ABOUT PROJECT TIGER

Project Tiger has been under implementation since 1973 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Government of India.

The main objective of the scheme is to ensure a viable population of tiger in India for scientific, economic, aesthetic, cultural and ecological values and to preserve areas of biological importance as natural heritage for the benefit, education and enjoyment of the people. Main objectives under the scheme include Wildlife management and protection measures.

Initially, the Project started with nine tiger reserves, covering an area of 16,339 sq km. with a population of 268 tigers. And at present there are 27 tiger reserves covering an area of 37,761 sq km. with a population of 1498 tigers. This amounts to almost 1.14% of the total geographical area of the country. Details of various Tiger Reserves along with their location and area are given in Table-4. The selection of reserves was guided by representation of eco-typical wilderness areas across the bio-geographic range of tiger distribution in the country. Project Tiger is undisputedly a custodian of major gene pool in the country. It is also a repository of some of the most valuable ecosystem and habitats for wildlife.

The Tiger Reserves are constituted on a ‘core-buffer strategy’. The core area is kept free of biotic disturbances and forestry operations, where collection of minor forest produce, grazing, human disturbances are not allowed within. However, the buffer zone is managed as a ‘multiple use area’ with twin objectives of providing habitat supplement to the spill over population of wild animals from the core conservation unit, and to provide site specific eco-development inputs to surrounding villages for relieving the impact on the core. No relocation is visualized in the buffer area, and forestry operations, Non-Timber Forest Produce (NTFP) collection and other rights and concessions to the indigenous communities are permitted in a regulated manner to complement the initiatives in the core unit.

Project Tiger has put the tiger on an assured course of recovery from the brink of extinction, and has resurrected the floral and faunal genetic diversity in some of our unique and endangered wilderness ecosystem. The population of tigers in the country has increased significantly to about 4000 from less than 2000 at the time of launch of the project.

The effective protection and concerted conservation measures inside the reserves have brought about considerable intangible achievements also, viz. arresting erosion, enrichment of water regime and thereby improving the water table and overall habitat resurrection. Labour Intensive activities in tiger reserves have helped in poverty alleviation of the most backward sections and their dependence on forests has also reduced. The project has been instrumental in mustering local support for conservation programme in general.

Approach

• Elimination of all forms of human exploitation and disturbance from the core and rationalization of such activities in the buffer.

• Limitation of the habitat management to repair damage done by man.

• Researching facts about habitat and wild animals and carefully monitoring changes in flora and fauna.

The effective protection and concerted conservation measures inside the reserves have brought about considerable intangible achievements also viz. arresting erosion, enrichment of water regime and thereby improving the water table and overall habitat resurrection. Labour intensive activities in tiger reserves have helped in poverty alleviation of the most backward sections and their dependence on forests has also reduced. The project has been instrumental in mustering local support for conservation programme in general.