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Project Tiger was launched in 1973 to ensure the survival of tigers in India. Launched with 9 reserves initially, it was gradually expanded to cover 28 tiger reserves in 17 States covering an area of 37761 sq. km.
The project aims at strengthening wildlife protection, habitat improvement, field research units, buffer areas development and involvement of the local people in eco-tourism and tiger protection.
Tiger Census
The all India Tiger Estimation, commonly known as ‘Tiger Census’ is carried out once in every 4 years involving field personnel at all levels. The last such exercise was done during 2001-02, which indicated the presence of 3642 tigers in the country.
The data collection for the ‘Tiger Census’ involves ‘lifting’ of hind pugmark impressions of tigers to facilitate individual identification and collecting other evidences like droppings, direct sightings, kill evidences, vocalization and local enquiry in standardized formats. The estimation also considers the vegetal cover availability and crosschecking with livestock depredation and availability of natural prey.
Considerable refinement is also under way to standardise the procedure through digital photographs of pugmarks. The improved methodology would be applied during the forthcoming tiger census from November 2005 to February 2006, informs Dr Rajesh Gopal, Director, Project Tiger.
Dr. Prodipto Ghosh, Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests, says that the findings of scientists at the Wildlife Institute of India, the premier, internationally acclaimed research institution in the country on wildlife, establish that while the tiger census methodology had some flaws, which are being addressed through an active research programme, its results closely corresponded with that of other methods such as the "camera trap" methodology, which are extremely expensive. Further, that the census results in most of the tiger reserves, including Bandhavgarh, Panna, and Pench, which had been cited in the media as problem tiger reserves, stood the statistical tests of validity at 95% level of significance, in terms of correlation with actual recorded sightings. The correlation was weak in respect of Sariska, which clearly pointed to a problem, Dr Ghosh observed.
Threats
The single largest threat of extinction that looms over the tiger and many other wildlife, species according to conservationists is the massive demand for traditional medicine in several Asian countries. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and Interpol have estimated the demand for wildlife products at US $ 5 billion every year.
The demand for wildlife products outside the country and the lucrative prices offered for wildlife products in the clandestine market across our borders is a serious threat to our wildlife. It has been estimated that the prices of tiger bone and rhino horns are US$ 2425 and US$ 1150 per kg respectively. Ivory may fetch US$ 800 per kg in the international market. The price of musk pod is estimated at around US$ 50,000 per kg. The possibility of insurgents’ involvement in the systematic killing of wild animals to buy arms and ammunition illegally has also not been ruled out.
Problems
An array of factors including fragmentation of habitats, paucity of staff, overageing of staff, lack of skill and training amongst frontline personnel and officers, unregulated tourism and heavily used infrastructure within the reserves disturb wild animals and tigers.
The problem has further been compounded by the financial stringency prevailing in most of the states due to which a total ban on new recruitment has been imposed and in certain cases there are 30 to 40 per cent of the posts are lying vacant in the field formations of the forest department. Funds for recurring expenditure like patrolling, maintenance of vehicles, wireless sets and sometimes even for supply of uniforms are not available. In certain states, even salaries of staff are not paid regularly.
Conservation Measures
India enacted the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 with the objective of effectively controlling poaching and illegal trade in wildlife products. The Act was amended in 1982, 1986, 1991 and 2002 to make its provisions more stringent. Hunting of all species was banned in 1991. Realising the global nature of the illegal wildlife trade, India also ratified the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora (CITES) in 1976. The provisions of the Convention and the country’s export policy provide India adequate legislative powers to deal with illegal trade in wildlife.
Regional offices have been set up in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai to control illegal trade in wildlife and its products. These offices are responsible for import and export of wild animals and plants from the major airports and seaports. In addition, there are 3 more sub-regional offices located at Amritsar, Guwahati and Kochi to assist these regional offices in controlling illegal trade. These offices have seized many important wildlife products of precious and endangered wild animals which were meant for trade in the international market.
Evaluation of reserves
Project Tiger had also set up a group of independent experts in July 2004 to conduct an exhaustive, rigorous survey and evaluation of the state of management of all 28 tiger reserves in the country in terms of an internationally accepted methodology developed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) involving 45 different evaluation parameters.
The interim findings of these experts, whose composition and terms of reference have been accepted by the Supreme Court, indicate that, scientifically it is incorrect to conclude from the acknowledged problem at Sariska that there is a large scale decline of tigers in the country or that the census figures are grossly erroneous. It is also incorrect to say that the tiger reserves are poorly managed, Dr Ghosh underlines.
Red Alert
In the meeting of the Field Directors of the Tiger Reserves and the Chief Wildlife Wardens of the States, the Minister of Environment and Forests, A. Raja, revealed that red alert, apart from directives for monsoon patrolling, has been issued to all tiger reserves to prevent poaching during the rainy season when poachers are most active.
The special protection directives for the forthcoming monsoon include deployment of staff at sensitive points; daily recording of patrolling, deployment of CRPF in reserves like Valmiki, Palamau, Simplipal, Manas, Indravati, Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam, Namdapha, Panna, Pench and Tadoba-Andhari. Authorities have been advised not to grant leave to their field staff during the monsoon except under extraordinary circumstances.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, has taken personal interest in resolving the problems faced by the tiger reserves. He visited the Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve recently and interacted with the field officials to review the ground realities.
The tiger must be saved by all means. Without the tiger there will be no jungle kingdom and the wildlife would decay irreversibly.
*Information Officer
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