All India Tiger Estimation Report 2018 (Tiger Census) – Highlights & state of Tigers in India
(APSC Geography Notes)
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The All India Tiger Estimation Report 2018 made public by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on occasion of Global Tiger Day on 29 July. As per the report, India has 2,967 tigers, which is about 33% more than in 2014.
PM Modi said, “With around 3,000 tigers, India has emerged as of one of the biggest and safest habitats for them in world. The country is proud to be home to almost 75% of the global tiger population”.
Highlights & Key Findings
Top 5 Performing States
- Madhya Pradesh (526)
- Karnataka (524)
- Uttarakhand (442)
- Maharashtra (312)
- Tamil Nadu (264)
States that saw Decline in Tiger Population
- Chhattisgarh and Mizoram.
While all other States saw a Positive increase.
- Assam has a total of 190 Tigers.
- Highest Number of Tigers in Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
- Maximum Improvement in Tiger Population since 2014 is recorded in Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu.
4th cycle of the Management Effectiveness Evaluation of Tiger Reserves (MEETR), which evaluates India’s 50 tiger sanctuaries was also released along with 4th National Tiger Estimation (Tiger census).
- According to it, Pench sanctuary (MP) and Periyar sanctuary of Kerala emerged as best managed tiger reserves in country. Dampa Reserve (Mizoram) and Rajaji reserve (Uttarakhand) were left at bottom of ladder.
- Chhattisgarh was least performing State in reserve management.
4th National Tiger Estimation (Tiger census)
- It is 4th such tiger survey since 2006, conducted once in 4 years. Latest survey is culmination of 15 months of forest officials surveying 3,81,400 sq-km of forested habitat, installing 26,760 camera traps and wildlife biologists digging by 35 million images of wildlife. Nearly 83% of estimated tiger population was captured in these images.
- India has been counting tigers and assessing habitat every four years since 2006. The 33% rise in tiger numbers is the highest ever recorded between four-year cycles. The growth was 21% during 2006-10 and 30% between 2010 and 2014.
- The report does not contain numbers of other predators like leopards. But better tiger numbers are generally seen as indicating good prey bases and habitat.
Global Tiger Population
- The world-wide population of wild tigers stands at around 3,950.
- India has almost 75% of the total population.
- Russia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Thailand, Bangladesh and Bhutan being key countries contributing to the remaining 25% count.
International Tiger Day
- Global Tiger Day, often called International Tiger Day, is an annual celebration to raise awareness for tiger conservation, held annually on 29 July.
- It was created in 2010 at the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit.
- The goal of the day is to promote a global system for protecting the natural habitats of tigers and to raise public awareness and support for tiger conservation issues.
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