Question

Observation table for satus of tiger project

Answer 1

Project Tiger is a tiger conservation programme launched in 1 April 1973 by theGovernment of India during Prime MinisterIndira Gandhi's tenure. The project aims at ensuring a viable population of Bengal tigersin their natural habitats, protecting 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 2,226 as per the latest census report released on 20 January 2015.[3] State surveys have reported a significant increase in the tiger population which is estimated to cross 3,000 during the 2018 count (as part of a four yearly tiger census). The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has confirmed that the tiger census will be undertaken in 2018 and the final numbers will be available by January 2019.[4]