November 2024

**Increase in Tiger Population

The tiger population has increased as per the All India Tiger Estimation done in 2022, with an estimated number of 3,682 (range 3167-3925) as compared to the 2018 estimation of 2,967 (range 2603-3346) and 2014 estimation of 2,226 (range 1945-2491)

The tiger population is increasing at a rate of 6% per annum in India when consistently sampled areas are compared

Drive folder - pib and reports.

4th in Chattisgarh - 56th in Bharat

approval to notify the tiger reserve comprising Guru Ghasidas National Park and Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary in Chhattisgarh.
The recommendations of the state wildlife board and the concurrence of the National Tiger Conservation Authority, under the ministry of environment, forest and climate change, the Cabinet has decided to notify .
This is the 3rd largest in the country, spread over 2800 sq.km
Largest tiger reserve is Nagarjuna sagar - Srisailam Tiger reserve in Andhra Pradesh, second largest being Manas tiger reserve in Assam.

Damoh, MP - largest tiger reserve in the country

🔸Damoh district in Madhya Pradesh approved for the country's largest tiger reserve.

🔸Central government issues notification for the merger of Noradehi and Rani Durgavati Sanctuaries.

🔸The combined reserve spans an expansive 2,300 square kilometres.

December 2024

Ratapani wildlife sanctuary - A Tiger reserve

Ratapani wildlife sanctuary now becomes a tiger reserve, this allows access to NTCA funding.
Ratapani Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh notified as 57th Tiger Reserve of the country
Ratapani Tiger Reserve has a core area of 763.8 sq km, buffer area of 507.6 sq km and total area of 1271.4 sq km. It is the 8th tiger reserve of Madhya Pradesh.
This conservation initiative will strengthen wildlife management in the forests of Ratapani, Bhopal Sehore area. Standard protection, habitat management, ecotourism, community engagement activities etc shall be adopted which will strengthen Wildlife conservation in the Ratapani Tiger landscape.

April 2025

Tiger counting rising in MP - The Hindu - 23.04.2025

The state plans to develop buffer zones in the state's 9 tiger reserves.
allocated 145 crores for the financial year 2025 - 2026 and 2026 - 2027.
This covers chain link fencing, developing grasslands and water resources.
Madhav National park became the ninth tiger reserve in the state, highest among all other states.
The tiger count increased to 785 from 526 over the past four years, after the introduction of 3 tigers under the Reintroduction of Tiger project in 2023.

November 2025

Tiger safaris only in ‘non-forest land’ or ‘degraded forest land’, not in core habitats, says SC

Case

PIL by an advocate, Gaurav Kumar Bansal, complaining about the various violations at the Corbett reserve for commercial exploitation in the name of tourism.

Facts quoted

From nine tiger reserves (spanning 18,278 km) in 1973, the expanse of Project Tiger has increased to 51 reserves (covering 72,749 km), in over 18 states.

Supreme Court's order

A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R.Gavai ordered Monday that tiger safaris shall be strictly established on “non-forest land” or “degraded forest land” provided it is not part of tiger corridor.

Tiger safari shall be allowed only in association with a full-fledged rescue and rehabilitation centre for tigers where conflict, injured or abandoned animals are housed for care and rehabilitation.
Only solar/hybrid or electric vehicles should be operated, and the vehicles must be regulated.

Prohibited activities in the buffer and fringe areas

banned commercial mining,
setting up of saw mills,
industries causing pollution,
establishment of major hydroelectric projects
activities related to tourism such as overflying the tiger reserves by low-flying aircraft (including drones and hot air balloons)
- minimum height of any aircraft shall be at a level which is at least 300 m above the highest obstacle located within 8 km of the estimated position of the aircraft

Regulated activities

establishment of hotels and resorts as per approved tourism prescriptions,
commercial use of natural water resources including ground water harvesting,
fencing of premises of hotels and lodges,
widening of roads and
movement of vehicular traffic at night.

Directions

prepare a Tiger Conservation Plan (TCP) within 3 months.
- The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), shall monitor the TCPs are put in place and
- whether the Steering Committees have been meeting at least twice a year.
Directed all states to notify the bugger and core areas of the tiger reserves within 6 months
Notify the eco sensitive zones (ESZs) around all tiger reserves, including the buffer and fringe areas, no later than one year from the date of judgement.
NTCA to frame model guidelines on human-wildlife conflict within six months, after consulting the states and SC-appointed Central Empowered Committee during the drafting process.
- six-month timeline for the states to implement the guidelines.

Suggestions

To consider classifying human-wildlife conflict as “natural disaster” and to ensure payment of Rs 10 lakh as ex gratia for every human death caused in such incidents.
- Advocating a uniform compensation mechanism, the court said this is mandatory, as fixed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change under the CSS Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats scheme.
- Uttar Pradesh already notified the human wildlife conflict as a natural disaster. Print

Tiger vs Tribals

India’s Tiger Reserves: Tribals Get Out, Tourists Welcome - by Rights and Risks Analysis Group

report also highlighted forced evictions through massive human rights violations.
The number of people displaced from 50 tiger reserves before 2021 was 2,54,794, which worked out to about 5,000 per protected area
Project Tiger will displace at least 5.5 lakh Scheduled Tribes and other forest dwellers