOD KUMAR SONKAR: SHRI RAJA AMARESHWARA NAIK: DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  efforts  of  the  Government  have  yielded  in  increase  in  Tiger  Population  in  the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government is considering to develop a corridor connectivity between the source population of tigers in India and neighbouring countries;
- (c) if so, the details thereof along with the progress in this regard so far;
- (d) whether  the  Government  is  planning  to  repopulate  the  Bengal  Buxa  Tiger  Reserve  by introducing tigers from Kaziranga National Park of Assam;
- (e) if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) the other significant steps taken by the Government for conservation of Tigers in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

- (a) Yes,  the  Governments  efforts  have  yielded  an  increase  in  tiger  population  in  India. This is clearly evident from the results of four countrywide / All India Tiger Estimation taken in India since 2006, and the same is at Annexure-I .  Under the ongoing Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project Tiger, activities undertaken for fostering tiger conservation are at Annexure-II .
- (b) & (c) The  Government  of  India,  through  the  National  Tiger  Conservation  Authority  has already  mapped  out  32  major  tiger  corridors  which inter alia include  corridor connectivity through Nepal and Bhutan with the technical support of Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun.  The list of these corridors is at Annexure-III .  Also, the corridors have  been  delineated  in  the  adjoining  area  Plans  which  are  integral  part  of  Tiger Conservation Plans of tiger reserves.
- (d) & (e) The  Government  of  India  has  recommended  a  project  to  repopulate  the  Buxa  Tiger Reserve with tigers for which a five year plan at a total cost of Rs. 1849.50 lakhs has been approved by the Government of India in the year 2017.
- (f) Milestone  initiatives  taken  by  the  Government  of  India  through  the  National  Tiger Conservation Authority for fostering conservation of tigers are at Annexure-IV.

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3094 ON TIGER POPULATION DUE FOR REPLY ON 06.12.2019

Details of tiger estimation pertaining to tiger landscapes in the country,

for the years 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018

| State                                                                | Tiger Population                                                     | Tiger Population                                                     | Tiger Population                                                     | Tiger Population                                                     |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
|                                                                      | 2006                                                                 | 2010                                                                 | 2014                                                                 | 2018                                                                 |
| Shivalik-Gangetic Plain Landscape Complex                            | Shivalik-Gangetic Plain Landscape Complex                            | Shivalik-Gangetic Plain Landscape Complex                            | Shivalik-Gangetic Plain Landscape Complex                            | Shivalik-Gangetic Plain Landscape Complex                            |
| Uttarakhand                                                          | 178                                                                  | 227                                                                  | 340                                                                  | 442                                                                  |
| Uttar Pradesh                                                        | 109                                                                  | 118                                                                  | 117                                                                  | 173                                                                  |
| Bihar                                                                | 10                                                                   | 8                                                                    | 28                                                                   | 31                                                                   |
| Shivalik Gangetic                                                    | 297                                                                  | 353                                                                  | 485                                                                  | 646                                                                  |
| Central Indian Landscape Complex and Eastern Ghats Landscape Complex | Central Indian Landscape Complex and Eastern Ghats Landscape Complex | Central Indian Landscape Complex and Eastern Ghats Landscape Complex | Central Indian Landscape Complex and Eastern Ghats Landscape Complex | Central Indian Landscape Complex and Eastern Ghats Landscape Complex |
| Andhra Pradesh                                                       | 95                                                                   | 72                                                                   | 68                                                                   | 48                                                                   |
| Telangana                                                            | -                                                                    | -                                                                    | -                                                                    | 26                                                                   |
| Chhattisgarh                                                         | 26                                                                   | 26                                                                   | 46                                                                   | 19                                                                   |
| Madhya Pradesh                                                       | 300                                                                  | 257                                                                  | 308                                                                  | 526                                                                  |
| Maharashtra                                                          | 103                                                                  | 169                                                                  | 190                                                                  | 312                                                                  |
| Odisha                                                               | 45                                                                   | 32                                                                   | 28                                                                   | 28                                                                   |
| Rajasthan                                                            | 32                                                                   | 36                                                                   | 45                                                                   | 69                                                                   |
| Jharkhand                                                            | -                                                                    | 10                                                                   | 3*                                                                   | 5                                                                    |
| Central India                                                        | 601                                                                  | 601                                                                  | 688                                                                  | 1033                                                                 |
| Western Ghats Landscape Complex                                      | Western Ghats Landscape Complex                                      | Western Ghats Landscape Complex                                      | Western Ghats Landscape Complex                                      | Western Ghats Landscape Complex                                      |
| Karnataka                                                            | 290                                                                  | 300                                                                  | 406                                                                  | 524                                                                  |
| Kerala                                                               | 46                                                                   | 71                                                                   | 136                                                                  | 190                                                                  |
| Tamil Nadu                                                           | 76                                                                   | 163                                                                  | 229                                                                  | 264                                                                  |
| Goa                                                                  | -                                                                    | -                                                                    | 5                                                                    | 3                                                                    |
| Western Ghats                                                        | 412                                                                  | 534                                                                  | 776                                                                  | 981                                                                  |
| North Eastern Hills and Brahmaputra Flood Plains                     | North Eastern Hills and Brahmaputra Flood Plains                     | North Eastern Hills and Brahmaputra Flood Plains                     | North Eastern Hills and Brahmaputra Flood Plains                     | North Eastern Hills and Brahmaputra Flood Plains                     |
| Assam                                                                | 70                                                                   | 143                                                                  | 167                                                                  | 190                                                                  |
| Arunachal Pradesh                                                    | 14                                                                   | -                                                                    | 28 **                                                                | 29                                                                   |
| Mizoram                                                              | 6                                                                    | 5                                                                    | 3*                                                                   | 0                                                                    |
| Nagaland                                                             | -                                                                    | -                                                                    | -                                                                    | 0                                                                    |
| Northern West Bengal                                                 | 10                                                                   | -                                                                    | 3*                                                                   | 0                                                                    |
| North East Hills, and Brahmaputra                                    | 100                                                                  | 148                                                                  | 201                                                                  | 219                                                                  |
| Sunderbans                                                           | -                                                                    | 70                                                                   | 76                                                                   | 88                                                                   |
| TOTAL                                                                | 1411                                                                 | 1706                                                                 | 2226                                                                 | 2967                                                                 |

