Question : POACHING OF TIGERS

(a) whether the demand for tiger parts in China and other factors have led to large scale poaching of tigers in various tiger reserves in the country:

(b) if so, the number of tigers reportedly killed in each of the tiger reserves during the last three years and the current year, year-wise;

(c) whether the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has recently conducted a review to assess reasons for fall in the population of tiger;

(d) if so, the outcome thereof;

(e) the funds sanctioned, released and spent for tiger conservation during the current Five Year Plan State/U.T.-wise; and

(f) the steps taken/proposed to be taken to check the poaching of tigers in the country?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRI JAIRAM RAMESH)

(a) The ongoing demand for tiger body parts catering to the traditional Chinese medicine has a deleterious effect on the status of wild tigers in the world, including India. The other general causative factors for tiger decline are at Annexure-I.

(b) The tiger mortality figures as reported by States during the last three years and current year (reserve-wise), are at Annexure-II.

(c) & (d) The country level tiger estimation using the refined methodology is done once in every four years for an assessment of the status of tiger, co-predators, prey animals and habitat. As per the findings of the all India Estimation of tiger using the refined methodology done in 2008, the total country-level population of tiger is 1411 (mid value); the lower and upper limits being 1165 and 1657 respectively. The recent assessment of tiger population is based on determining spatial occupancy of tigers throughout potential tiger forests and sampling such forests using camera traps in a statistical framework. This assessment is not comparable to the earlier total count using pugmarks owing to several shortcomings in the latter. The details of the last such assessment done in 2008 are at Annexure-III. Initiatives have been taken for the 2nd All India estimation of tigers using the above refined methodology.

(e) Funds sanctioned/released and utilized by States during the current Plan period are at Annexure-IV.

(f) The milestone initiatives taken by the Government of India for conservation and protection of tigers are at Annexure-V.