Comprehensive Tiger Report Released On Global Tiger Day
On the occasion of Global Tiger Day celebrated at the Corbett Tiger Reserve on July 29, 2023, Union Minister of State, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, released a comprehensive tiger report.
Key Findings
- The spatial distribution of tigers has undergone considerable changes, accompanied by a remarkable rise in distinct tiger sightings. From 2461 in 2018 to 3080 in 2022, the number of unique tiger sighting has increased significantly.
- Notably, over three-quarters of the tiger population now resides within protected areas, highlighting the importance of conservation efforts.
- During the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Project Tiger at Mysuru on April 9, 2022, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the minimum tiger population in India was 3,167. This figure represented the population estimate from the camera-trapped area.
- However, a more comprehensive analysis conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India, taking into account both camera-trapped and non-camera-trapped tiger presence areas, reveals that the upper limit of the tiger population is estimated to be 3,925, with an average number of 3,682 tigers. This data reflects a remarkable annual growth rate of 6.1% per annum.
- The tiger population in Central India, as well as the Shivalik Hills and Gangetic Plains, has experienced significant growth. This remarkable increase has been particularly observed in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Maharashtra.
- Nevertheless, specific areas, such as the Western Ghats, encountered localized decreases, requiring focused monitoring and conservation endeavors.
- Several states, such as Mizoram, Nagaland, Jharkhand, Goa, Chhattisgarh, and Arunachal Pradesh, have raised concerns about the worrisome decline in their tiger populations.
- Madhya Pradesh boasts the largest tiger population, with a staggering number of 785. Following closely behind are Karnataka with 563, Uttarakhand with 560, and Maharashtra with 444.
- Among the Tiger Reserves, Corbett boasts the highest tiger abundance with 260, followed by Bandipur with 150, Nagarhole with 141, Bandhavgarh with 135, Dudhwa with 135, Mudumalai with 114, Kanha with 105, Kaziranga with 104, Sundarbans with 100, Tadoba with 97, Sathyamangalam with 85, and Pench-MP with 77.
- Some tiger reserves have experienced impressive growth, while others are encountering challenges. About 35% of these reserves are in urgent need of improved protection measures, habitat restoration, increased ungulate populations, and subsequent tiger reintroduction.
Suggested Strategies
To uphold ecological harmony, it is critical that India persist in promoting environmentally-friendly development initiatives, reducing the effects of mining, and restoring mining sites. Moreover, strengthening the management of protected areas, implementing robust measures against poaching, and integrating scientific methodologies and technology-enabled data collection are crucial strategies for safeguarding the tiger populations of India.
Through Project Tiger, India has achieved significant strides in tiger conservation in the past half-century, but issues such as poaching remain a threat to these wild cats. Sustained commitment to preserving tiger habitats and corridors is vital for ensuring the survival of India’s tiger population, thereby preserving their ecosystems for the benefit of future generations.
Project Tiger
Over the past half-century, Project Tiger has made substantial headway in its conservation efforts. Originally encompassing nine tiger reserves covering an area of 18,278 square kilometers, the project has experienced exponential growth. It now boasts a network of 53 reserves spread over an impressive 75,796 square kilometers, representing 2.3% of India’s total land surface. Consequently, India is now home to roughly 75% of the world’s wild tiger population.
The initial phase of Project Tiger in the 1970s laid the groundwork for preservation efforts by instituting the Wildlife Protection Act and carving out protected areas for tigers and tropical forests. However, the project faced a setback in the 1980s with a surge in poaching activities.
To counteract this, a second phase was launched in 2005. It adopted a holistic approach to conservation that included a landscape-level strategy, community engagement, stringent law enforcement measures, and the utilization of cutting-edge technology for scientific observation and data analysis.
This method led to a resurgence in the tiger population and yielded crucial results, including the demarcation of critical core and buffer zones, the identification of new tiger reserves, and the acknowledgement of tiger landscapes and corridors. It also fostered a scientific mindset among forestry staff and endorsed the use of technology for transparent data gathering and analysis.
Project Tiger has strategically classified tiger habitats into five major landscapes based on their biogeographical characteristics and interconnectedness. This categorization has allowed for the implementation of effective ecological and management strategies.
Source: PIB
Charting The Path For The Sixteenth Finance Commission
The initiation of the Sixteenth Finance Commission is fast approaching, and it comes during a time of significant changes and challenges. Notably, the world has been grappling with the impact of COVID-19, geopolitical strife, and, relevantly. India saw a steep rise in the combined government debt-GDP ratio , which nearly reached 90% at the end of the fiscal year 2020-21. Additionally, several States have been struggling with considerable fiscal imbalances.
The Fourteenth Finance Commission made a landmark decision by increasing the States’ share in the divisible pool of central taxes from 32% to 42%. However, this ratio was adjusted to 41% following a reduction in the number of Indian States to 28.
As the Sixteenth Finance Commission charts its course, it could consider several potential recommendations. These may encompass a reconsideration of the 2018 Amendment to the Centre’s Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM), the need for restraint on the distribution of freebies, and a call for reforms to curb such practices.
Source: The Hindu
Additional Reading For UPSC Prelims & Mains: Cooperative Federalism, Finance Commission, Centre-State Financial Relations
Sahyadri Range
A group of five scientists conducted extensive research involving the upheaval of over 7,000 rocks to study the behavioral response of animals to these land-use changes in their rocky habitats.
- The Sahyadri Range in Maharashtra is undergoing a major shift from traditional grain cultivation to monoculture plantations of mango and cashew, impacting the indigenous wildlife such as amphibians, insects, and reptiles.
- The study, published in the Global Ecology and Conservation journal, concentrated on species including the white-striped viper gecko, Seshachari’s caecilian, saw-scaled viper, ants, spiders, and scorpions.
- The white-striped viper gecko is a species exclusive to the Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts of Maharashtra. Similarly, Seshachari’s caecilian, a unique legless amphibian, majorly resides under the soil.
- The Sahyadri mountains, estimated to be 100 million years old, are formed primarily of basaltic rock and are of volcanic origin.
- Geological data suggests that these mountains were formed during the disintegration of the supercontinent, Gondwana, approximately 150 million years ago.
- The Sahyadri Range is home to a significant portion of the region’s flora and fauna, many of which are endemic to Maharashtra.
Source: The Hindu