Question : TIGER POPULATION

(a) whether the Union Government has requested the State Governments to carry out a fresh count of the tiger population in the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether seventeen tiger States have agreed to launch massive wildlife census simultaneously to come up with an accurate estimate of the tiger population in the country;

(d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the time by which the census in likely to be completed?

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

(a), (b), (c), (d) & (e) Yes Sir.Action has been initiated for conducting the all India tiger estimation using the refined methodology, as a collaborative initiative between the National Tiger Conservation Authority, Wildlife Institute of India, 17 tiger States and Non-Governmental Experts.The process is likely to be completed by the year end.