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3094 ON TIGER POPULATION DUE FOR REPLY ON 06.12.2019

Several activities are undertaken for tiger conservation under the ongoing Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project Tiger are as under:-

## 1. Stepping up protection: (antipoaching squad/Tiger Protection Force deployment)

The  antipoaching  operations  in  tiger  reserves  are  site  specific.  However,  the  following activities, inter alia , form part of the protection strategy in tiger reserves, namely:--

- (a) Raising, arming and deployment of Special Tiger Protection Force.
- (b) Use of information technology in wildlife crime prevention.
- (c) Launching M-STrIPES for field patrolling.
- (d) Deployment of antipoaching squads.
- (e) Establishing and maintenance of existing patrolling camps/chowkis and deployment of camp labourers for patrolling.
- (f) Organising vehicular patrolling by constituting squads (Tiger Protection Force), comprising  of  field  staff,  labourers  and  police/SAF/ex-army  personnel,  with  wireless handset and paraphernalia for apprehending offenders, apart from prescribing a patrolling calendar for the squad.
- (g) Establishing and maintenance of wireless network.
- (h) Organising  surprise  raids  jointly  with  the  local  police  in  railway  stations,  local  trains, bus-stops, buses, catchers and cafeteria.
- (i) Ensuring  special  site-specific  protection  measures,  during  monsoon  as  'Operation Monsoon' - considering the terrain and accessibility of Protected Areas.
- (j) Deployment of ex-army personnel / home guards.
- (k) Deployment  of  local  work  force  for  patrolling,  surveillance  of  water  holes,  manning barriers.
- (l) Procurement of arms and ammunition.
- (m) Procurement/maintenance of elephant squads.
- (n) Rewards to informers.
- (o) Legal support for defending court cases.
- (p) Procurement of vehicles, boats.
- (q) Procurement of field gear, night vision device.

## 2. Deciding inviolate spaces for wildlife and relocation of villagers from core or critical tiger habitats in Tiger Reserves within a timeframe and settlement of rights.

- 2.1. The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, as well as the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest  Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights)  Act, 2006, require that rights of people  (Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers) recognized in forest areas within core and critical tiger or wildlife  habitats  of  tiger  reserves  or  protected  areas  may  be  modified  and  resettled  for  providing inviolate spaces to tiger or wild animals. This requires payment of compensation (rights settlement in addition to the relocation package offered under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme at present). Chapter IV of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 (section 24) provides for acquisition of rights in or over the land declared by the State Government under section 18 (for constituting a Sanctuary) or section 35 (for  constituting  a  National  Park).  Sub-section  (2)  of  section  24  of  the  Wild  Life  (Protection)  Act, 1972  authorizes the Collector to acquire such land or rights. Therefore, payment of compensation for

the immovable property of people forms part of modifying or settling their rights which is a statutory requirement.

2.2. The ongoing study and the analysis of the available research data on tiger ecology indicate that the  minimum  population  of  tigresses  in  breeding  age,  which  are  needed  to  maintain  a  viable population of 80-100 tigers (in and around core) require an inviolate space of 800-1200 sq. km. Tiger being  an  'umbrella  species',  this  will  also  ensure  viable  populations  of  other  wild  animals  (copredators,  prey)  and  forest,  thereby  ensuring  the  ecological  viability  of  the  entire  area  and  habitat. Thus, it becomes an ecological imperative to keep the core areas of tiger reserves inviolate for the survival of source populations of tiger and other wild animals.

