(a) the total population of tigers in the country for the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise;
(b) whether there has been increase in number of incidents of killing and poaching of tigers reported in the recent years;
(c) if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the Government has put any appropriate mechanism in place to check such incidents and save the tiger population in the country; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(DR. MAHESH SHARMA)
(a) As per the assessment of Status of Tigers, Co-predators and Prey, 2014 using the refined methodology, the tiger number in India is estimated at 2226 (range 1945-2491) as compared to 2010 estimate of 1706 (range 1520-1909 tigers). The details of tiger estimation pertaining to tiger landscapes in the country for the years 2010 and 2014 are at Annexure-I. The population of tigers, reserve-wise, is at Annexure-II.
(b) & (c) From 2012-17, 55% of tigers have died due to natural causes, 7% have died due to unnatural causes not attributable to poaching, 23% have died due to poaching while 15% have been tiger body part /derivate seizures.
(d) & (e) The Government of India, through Project Tiger / National Tiger Conservation Authority, has taken a number of initiatives towards antipoaching operations, which, inter alia, include creation of Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF), formulation of Security Plan guidelines which form part of the overarching Tiger Conservation Plan (TCP), development of a security audit framework, creation of an online wildlife crime database, institutionalizing android application based patrolling using M-STrIPES (Management System for Tigers, Intensive Protection and Ecological Status) for effective area domination and accountability, implementation of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for dealing with tiger deaths, intensification of international cooperation to control trans-boundary illegal trade in wildlife, besides financial assistance for antipoaching initiatives under the ongoing Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project Tiger.
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