Tiger Reserves & Project Tiger
Forest & Wildlife · टाइगर रिजर्व और प्रोजेक्ट टाइगर
📋Quick Overview
Project Tiger is India's most successful wildlife conservation programme, launched on April 1, 1973 at Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand. India had only 1,827 tigers in 1973; the count rose to 3,167 by 2022. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), established in 2005, oversees 53+ tiger reserves covering 75,000+ sq km. India is home to 75%+ of the world's wild tiger population.
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Tiger Census 2022: 3,167 tigers in India — largest tiger population in world. State with most tigers: Madhya Pradesh (785). Most tiger reserves: Madhya Pradesh (7). Largest tiger reserve: Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam (3,568 sq km, AP/Telangana).
📖Tiger Census Progress 1973-2022
| Year | Tiger Count | Key Development |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 1,827 | Project Tiger launched; 9 initial reserves |
| 2006 | 1,411 | Critical low point — alarming decline; NTCA formed |
| 2010 | 1,706 | Population recovering; camera trap method used |
| 2014 | 2,226 | India doubles tiger count pledge achieved 4 years early |
| 2018 | 2,967 | 78% increase from 2006; India = 75% world's wild tigers |
| 2022 | 3,167 | Latest count; MP leads with 785; India = world's tiger capital |
📖Key Tiger Reserves — State-wise
| State | Key Tiger Reserves |
|---|---|
| Madhya Pradesh (7 TRs) | Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Pench, Panna, Satpura, Sanjay-Dubri, Ratapani |
| Uttarakhand | Jim Corbett (1st TR, 1973), Rajaji |
| Rajasthan | Ranthambore, Sariska, Mukundra Hills |
| Assam | Kaziranga, Manas, Nameri, Orang |
| Andhra/Telangana | Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam (largest — 3,568 sq km) |
| West Bengal | Sundarbans (mangrove tiger habitat) |
| Kerala/Karnataka | Periyar, Nagarhole, Bandipur, Anamalai |
📝NTCA — Key Facts
- •NTCA: Established 2005 by amendment to Wildlife Protection Act 1972; statutory body under MoEFCC; superintendence of tiger reserves; can de-notify tiger reserves if mismanaged
- •Project Tiger first director: Kailash Sankhala (1973); Indira Gandhi was PM who launched Project Tiger at Corbett
- •Global Tiger Day: July 29 (declared at Tiger Summit, St. Petersburg, Russia, 2010); TX2 goal = double tiger numbers by 2022 (achieved!)