TL;DR:Ā India has successfully doubled its wild tiger population to 3,167 by 2022, claiming 75% of the world's wild tigers. This achievement is thanks to policies focusing on habitat protection, economic incentives for locals, and conservation programs like the Global Tiger Recovery Program. Despite challenges like urbanization and conflicts, effective wildlife protection and habitat connectivity are helping the big cats thrive.
India's tiger population was in serious trouble by the early 2000s due to poaching, habitat destruction, and human encroachment. With only 3,600 tigers left globally, something needed to be done urgently.
So, in 2010, the Global Tiger Recovery ProgramĀ aimed to double the wild tiger population by 2022. India not only achieved this goal but even became the home to 75% of the world's wild tigers, expanding tiger habitats by 30% in two decades. Today, Indiaās tiger population is about 3,167, covering an area of approximately 138,200 kmĀ². š
š How Did India Pull It Off?
Science-Driven Policies:Ā Focusing not just on numbers but also habitat connectivity, ensuring genetic diversity.
Land-Sparing & Land-Sharing Strategies:Ā Protecting core tiger areas while also promoting coexistence with human populations in buffer zones.
Political Stability:Ā In places where conflicts have reduced, tiger populations are thriving, especially in areas like Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam and Amrabad (Telangana & Andhra Pradesh).
š Challenges Along the Way:
From 2006 to 2018, around 17,992 kmĀ² of habitat was lostĀ due to urbanization, infrastructure development, and armed conflicts.
Conflict zones like Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and JharkhandĀ remain vulnerable to local tiger population extinctions.
āØ The Road Ahead:The study suggests huge recovery potential in conflict-affected areas if political stability improves. If this continues, India's tiger population will continue to grow and strengthen. š³š
š¢ MediaFx Opinion:Indiaās tiger recovery story shows that conservation can succeed if it considers local communitiesā livelihoods and political stability. Instead of blaming the poor for environmental degradation, the government should address inequality and exploitation that cause conflicts. Only when the marginalized are empowered can wildlife truly thrive. š¹ā