## 2.3. The proposed package has following two options, namely:

- (a) Option  I -  Payment  of  the  entire  package  amount  (Rs.  10  lakhs  per  family)  to  the family  in  case  the  family  opts  so,  without  involving  any  rehabilitation  or  relocation process by the Forest Department.
- (b) Option II - Carrying out relocation or rehabilitation of village from protected area or tiger reserve by the Forest Department.

## 3. Strengthening of infrastructure within Tiger Reserves.

The following activities, inter alia, would form part of reinforcing the infrastructure of Tiger Reserves (including support to new tiger reserves), namely:--

- (a) Civil  Works  (staff  quarters,  family  hostels,  office  improvement,  patrolling  camp,  house keeping buildings, museum, culverts).
- (b) Maintenance, creation and upgradation of road network.
- (c) Maintenance and creation of wireless tower.
- (d) Maintenance and creation of fire watch tower.
- (e) Maintenance and creation of bridges, dams, anicuts.
- (f) Maintenance, creation of firelines and firebreaks.
- (g) Maintenance and creation of earthen ponds.
- (h) Procurement, maintenance of vehicles (Gypsy, Jeep, Truck, Tractor etc.).
- (i) Habitat improvement works.
- (j) Procurement of hardware, software and Geographical Information System (GIS).
- (k) Procurement of compass, range finder, Global Positioning System (GPS), camera traps.
- (l) Procurement of satellite imageries for management planning.
- (m) Map digitization facility for management planning.

## 4. Habitat improvement and water development.

These,  inter  alia,  may  include, weed  eradication,  removal  of  gregarious  plant  growth  from grasslands,  grass  improvement,  water  retention  structures  and  the  like.  These  initiatives  would increase the forage and browse values of the habitat for wild animals.

5. Addressing  man-animal  conflict  (ensuring  uniform,  timely  compensation  for  human deaths  due  to  wild  animals,  livestock  depredation  by  carnivores,  crop  depredation  by  wild ungulates) (compensation for crop loss is a new component):

This would involve:

- (a) payment  of compensation for cattle lifting, death of  human  beings and crop depredation due to wild animals.
- (b) creation of crop protection structures.
- (c) procurement and deployment of traps, cages to catch problematic animals.
- (d) procurement of tranquilizing equipments, rescue vehicles and drugs.

## 6. Co-existence agenda in buffer or fringe areas.

The fringe areas around tiger reserve have corridor value, and their ecological sustainability is important to prevent the area from becoming ecological sinks on account of over use of resources and unwise land use. This calls for delineation of buffer zone around a tiger reserve to incorporate such fringe areas so that it can fulfill the following objectives, namely:

- (a) providing ecologically viable livelihood options to local stakeholders for reducing their dependency on forests.
- (b) conserving  the  forest  area  through  restorative  inputs  involving  local  people  for providing habitat supplement to wild animals moving out of core areas.

## 7. Rehabilitation of traditional hunting tribes living around tiger reserves.

There  is  an  urgent  need  to  launch  a  rehabilitation  and  development  programme  for  the denotified  tribes  and  tribes  involved  in  traditional  hunting,  living  around  tiger  reserves  and  tiger corridors. The following denotified tribes and communities are involved in traditional hunting of wild animals  :  Behelias,  Ambalgars,  Badaks,  Mongias,  Bavariyas,  Monglias,  Pardhi,  Boyas,  Kaikads, Karwal Nat, Nirshikaris, Picharis, Valayaras, Yenadis, Chakma, Mizo, Bru, Solung and Nyishi. While this  list  is  not  exhaustive,  around  5,000  such  families  are  required  to  be  taken  up  under  a  welfare programme (forming part of NTCA initiatives) during the Plan period. The rehabilitation and welfare package should be evolved in a site specific, consultative manner with livelihood options, to include : wages for such people towards their deployment in foot patrolling for protecting wildlife, providing agricultural land with irrigation, basic health care, housing and related community welfare inputs and basic  education  facilities.  The  experience  gained  in  the  past  for  settling  denotified  tribes  by  the salvation army is required to be considered dispassionately while structuring the programme.

## 8. Research and field equipments.

The All India tiger estimation using the new methodology approved by the Tiger Task Force has resulted in a permanent monitoring protocol for the field units. The Phase-IV, tiger reserve level, would be launched to monitor the source populations of tiger.  Further, assistance would be provided for  fostering  field  oriented  research  and  to  equip  the  staff  with  facilities  like  Global  Positioning System (GPS), camera traps, night vision, range finder and related accessories including hardware and software.

