(a) whether there has been an increase in the number of tigers in the country recently;
(b) if so, the number of tigers during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise; and
(c) whether effective steps have been taken/proposed to be taken for conservation of tigers and if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(DR. HARSH VARDHAN)
(a) As per the assessment of the Status of Tigers, Co-predators and Prey, 2014 using the refined methodology, the tiger number has shown 30% increase countrywide with an estimated number of 2226 (range 1945-2491) as compared to 2010 estimation of 1706 (range 1520-1909 tigers).
(b) The country level tiger estimation using the refined methodology is done once in four years. The details of tiger estimation pertaining to tiger landscapes in the country for the years 2010 and 2014 are at Annexure-I.
(c) Under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project Tiger, funding assistance is provided to the tiger reserves, based on their Annual Plan of Operations for various activities which inter alia include anti-poaching measures, habitat development, staff welfare, eco-development etc.
Besides, Government of India, through Project Tiger / National Tiger Conservation Authority, has taken a number of initiatives towards tiger conservation, which has resulted in substantial growth in tiger number. These, inter alia, include creation of Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF), All India Tiger, Co-Predators and Prey Estimation and Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) of Tiger Reserves done once in every four years, implementation of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for dealing with tiger deaths, straying of tigers, active management towards rehabilitation of tigers from source areas at landscape level and other aspects, e-surveillance project in some of the identified tiger reserves and intensification of international cooperation to control trans-boundary illegal trade in wildlife etc.
***