TIGER POPULATION ESTIMATION, 2023 - ENVIRONMENT

What's in the news?

       The number of tigers in India has increased from 2,967 in 2018 to 3,682 in 2022, an annual rise of 6 percent, according to the latest government data released on the International Tiger Day, 2023.

 

Key takeaways:

       India has become home to approximately 75 percent of the world’s tiger population.

       Madhya Pradesh has the maximum number (785) of tigers in the country, followed by Karnataka (563), Uttarakhand (560), and Maharashtra (444), according to the data.

       Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand have recorded a dip in the number of majestic cats in the last few years.

       Arunachal Pradesh lost around 70 percent of its tigers — from 29 in 2018 to just 9 in 2022. The number of tigers dropped from 28 to 20 in Odisha, from 5 to 1 in Jharkhand, from 19 to 17 in Chhattisgarh and from 26 to 21 in Telangana.

       The number of tigers “within the tiger reserve” is highest in Corbett (260), followed by Bandipur (150), Nagarhole (141), Bandhavgarh (135), Dudhwa (135), Mudumalai(114), Kanha (105), Kaziranga (104), Sundarbans (100), Tadoba (97), Sathyamangalam (85), and Pench-MP (77).

       Eighteen tiger reserves have less than 10 big cats left. These are Ranipur in Uttar Pradesh; Achanakmar, Indravati and Udanti Sitanadi in Chhattisgarh; Palamau in Jharkhand; Bor and Sahyadri in Maharashtra; Satkosia in Odisha; Mukundara and Ramgarh Vishdhari in Rajasthan; Kawal in Telangana; Kalakad Mundanthurai in Tamil Nadu; Nameri in Assam; Dampa in Mizoram; Pakke, Kamlang and Namdapha in Arunachal Pradesh and Buxa in West Bengal.

       Six tiger reserves in the country — Kali, Melghat, Pilibhit, Tadoba Andhari, Navegaon and Periyar — were given CAT awards.