## 9. Staff development and capacity building.

## 9.1. This would involve:

- (a) Capacity building and training.
- (b) Providing project allowance and special incentives.
- (c) Specialized training in the use of Geographical Information System (GIS), antipoaching operations.
- (d) Specialized training in jurisprudence and wildlife forensics.
- (e) Study tours for appraisal of good practices in other reserves.
- (f) Dissemination workshops.
- (g) Specialized training in park interpretation.
- (h) Specialized training in management planning.

9.2. The  above  inputs  are  extremely  important  for  enhancing  the  skill  of  field  staff.  Several instances of poaching occur for want of specialized training in crime detection and related skills.

## 10. Mainstreaming wildlife concerns in tiger bearing forests and fostering corridor conservation through restorative strategy involving locals to arrest fragmentation of habitats.

This would involve:

- (a) Redressing man-animal conflict.
- (b) Capturing problematic and aberrant wild animals.
- (c) Monitoring of wild animals.
- (d) Antipoaching operations.
- (e) Habitat improvement measures.

## 11. Safeguards and Retrofitting measures in the interest of wildlife conservation.

Several tiger reserves are affected on account of heavily used infrastructure like roads, railway tracks  etc.  The  high  tension  electric  lines  passing  through  many  reserves  cause  mortality  of  wild animals due to electrocution by poachers. In the interest of wild animals several safeguards as well as retrofitting measures may be required, which would be supported on a site-specific basis.

12. Providing  basic  infrastructure. The  expenditure  for    consultancy,  field  visits  by  expert teams,  all  India  tiger  estimation  and  continuous  monitoring  of  tigers  (Phase-IV),  support  for monitoring  tigers  outside  tiger  reserves  through  National  Tiger  Conservation  Authority  grant, developing a National Repository of Camera Trap Photo Database of tiger, strengthening of National Tiger  Conservation  Authority  at  the  Center  and  Regional  Offices,  besides  establishing  a monitoring lab.

## 13. Independent monitoring and evaluation of tiger reserves.

The  second  round  of  independent  monitoring  has  been  completed  using  globally  accepted indicators.  This would be further refined and continued.

## 14. Establishment and development of new tiger reserves.

'Project Tiger' has a holistic ecosystem approach. Though the focus is on the flagship species 'tiger', the project strives to maintain the stability of ecosystem by fostering other trophic levels in the food chain. This is essential to ensure an ecologically viable population of tiger, which is at the 'apex' of  the  ecological  food  chain.  The  community  pressures  on  forests  are  ever  on  the  increase  in developing countries and India is no exception. As a sequel, the tiger habitat has become fragile and weak at  several  places,  warranting  a  focused  conservation  approach.  Our  protected  areas  and  tiger reserves are analogous to 'islands' in an ocean of the other-use patterns. Empirical evidences from 'island biogeography' indicate that 'isolated' reserves lose their species rapidly owing to 'ecological insularization'. Further, apart from fragmentation, the situation is aggravated by degraded forest cover owing to biotic pressure, dislocated prey - predator ratio, absence of effective measures to ensure the desired  level  of  protection  and  lack  of  eco  developmental  initiatives  for  the  fringe  dwelling  stake holders to reduce their dependency on forest resources. Since 'Project Tiger' would go a long way in redressing the above situation, the Steering Committee of Project Tiger in its meeting held on the 23 rd January, 2003 recommended inclusion of new tiger reserve areas so as to increase the total area of 'Project Tiger' from existing 37761 sq. kms. to 50,000 sq. kms. during the Tenth Plan period.

## 15. Provision of Project Allowance to staff of Project Tiger.

The tiger States would be supported (100%) for Project Allowance to staff of tiger reserves.

## 16. Staff welfare activities.

Staff welfare inputs like residential accommodation for the children of frontline staff in nearby towns or villages, supply of kerosene, medicine, field kit, mosquito net, torch and the like would be supported.

## 17. Fostering Tourism or Ecotourism in tiger reserves.

'Tourism' in the context of Tiger Reserves is contemplated as 'ecotourism', which needs to be ecologically  sustainable  nature-tourism.    This  is  emerging  as  an  important  component  of  tourism industry. It is distinct from 'mass tourism', having sustainable, equitable, community based effort for improving  the  living  standards  of  local,  host  communities  living  on  the  fringes  of  tiger  reserves. Ecotourism  is  proposed  to  be  fostered  under  'Project  Tiger'  to  benefit  the  host  community  in accordance  with  tiger  reserve  specific  Tourism  Plan  forming  part  of  the  Tiger  Conservation  Plan, subject to regulation as per carrying capacity, with a focus on buffer areas.  Since, tourism has been happening in areas  of  national  parks  and  wildlife  sanctuaries  which  are  now  designated  as  core  or critical tiger habitat, regulated low impact tourism (visitation) would be allowed in such areas subject to site specific carrying capacity.  However, no new tourism infrastructure should be permitted in such core and critical tiger habitats.  Further, the buffer forest areas should also be developed as wildlife habitats  with  the  active  involvement  of  local  people  living  in  such  areas.    This  would  provide extended habitat to tiger population for its life cycle dynamics, besides benefitting local people from ecotourism  activities  in  such  areas  while  reducing  the  resource  dependency  of  people  on  core  or critical tiger habitats and human-tiger interface conflicts.   The opportunities for stakeholders would include management of low cost accommodation for tourists, providing guide services, providing sale outlets, managing excursions, organizing ethnic dances and the like.

