Tigers in India: Distribution, Tiger Census, Tiger Reserves
Around 70% of tigers of the world are in India. As per official data of Tiger Census-2014, there are more than 2200 tigers in India.
States and Landscapes with Tiger Population
As per Status of Tigers in India, 2014, there are 18 states in India with Tiger Population. The entire area of tiger population has been divided into five tiger landscape complexes viz. Shivalik Hills & Gangetic Plains, Central Indian Landscape & Eastern Ghats, Western Ghats, North-Eastern Hills & Bhramaputra Flood Plain and Sundabans.
The below table shows the population of Tigers as per 2014 Census:
[table id=162 /]As per 2014 Tiger Census, maximum number of Tigers are found in Karnataka, followed by Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh. The Mudumalai-Bandipur-Nagarhole-Wayanad complex holds the world’s single largest tiger population currently estimated over 570 tigers.
Parts of a Tiger Reserve
Each tiger reserve has two areas viz. Core area (Critical Area) and Buffer Area. Core area is kept as inviolate as possible, without affecting the rights of the Scheduled Tribes or such other forest dwellers. Buffer Area is peripheral to the Core area. It has a lesser degree of habitat protection and promotes co-existence between wildlife and human activity. Please note that Gram Sabha is consulted in management of buffer areas.
Alternation of Boundaries of Tiger Reserves
The alternation of boundaries of Tiger Reserves is done via notification by state governments. Prior approval of NTCA and National Board for Wild Life is needed. Kindly note that the State Government has power to de-notify a tiger reserve in public interest but only with the prior approval of the Tiger Conservation Authority and the National Board for Wild Life.
Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF)
This is a Centrally sponsored scheme in which the central government provides 100% financial assistance to the states for raising, arming and deploying the STPF in sensitive tiger reserves. Karnataka was the first state to raise a STPF.
India’s Tiger Reserves
As of January 2016, there are 48 Tiger Reserves in India. Corbett National Park was the first national park of India to be covered under Project Tiger on April 1st, 1973.
- Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam is the largest tiger reserve in terms of Area, while currently, Bor Tiger Reserve in Maharastra is smallest in area.
- Manas (Assam) , Similipal (Orissa), Sunderbans (West Bengal) are Biospheres having Tiger reserves.
- Manas Tiger Reserve is the only tiger reserve which is also a World Heritage Site
