Tigers and Gujrat

Posted on September 2, 2019 by IAS Leave a comment

Tigers in Gujarat

Till the early 1980s, there were tigers in Gujarat, mainly inhabiting the forests of Dang, Narmada and Sabarkantha districts.
According to records, the last tiger died in a road accident in Dang in 1985.
Local people generally confuse hyenas with tigers and that is how they assume there are tigers in Gujarat forests.

Population estimation method

Tiger population is estimated as per NTCA (National Tiger Conservation Authority) protocols.
The protocol entails estimating the minimum numbers based on camera trap method.
Camera traps are focused on areas with high probability of tiger sightings.
Camera traps are left intact for a period of 45- 60 days.
The images are then subjected to analysis using WildID software programme. This software throws up unique ID for tiger based on their stripe patterns and eliminates duplicates.

Tiger Conservation Programme

Tigers are terminal consumers in the ecological food pyramid and their conservation results in the conservation of all trophic levels in an ecosystem.
Project Tiger is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Government of India which was launched in 1973 for in-situ conservation of wild tigers in designated tiger reserves.
Project Tiger is being implemented in 18 States of India in collaboration with the respective State Governments.

National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a statutory body under Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
It performs supervisory/ coordination role, as provided in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

India’s present status in Tiger Conservation

Due to concerted efforts under Project Tiger since 1973, India alone has the maximum number of tigers and its source areas amongst the 13 tiger range countries.
Project Tiger has been more than successful in its endeavour and has put the endangered Tiger, our national animal, on an assured path of recovery.
In the contemporary global scenario, this effort hardly has any parallel.

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