***

## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (b)  &  (c)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  3094  ON  TIGER  POPULATION  DUE  FOR  REPLY  ON 06.12.2019

## List of macro/landscape level tiger corridors

|   Sl. No. | Landscape                       | Corridor                                            | States/ Country                                           |
|-----------|---------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | Shivalik Hills& Gangetic Plains | (i) Rajaji-Corbett                                  | Uttarakhand                                               |
|         1 | Shivalik Hills& Gangetic Plains | (ii) Corbett-Dudhwa                                 | Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Nepal                         |
|         1 | Shivalik Hills& Gangetic Plains | (iii) Dudhwa-Kishanpur-Katerniaghat                 | Uttar Pradesh, Nepal                                      |
|         2 | Central India & Eastern Ghats   | (i) Ranthambhore-Kuno-Madhav                        | Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan                                 |
|         2 | Central India & Eastern Ghats   | (ii) Bandhavgarh-Achanakmar                         | Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh                              |
|         2 | Central India & Eastern Ghats   | (iii) Bandhavgarh-Sanjay Dubri-Guru Ghasidas        | Madhya Pradesh                                            |
|         2 | Central India & Eastern Ghats   | (iv) Guru Ghasidas-Palamau-Lawalong                 | Chhattisgarh &Jharkhand                                   |
|         2 | Central India & Eastern Ghats   | (v) Kanha-Achanakmar                                | Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh                              |
|         2 | Central India & Eastern Ghats   | (vi) Kanha-Pench                                    | Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra                               |
|         2 | Central India & Eastern Ghats   | (vii) Pench-Satpura-Melghat                         | Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra                               |
|         2 | Central India & Eastern Ghats   | (viii) Kanha-Navegaon Nagzira- Tadoba-Indravati     | Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh |
|         2 | Central India & Eastern Ghats   | (ix) Indravati-Udanti Sitanadi- Sunabeda            | Chhattisgarh, Odisha                                      |
|         2 | Central India & Eastern Ghats   | (x) Similipal-Satkosia                              | Odisha                                                    |
|         2 | Central India & Eastern Ghats   | (xi) Nagarjunasagar-Sri Venkateshwara National Park | Andhra Pradesh                                            |
|         3 | Western Ghats                   | (i) Sahyadri-Radhanagari-Goa                        | Maharashtra, Goa                                          |
|         3 | Western Ghats                   | (ii) Dandeli Anshi-Shravathi Valley                 | Karnataka                                                 |
|         3 | Western Ghats                   | (iii) Kudremukh-Bhadra                              | Karnataka                                                 |
|         3 | Western Ghats                   | (iv) Nagarahole-Pusphagiri-Talakavery               | Karnataka                                                 |
|         3 | Western Ghats                   | (v) Nagarahole-Bandipur-Mudumalai- Wayanad          | Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu                             |
|         3 | Western Ghats                   | (vi) Nagarahole-Mudumalai-Wayanad                   | Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu                             |
|         3 | Western Ghats                   | (vii) Parambikulam-Eranikulam-Indira Gandhi         | Kerala, Tamil Nadu                                        |
|         3 | Western Ghats                   | (viii) Kalakad Mundanthurai-Periyar                 | Kerala, Tamil Nadu                                        |
|         4 | North East                      | (i) Kaziranga-Itanagar WLS                          | Assam, Arunachal Pradesh                                  |
|         4 | North East                      | (ii) Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong                        | Assam                                                     |
|         4 | North East                      | (iii) Kaziranga-Nameri                              | Assam                                                     |
|         4 | North East                      | (iv) Kaziranga-Orang                                | Assam                                                     |
|         4 | North East                      | (v) Kaziranga-Papum Pane                            | Assam                                                     |
|         4 | North East                      | (vi) Manas-Buxa                                     | Assam, West Bengal, Bhutan                                |
|         4 | North East                      | (vii) Pakke-Nameri-Sonai Rupai- Manas               | Arunachal Pradesh, Assam                                  |
|         4 | North East                      | (viii) Dibru Saikhowa-D'Ering- Mehaong              | Assam, Arunachal Pradesh                                  |
|         4 | North East                      | (ix) Kamlang-Kane-Tale Valley                       | Arunachal Pradesh                                         |
|         4 | North East                      | (x) Buxa-Jaldapara                                  | West Bengal                                               |

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (f) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3094 ON TIGER POPULATION DUE FOR REPLY ON 06.12.2019

