India Launches Pilot Scheme to Tackle Human Tiger Conflict Outside Reserves

Human Tiger Conflict Management Latest News

The Union Environment Ministry has given approval for funding for the ‘tigers outside of tiger reserve’ pilot scheme to manage human-tiger conflicts better through enhanced monitoring and protection.

Addressing the Challenge of Tigers Beyond Protected Areas

• In response to the rising incidence of human-tiger conflict in several parts of India, the Union Ministry of Environment has approved a pilot scheme focused on “tigers outside of tiger reserves.” 
• This scheme, with an outlay of Rs. 88 crore until 2026-27, aims to enhance the protection, monitoring, and conflict management capabilities in regions where tigers roam outside officially designated tiger reserves.
• The executive committee of the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) has given in-principle approval for a year of pilot implementation. 
• This decision follows data-driven identification of forest divisions with high conflict zones, where approximately 30% of India’s tiger population resides.

‹ ›

Scope and Implementation of the Pilot Scheme

• Initially, 80 forest divisions across 10 states have been shortlisted for funding under the scheme. 
• These divisions were identified based on the frequency and severity of human-tiger conflicts in recent years.

• Key objectives of the pilot scheme include:

• • Strengthening monitoring systems through technology.
  • Capacity building of forest staff to manage conflict.
  • Partnering with civil society organisations and expert veterinarians.
  • Supporting prey base augmentation to reduce livestock predation.
• The scheme will be implemented at the ground level by the Chief Wildlife Wardens of state forest departments in collaboration with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). 
• The NTCA is currently finalising the list of eligible divisions and has been asked to submit revised, year-wise financial estimates before final approval by the CAMPA governing body.

Underlying Causes of Human-Tiger Conflict

• Tigers outside designated reserves often inhabit agricultural landscapes or forest fringes near human settlements. 
• These areas lack the dedicated protection mechanisms available within official tiger reserves. 
• Being apex predators and territorial in nature, tigers often push other predators like leopards into human spaces, escalating conflict risk. Notably, some of the major conflict hotspots include:
  • Chandrapur near Tadoba Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra
  • Sugarcane fields around Dudhwa and Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh
  • Forest divisions near Ranthambore, Rajasthan
  • Wayanad, Kerala
• Between 2020 and 2024, 382 people were killed in tiger-related incidents, with 111 deaths recorded in 2022 alone. These numbers underscore the urgent need for proactive and well-resourced intervention outside traditional protected zones.

Institutional and Policy Framework

• The pilot scheme is financially backed by the National CAMPA, which manages the Compensatory Afforestation Fund. 
• This fund consists of payments collected in lieu of forest land diverted for non-forest purposes and has been used in the past for wildlife initiatives such as the Great Indian Bustard recovery and Project Cheetah.
• CAMPA’s involvement ensures the utilisation of existing funds for a cause directly linked to forest and wildlife sustainability. 
• The National Board for Wildlife, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had earlier discussed this scheme during its meeting in March 2025.

Government Support and Future Outlook

• Speaking at the India Conservation Conference held at the Wildlife Institute of India, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav reaffirmed the government’s commitment to tackling man-animal conflict. 
• Citing personal visits to conflict-prone areas like Dudhwa and Kabini, he acknowledged the complexity of managing tiger populations that venture outside reserves.
• The minister emphasised the importance of adopting a region-specific approach, recognising that the dynamics of conflict and coexistence differ significantly between forest types and human settlements.

Source: IE