The study says India has achieved significant success in conserving wildlife, even as global wildlife populations have declined.
| Photo Credit: file photo

A new study has found that the tiger population in India has increased by 30% over the past two decades.

The study, which has been published in Science, was led by Senior Scientist Yadvendradev Jhala and colleagues. It has explored the socio-ecological factors that have enabled tiger recovery and persistence despite high human densities and economic challenges amid rapid urbanisation.

Meticulous balance

“They have found that the tiger population in India has increased by 30% over the past two decades. This demonstrates the remarkable success achieved through a meticulous balance of scientific strategies and a strategic blend of land-sharing and land-sparing,” the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) said.

It further added that despite harbouring the highest human population residing in economically diverse regions, India has achieved significant success in conserving wildlife, even as global wildlife populations have declined by 73%.

“Protected areas, devoid of humans, through land sparing have allowed sustenance of 85% of breeding populations. These source populations facilitated through corridors and sustainable land-use practices have enabled tigers to disperse and expand into multi-use forests. Tigers now coexist with over 66 million people, proving coexistence possible,” said Mr. Jhala.

Legislative framework

The study stated that India’s tiger recovery has strengthened due to a strong legislative framework, including the Wildlife Protection Act, Forest Conservation Act, and the National Tiger Conservation Authority.

“Beyond ecological factors, economic prosperity and cultural values have influenced tiger persistence, recovery and colonisation. Regions with lower dependence on forest resources and better socio-economic conditions have witnessed higher tiger recolonisation rates. Conversely, areas with high poverty, and armed conflict such as in Naxal-affected parts of Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand—have experienced tiger decline,” it added.

Future direction

On challenges and future directions, the scientists also have key recommendations which include, expanding protected areas and habitat corridors, strengthening anti-poaching measures, promoting sustainable livelihoods for communities living near tiger habitats,enhancing human-wildlife conflict mitigation strategies, including early warning systems and rapid response teams.

“While India’s tiger recovery is an extraordinary achievement, challenges remain. Large tracts of potential tiger habitat — spanning 157,000 sq km — are still devoid of tigers due to socio-political instability and habitat degradation,” it said.