About

• Tiger reserves are designated regions established to safeguard tigers and their prey, managed under Project Tiger, which was introduced in 1973. As of 2016, the number of tiger reserves has increased to 50.
• These reserves collectively cover an area of 71,027.10 km². A tiger reserve is a protected zone created specifically to preserve tigers and their habitats. Initially, there were only nine tiger reserves, but today, the number has expanded to 42 across 17 states.

How it’s Declared: 

• The state government can designate an area as a tiger reserve upon the recommendation of the National Tiger Conservation Authority.

What’s Inside a Tiger Reserve:

• Core Zone: This is like the tiger’s main living space. It’s chosen using scientific criteria and is crucial for tiger conservation. However, the rights of local tribes and forest dwellers are respected.
• Buffer Zone: This is like the area surrounding the core zone. It provides some protection but allows for a bit more human activity. The idea is to balance the needs of wildlife with the rights of local people.
• Setting Boundaries: The limits of these zones are decided based on science, in consultation with local communities and experts. No changes can be made to these boundaries without approval from the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the National Board for Wild Life.
• Protection Measures: Once an area becomes a tiger reserve, it can’t be removed unless there’s a really good reason and both national authorities give the green light.

National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a special group created by a law in 2006 to help save tigers.

1. Approving Plans: They check and approve plans made by state governments to protect tigers. These plans include things like how to take care of tigers and their homes.
2. Protecting the Land: They make sure that the land where tigers live is not used in ways that can harm them, like mining or big industries.
3. Guiding Tourism: They set rules for tourists visiting areas where tigers live, making sure it doesn’t bother the tigers too much.
4. Sharing Information: They share important information about how many tigers there are, the places they live, and if there are any problems like diseases or accidents.
5. Preserving Tiger Areas: They make sure that the special areas where tigers live are not changed for things that can harm the environment, unless it’s really necessary for the public and has approval from a higher wildlife board.
6. Helping Conservation: They support efforts to protect tigers, including working with local communities and following plans approved by the government.
7. Supporting Tiger Reserves: They give help like scientific advice, using technology, and legal support to make sure the plans to save tigers are working well.
8. Training and Development: They make sure the people who take care of tigers are trained well and keep getting better at their jobs.

Estimation of Tiger Populations 

Counting how many tigers are in a certain area is called a “Tiger census.” This is like taking a big picture of the tiger population.

Every four years, India does a big checkup on its tiger population. This is super important for saving these big cats. The checkup is called the “All India Tiger Estimation,” and the 2010 one was a big deal. 

Why it’s Done: This checkup is a vital part of making sure we’re doing a good job in protecting our tigers. It gives us an idea of how many tigers we have and how well they are doing in their homes.

Three Steps of Checking

• Phase 1: People trained to look after tigers gather info about them in the field. They follow a set way of doing things to make sure it’s fair.
• Phase 2: They use satellite data to look at the homes of the tigers and see how things are going there.
• Phase 3: They take pictures of tigers using cameras. This is a smart way to tell different tigers apart because of their unique stripe patterns.

Phase IV

Why it’s Done: The census helps us know how many tigers are there, how much space they need, and if their numbers are going up or down. It’s like a health check for the tiger community.

1. How it’s Done: People do this regularly to keep an eye on the tiger population and how it’s changing. They not only count the tigers but also figure out how many tigers can live in a certain area and what they eat.
2. Old and New Ways: In the past, they used a method called ‘Pugmark Census Technique,’ where they looked at footprints to identify tigers. Now, they use more modern ways like taking pictures with cameras and even using DNA fingerprinting.
3. Camera Trapping: This means taking pictures of tigers using cameras. They can tell different tigers apart by looking at the patterns on their bodies, especially their stripes.
4. DNA Fingerprinting: In this cool new technique, they can identify tigers by studying their droppings, called scats. It’s like a tiger’s unique signature found in their poop.