Poaching, invasive species, mining, staff shortages and habitat fragmentation threaten tiger populations in many reserves
Tigers in Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya PradeshFile photo: CSE
Published on
:
India is home to three quarters of the global tiger population, but a detailed analysis of the country’s 2022 tiger census data has revealed a major disparity in its distribution. Nearly 40 per cent of these tigers are concentrated in just 11 per cent of the reserves. Only six reserves house more than 100 tigers, whereas 22 reserves report fewer than 10 tigers — or none at all.
The by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) provided estimates for tiger populations in 53 reserves across 18 states. According to the estimates, India is home to at least 3,167 tigers, up from 2,967 in 2018. This represents about 75 per cent of the world’s tiger population.
Of the total population, 1,977 tigers were sighted or captured on camera within reserves.
On analysing the data, Down To Earth (DTE) found that 15 tiger reserves — 28 per cent of the total 53 — have five or fewer big cats. Seven more reserves host between six and ten tigers. The census found that three reserves — Buxa (West Bengal), Dampa (Mizoram) and Palamu (Jharkhand) — recorded no tigers, while Indravati (Chhattisgarh) and Ramgarh-Vishdhari (Rajasthan) were not evaluated.
Further, the 2022 NTCA report showed an uneven distribution of tigers, found DTE — of the 1,977 tigers documented within 53 reserves, six (Kaziranga, Bandipur, Nagarhole, Bandhavgarh, Mudumalai and Corbett) account for 795 tigers.
Corbett National Park alone hosts an estimated 231 tigers, the highest in India, followed by Nagarhole (127) and Bandipur (126). Kaziranga and Bandhavgarh have 104 tigers each while Mudumalai recorded an estimated population of 103.
As of 2024, India has 56 tiger reserves covering 78,626 square kilometres — over 2.3 per cent of the country’s total area — dedicated to protecting the Schedule I species with no human interference. Two new reserves, Veerangana Durgavati (Madhya Pradesh) and Dholpur-Karauli (Rajasthan), were notified in 2023 and Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla (Chhattisgarh) was added in November 2024.
Threats to tigers and their habitats
Despite these efforts, an evaluation of tiger reserve management published earlier this year highlighted several threats jeopardising habitats and impacting tiger movement. These threats include poaching, invasive species, mining, staff shortages and habitat fragmentation.
The Bridging the Gap – Unveiling Effectiveness of India’s Tiger Reserve Management report (2024) observed that invasive species are affecting habitats in as many as 40 tiger reserves.
The report also found that 20 tiger reserves lacked sufficient anti-poaching staff, leaving wildlife vulnerable. Ten reserves, including Dampa, Mukundara and Mudumalai, reported shortages and an ageing workforce, with staffing levels down by at least 40 per cent.
Many of these vacancies are for forest guards and frontline staff, making patrolling and monitoring for illegal activities increasingly challenging. The management effectiveness evaluation section in the report identified these staffing gaps as critical weaknesses requiring urgent action in at least 21 tiger reserves.
A 2023 study published in the Journal of Applied Ecology and reported by Down To Earth revealed that 11 high-concern invasive plant species, including Lantana camara, Prosopis juliflora and Chromolaena odorata, have invaded 66 per cent of natural ecosystems across 20 states.
The study raised concerns about the , which directly depend on herbivores for food. As herbivores rely on native plants, the proliferation of invasive species and the resultant scarcity of edible vegetation disrupt the food chain, posing a serious threat to tigers.
Other concerns outlined by the NTCA’s Status of Tigers, Co-Predators and Prey in India, 2022 report include mining, habitat fragmentation, the development of linear infrastructure and a low prey base. These issues disturb tiger corridors, fragment habitats and alter genetic pools, further threatening tiger populations.
The low prey base has prompted government intervention to augment prey populations in several reserves. However, experts have criticised such measures as unscientific, equating artificial greening efforts to farming in wilderness areas.
The NTCA report called for stricter regulations, stronger environmental protections, the establishment of wildlife corridors and the urgent restoration of habitats to ensure efficient wildlife movement and the long-term survival of tigers.
Read all the news related to forests in Hindi
Tiger Conservation
Tiger
National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)
