Tigers Outside Tiger Reserves Initiative

1. India's tiger population, estimated to be around 3,682, faces significant challenges, especially with nearly 30% of these tigers being reported outside of notified reserves.
2. To address this issue, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is finalizing the contours of the “Tigers Outside Tiger Reserves” project.
3. The initiative aims to monitor the tiger population outside reserves, reduce poaching, minimize human-animal conflict, enhance community outreach, and improve tiger habitats.
4. The proposed outlay for the project is Rs 176.45 crore, covering the period until 2026-27.
5. The initiative is expected to focus on two primary areas:
   1. Reducing human-animal conflict
   2. Stepping up monitoring outside tiger reserves to tackle poaching

Challenges and Human-Wildlife Conflict

1. Tigers recorded outside notified reserves are found in forests under the control of territorial and wildlife divisions managed by state forest departments.
2. The dispersal of tigers from reserves into forest divisions increases the risk of human-tiger conflict, including livestock depredation and poaching. This also pushes other predators like leopards further towards human settlements, further escalating the risk of human-wildlife conflict.
3. Areas such as Wayanad in Kerala, Chandrapur in Maharashtra, and Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh have been prime examples of recurring human-wildlife conflict.

Implementation Plan

1. Based on findings from the 2022 all-India tiger estimation and recent trends in human-tiger conflict, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) will implement the project in 80 forest divisions across 10 states.
2. To fund the initiative, the ministry has sought support from the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), which finances wildlife conservation efforts through funds collected from the felling of forests for development projects.

Tiger Population and Conservation

1. India is home to an estimated 3,628 tigers (upper limit), spread across 58 tiger reserves. The tiger population is distributed across diverse landscapes, including: Shivalik Hills, Terai Plains, Central Indian Highlands, Eastern Ghats, Western Ghats, Northeastern Hills, Brahmaputra Plains and Sundarbans.
2. The Central Indian Highlands and Eastern Ghats host the highest number of tigers, followed by the Western Ghats, Shivalik Hills, and Terai plains.

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