Milestone initiatives taken by the Government of India through the National Tiger Conservation Authority for conservation of tigers are as under:-

## Legal steps

1. Amendment of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 in 2006 to provide enabling provisions for constituting the National Tiger Conservation Authority under section 38 IV B and the Tiger and Other Endangered Species Crime Control Bureau under section 38 IV C.
2. Enhancement of punishment for offence in relation to the core area of a tiger reserve or where the offence relates to hunting in the tiger reserves or altering the boundaries of tiger reserves, etc.
3. Comprehensive  guidelines  under  section  38O  1  (c)  of  the  Wildlife  (Protection)  Act,  1972 issued for Project Tiger and Tourism in Tiger Reserves on 15 th October, 2012.

## Administrative steps

4. Constitution  of  the  National  Tiger  Conservation  Authority  (NTCA)  with  effect  from  the  4 th September, 2006, for strengthening tiger conservation by, interalia, ensuring normative standards in tiger reserve management, preparation of reserve specific tiger conservation plan, laying down annual audit report before Parliament, constituting State level Steering Committees under the Chairmanship of Chief Ministers and establishment of Tiger Conservation Foundation.
5. Constitution of a multidisciplinary Tiger and Other Endangered Species Crime Control Bureau (Wildlife Crime Control Bureau) with effect from the 6 th June, 2007 to effectively control illegal trade in wildlife.
6. Strengthening of antipoaching activities, including special strategy for monsoon patrolling, by providing  funding  support  to  tiger reserve  States,  as  proposed  by  them,  for  deployment  of antipoaching squads involving ex-army personnel or home guards, apart from workforce comprising of local people, in addition to strengthening of communication and wireless facilities.
7. In-principle  approval  has  been  accorded  by  the  National  Tiger  Conservation  Authority  for creation of new tiger reserves, and the sites are: Sunabeda (Odisha) and Guru Ghasidas (Chhattisgarh). The State Governments have been advised to send proposals for declaring the following areas as tiger reserves: (i) Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary (Goa), (ii) Srivilliputhur Grizzled Giant Squirrel / Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuaries / Varushanadu Valley (Tamil Nadu), (iii) Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary (Arunachal Pradesh), (iv)  Cauveri-MM  Hills  Wildlife  Sanctuary  (Karnataka)  and  (v)  Nandhaur  Wildlife Sanctuary (Uttarakhand).
8. Rajaji  National  Park  (Uttarakhand),  Orang  National  Park  (Assam)  &  Kamlang  Wildlife Sanctuary (Arunachal Pradesh) have been notified as 48 th , 49 th & 50 th Tiger Reserves.
9. The revised Project Tiger guidelines have been issued to State Governments for strengthening tiger conservation, which apart from ongoing activities, inter alia, include financial support to States for  enhanced  village  relocation  or  rehabilitation  package  for  people  living  in  core  or  critical  tiger habitats  (from  Rs.  1  lakh  per  family  to  Rs.  10  lakhs  per  family),  rehabilitation  or  resettlement  of communities  involved  in  traditional  hunting,  mainstreaming  livelihood  and  wildlife  concerns  in

forests outside tiger reserves and fostering corridor conservation through restorative strategy to arrest habitat fragmentation.

10. A  scientific  methodology  for  estimating  tiger  (including  co-predators,  prey  animals  and assessment of habitat status) has been evolved and mainstreamed.  The findings of this estimation and assessment are bench marks for future tiger conservation strategy.
11. The  18  tiger  States  have  notified  the  core/critical  tiger  habitat  (40145.30  sq.  km.),  and  the buffer/peripheral area (32603.72 sq.km.) of all the 50 tiger reserves in the country, under section 38V of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, as amended in 2006.
12.        Regional  Offices  of  the  National  Tiger  Conservation  Authority  are  operational  at  Nagpur, Bengaluru and Guwahati headed by an Inspector General of Forests.

## Financial steps

13. Financial  and  technical  help  is  provided  to  the  State  Governments  under  various  Centrally Sponsored Schemes, such as 'Project Tiger' and 'Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats' for enhancing the capacity and infrastructure of the State Governments for providing effective protection to wild animals.

