29/04/2015
Project Tiger
Logo of National Tiger Conservation Authority
Project Tiger is a Tiger conservation programme launched in 1973 by the Government of India under its then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The project aims at ensuring a viable population of Bengal tigers in their natural habitats and also to protect them from extinction, and preserving areas of biological importance as a natural heritage forever represented as close as possible the diversity of ecosystems across the tiger's distribution in the country. The project's task force visualized these tiger reserves as breeding nuclei, from which surplus animals would migrate to adjacent forests. Funds and commitment were mastered to support the intensive program of habitat protection and rehabilitation under the project.[1] The government has set up a Tiger Protection Force to combat poachers and funded relocation of villagers to minimize human-tiger conflicts.
During the tiger census of 2006, a new methodology was used extrapolating site-specific densities of tigers, their co-predators and prey derived from camera trap and sign surveys using GIS. Based on the result of these surveys, the total tiger population has been estimated at 1,411 individuals ranging from 1,165 to 1,657 adult and sub-adult tigers of more than 1.5 years of age.[2] Owing to the project, the number of tigers has improved to 2226 as per the latest census report released on January 20, 2015.[3]
Objectives
Bengal tiger
Project Tiger was identified to:
Limit factors that leads to reduction of tiger habitats and to mitigate them by suitable management. The damages done to the habitat were to be rectified so as to facilitate the recovery of the ecosystem to the maximum possible extent.
To ensure a viable population of tigers for economic, scientific, cultural,aesthetic and ecological values.
For site specific eco development to reduce the dependency of local people on tiger reserve resources.
About
Tiger hunt by Rufus Isaacs, former Viceroy of British India
The Indian tiger population at the turn of the 20th century was estimated at 20,000 to 40,000 individuals. The first country-wide tiger census conducted in 1972 estimated the population to comprise a little more than 1,800 individuals, an alarming reduction in tiger population.[1]
In 1973, the project was launched in the Palamau Tiger Reserve.
Management
Project Tiger is administered by the National Tiger Conservation Authority. The overall administration of the project is monitored by a steering committee headed by a director. A field director is appointed for each reserve, who is assisted by a group of field and technical personnel.
The habitats covered under Project tiger are:
1.Sivalik-terai conservation unit
2.North East conservation unit
3.Sunderbans conservation unit
4.Western ghats conservation unit
5.Eastern ghats conservation unit
6.Central India conservation unit
The various tiger reserves were created in the country based on 'core-buffer' strategy:
1.Core area: The core areas are freed of all human activities.It has the legal status of a national park or wildlife sanctuary.It is kept free of biotic disturbances and forestry operations like collection of minor forest produce,grazing,and other human disturbances are not allowed within. 2.Buffer areas:The buffer areas are subjected to 'conservation-oriented land use.'It comprises of forest and non-forest land.It is a multi-purpose use area with twin objectives of providing habitat supplement to spillover population of wild animals from core conservation unit and to provide site specific co-developmental inputs to surrounding villages for relieving their impact on core area. For each tiger reserve, management plans were drawn up based on the following principles:
Elimination of all forms of human exploitation and biotic disturbance from the core area and rationalization of activities in the buffer zone
Restricting the habitat management only to repair the damages done to the ecosys