## International Cooperation

14. India has a bilateral  understanding with Nepal on controlling trans-boundary illegal trade in wildlife and conservation, apart from a protocol on tiger conservation with China.
15. A protocol has been signed in September, 2011 with Bangladesh for conservation of the Royal Bengal Tiger of the Sunderban.
16. A sub-group on tiger and leopard conservation has been constituted for cooperation with the Russian  Federation.    Indo-Russia  bilateral  took  place  in  September  2018  at  Moscow,  wherein  a tripartite  MOU  between  the  National  Tiger  Conservation  Authority,  Wildlife  Institute  of  India  and A.N. Severstov Institute of Ecology & Evaluation was agreed upon and signed on 4.12.2018.
17. India  is  the  founder  member  of  the  Global  Tiger  Forum  of  Tiger  Range  Countries  for addressing international issues related to tiger conservation.
18. During the 14 th meeting of the Conference of Parties to CITES, which was held from 3 rd to 15 th June,  2007  at  The  Hague,  India  introduced  a  resolution  along  with  China,  Nepal  and  the  Russian Federation,  with  direction  to  Parties  with  operations  breeding  tigers  on  a  commercial  scale,  for restricting  such  captive  populations  to  a  level  supportive  only  to  conserving  wild  tigers.    The resolution  was  adopted  as  a  decision  with  minor  amendments.  Further,  India  made  an  intervention appealing to China to phase out tiger farming and eliminate stockpiles of Asian big cats body parts and  derivatives.    The  importance  of  continuing  the  ban  on  trade  of  body  parts  of  tigers  was emphasized.
19. Based on India's strong intervention during the 62 nd meeting of the Standing Committee of the Convention  on  International  Trade  in  Endangered  Species  of  Wild  Fauna  and  Flora  (CITES)  at Geneva from 23-27 July, 2012, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora Secretariat has issued a notification No. 2012/054 dated the 3 rd September, 2012 to Parties  to  fully  implement  Decision  14.69  and  report  to  the  Secretariat  by  25  September,  2012 (Progress made on restricting captive breeding operations of tigers etc.).

During the 18 th CoP held at Geneva in August 2019, based on an intervention from India, a slew of decisions were adopted to intervene in territories which had facilities for keeping big cats as a reinforcement of decision 14.69.

20. The 3 rd Asia Ministerial Conference (3 AMC) was organized in New Delhi from 12-14 April 2016.  Inspired by the statement of Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, during this conference that 'conservation of  tigers is not  a  choice, it is  an  imperative', to achieve the concrete results of ensuring the conservation of tigers in the wild and their habitats by 2022, the representatives of the Governments of the Tiger Range Countries resolved to:
2.  Accelerate implementation of the Global Tiger Recovery Programme (GTRP)/National Tiger  Recovery  Programme  (NTRP)  and  agreed  actions  from  the  above-mentioned declarations, review and update priority and differentiated action plans, and track progress through mutual and systematic reporting and evaluation.
3.  Align development and tiger conservation in a mutually complementary manner by  reorienting development strategies to mainstream the concerns of tiger conservation, such as  by  integrating  tiger  and  wildlife  safeguards  in  infrastructure  at  the  landscape  level, developing partnerships with business groups, and  strong  engagement  with  local stakeholders.
4.  Leverage funding and technical support from international organisations, bilateral and multilateral financial institutions, foundations, civil society organisations, private sector, and climate funds, in addition to TRC governments.
5.  Recognise and enhance the importance of tiger habitats by promoting them as providing ecosystem services, as  engines of economic growth and helping to address climate change.
6.  Emphasize  recovery  of  tiger  populations  in  areas  with  low  tiger  densities and restoration in areas  from which they have been extirpated by using successful programs of tiger reintroduction and rehabilitation of their habitats and prey.
7.  Strengthen co-operation at the highest levels of government to combat wildlife crime, address the  demand for tiger products, and increase formal and informal transboundary coordination.
8.  Enhance  knowledge  sharing  and  capacity  development  for  all  stakeholders  and increase  the  use  of  technology ,  including  smart  tools,  monitoring  protocols,  and information systems, to  improve management effectiveness.

## OTHER MISCELLANEOUS STEPS

21. Creation  of  Special  Tiger  Protection  Force  (STPF): -The  Special  Tiger  Protection  Force (STPF)  has  been  made  operational  in  the  States  of  Karnataka  (Bandipur),  Maharashtra  (Pench, Tadoba-Andhari,  Nawegaon-Nagzira,  Melghat),  Rajasthan  (Ranthambhore)  and  Odisha  (Similipal), out  of  13  initially  selected  tiger  reserves,  with  60%  central  assistance  under  the  ongoing  Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project Tiger, Kaziranga (Assam) with 90% central assistance.
22. In  collaboration  with  TRAFFIC-INDIA, an online tiger mortality data base is  operational and Generic Guidelines for preparation of reserve specific Security Plan have been prepared which form a basis for antipoaching strategies in the overarching Tiger Conservation Plan.
23. Implementing a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with tiger States, linked to fund flows for effective implementation of tiger conservation initiatives.
24. Steps  taken  for modernizing  the  infrastructure  and  field protection,  besides  launching 'Monitoring system for Tigers' Intensive Protection and Ecological Status (M-STrIPES)' for effective

field patrolling and monitoring.  The M-STrIPES application has been made android based with three distinct modules, viz. patrol, ecological and conflict.

25. Initiatives taken for improving the field delivery through capacity building of field officials, apart from providing incentives.
26. As a part of active management to rebuild Sariska and Panna Tiger Reserves where tigers have become  locally  extinct,  reintroduction  of  tigers  and  tigresses  have  been  done.    The  successful reintroduction  of  wild  tigers  in  Panna  is  a  unique  exercise  and  one  of  a  kind  in  the  world.  The reintroduced tigresses are breeding.
27. All  India  Tiger,  Co-predators  and  Prey  Estimation,  2018:The  fourth  round  of  country level  tiger  status  assessment  completed  in  2018,  with  findings  indicating  an  increase  with  a  tiger population estimate of 2967 (lower and upper limits being 2603 and 3346 respectively), as compared to the last country level estimation of 2014, with an estimate of 2226 (lower and upper limits being 1945-2491 tigers), 2010 estimation with an estimation of 1706 (lower and upper limits being 15071896) and 2006 estimation, with an estimate of 1411 (lower and upper limits being 1165 and 1657). At present, India has around 75% of tiger population and its source areas amongst the 13 tiger range countries  in  the  world,  owing  to  its  long  history  of  conserving  the  species  through  Project  Tiger (2.21% of country's geographical area spread out in 50 tiger reserves in 18 States).
28. Management  Effectiveness  Evaluation  (MEE) :  A  report  on  Management  Effectiveness Evaluation  (MEE)  of  Tiger  Reserves  was  released  in  July,  2019,  containing  the  fourth  round  of independent assessment based on refined criteria done in 2018 for 50 tiger reserves.  Out of 50 tiger reserves, 21 were rated as 'very good', 17 as 'good' and 12 as 'fair'.
29. Providing special assistance for mitigation of human-tiger conflicts in problematic areas.

## Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

30. A  'Standard  Operating  Procedure'  for  dealing  with  tiger  deaths  has  been  issued,  based  on advisories of Project Tiger / National Tiger Conservation Authority, with inputs from Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, State officials and experts, fine tuned to meet the present challenges.
31. A  'Standard  Operating  Procedure'  for  dealing  with  straying  tigers  in  human  dominated landscape has been issued.
32. A  'Standard  Operating  Procedure'  for  disposing  tiger/leopard  carcass/body  parts  has  been issued.
33. A Standard Operating Procedure has been issued to deal with orphaned / abandoned tiger cubs and old / injured tigers in the wild.
34. A 'Standard Operating Procedure' has been issued to deal with tiger depredation on livestock.
35. A  'Standard  Operating  Procedure'  for  Interstate  Co-ordination  amongst  tiger  reserves  that share boundary was issued by the NTCA.
36. A 'Standard Operating Procedure' has been issued for active management towards rehabilitation of tigers from source areas at landscape level.
37. Phase-IV tiger reserve level, continuous monitoring of tigers using camera traps and building up data on photo captures of individual tigers, has been institutionalized.
38. A national repository of camera trap photo IDs of individual tigers has been created.
39. Field level workshops for capacity building of field officers to deal with straying tigers.
40. On completion of pilot e-surveillance project in Corbett Tiger Reserve (Uttarakhand), central assistance (100%) has been provided for installing 24X7 e-surveillance at Kaziranga Tiger Reserve (Assam) and fringes of Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary (Madhya Pradesh).
41. Economic Valuation of sixteen tiger reserves done in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Forest Management to assess value of the ecosystem services they provide and their potential role in climate change mitigation.
42. Trial of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for monitoring done in the Panna Tiger Reserve (Madhya Pradesh), in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India and now getting extended to 13 other tiger reserves too.  Frontline staff has been capacity built and first set of equipment handed over at the Panna Tiger Reserve.
43. Assessment of Status, Density and Change in Forest Cover in and around tiger reserves of the Shivalik Gangetic Plain Landscape done in collaboration with the Forest Survey of India.
44. A joint  report  of  Bangladesh  has  been  brought  out  on  the  assessment  of  tiger  status  in  the Sundarbans.
45. National Tiger Conservation Authority and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau have established an online tiger / wildlife crime tracking / reporting system in tiger reserves.
46. Based on International standards, security audit framework of the NTCA has been validated for  implementing  across  all  tiger  reserves.    25  tiger  reserves  have  been  assessed  for  their  security protocols through this framework.
47. To assess status of tiger bearing areas outside tiger reserves, the CA|TS (Conservation Assured |  Tiger  Standards)  framework  is  being  used,  which  helps  identify  inadequacies  in  management interventions in such areas so that gaps can be addressed through appropriate strategies.  2 of the 4 global sites accredited with CA|TS certification are in India, namely the Ramnagar and Lansdowne Forests Divisions in Uttarakhand.
48. Initiative has been taken to come out with a sub-continental level tiger estimation report along with Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh.
49. To  assess  occupancy  of  tigers  in  high  altitude  landscapes,  a  collaborative  project  with  the Global Tiger Forum has been initiated.

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