Democratising Tiger Conservation

Why in News?

• Scientists were happy that Project Tiger at fifty years was able to sustain the tiger population in most of the geographical locations where they existed at the beginning of the project.
• However, the 2023 Tiger Census (preliminary report) suggests that for the first time, the hold seems to be slipping away. Thus, India needs to revisit its policies concerning Tiger Conservation practices.

 

Background to India's Tiger conservation efforts

• In 1972, the Wild Life Protection Act was enacted to address the decline in wildlife across the country.
• To revive the tiger population in the country Project Tiger was launched on 1st April 1973 from the Jim Corbett National Park of Uttarakhand.
  • This project helped bring back the population of tigers which once reached the verge of extinction.

 

Tiger Census 2022 (Interim)

• The number released by the PM is the minimum estimate based on tigers photographed during the survey.
• There is an indication of a 6% annual growth. At this rate, the expected number would be 25-30% above the previous 2018-19 estimate of 2967 tigers in the Tiger Census 2018.

 

Issues with current conservation practices

• Conservation amnesia/Shifting the baseline
  • Fifty years ago, India’s alarming revelation that tiger numbers had dropped below 3,000 shocked the world.
  • The 1,400+ tigers in 2006 and the claims of doubling the tiger population in 2019 led to celebration among wildlife managers.
  • But despite strong political support, funds, and the legal framework provided, the numbers do not reflect a great success at 50 years of tiger conservation.
• Dwindling tiger population in some areas
  • India is losing tigers from Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, the Eastern Ghats, and the North Eastern forests.
  • As a result, the genetic diversity unique to these geographical locations will be lost which will create issues in maintaining long-term population viability and natural recovery.
  • To overcome this reduction in numbers the method "Reintroduction Plan" is being used. For example, tigers from central Indian forests are being reintroduced to manage the reduction.
  • However, the reintroduction plan may homogenise tiger genetic structure across India.
• Misinterpretation of the concept of Umbrella Species
  • The tiger was considered an Umbrella Species. Saving tigers meant saving the entire ecosystem.
  • But in the absence of proper scientific oversight, the focus stayed on boosting tiger numbers rather than the whole ecosystem.
• Manipulation of ecosystem
  • The most common interventions were to manipulate ecosystems to support high densities of the tiger’s principal prey species.
  • The manipulation led to further degradation of wildlife ecosystems. For example, in most cases, this involved improving habitat for the cheetal, which resulted in the “cheetalification” of tiger reserves.
  • However, in the Kanha Tiger Reserve (MP), the explosion in the cheetal population resulted in the habitat becoming unsuitable for the endangered barasingha.
  • Similarly, the excessive provisioning of water (in other parks) during the dry season led to reduced natural, climate driven variations in populations of wildlife.
• Exclusive conservation model
  • Conservation efforts in India depend entirely on a network of Protected Area
  • This is an exclusive conservation model and suffers from a “sarkaar” complex.
  • Ordinary Indians, especially those living closest to wildlife have very little say in conservation.
  • Also, there is no policy framework and incentive for ordinary citizens to aid in conservation. As a result, conservation has not reached beyond these Protected Areas (PAs).
• Restrictive Wildlife Protection Act
  • The WLPA is a restrictive law, which describes in great detail what you can’t do.
  • However, the law and associated policies have done very little to enable conservation.

 

Comparing with policies of other countries

• In other countries, natural lands are owned or managed by individuals, communities, farmers, ranchers, corporates, charities, and the government.
• Governments incentivise private citizens to conserve these lands according to their interests.
• As a result, several conservation models operate simultaneously.
• In India, all natural habitats are managed by one agency. The approach to conservation is singular, and exclusive.

 

What should be India's vision to democratise the conservation efforts?

• India needs to have frameworks that allow local communities, citizens, scientists, non-governmental organisations, and businesses to participate meaningfully in conservation.
• Large tracts of forest land are “Reserved Forests” under the jurisdiction of State Forest Departments. It also provides economic benefits for local communities.
  • Therefore, such areas can be co-managed with an inclusive approach.
• In many landscapes, degraded agricultural lands adjoining these forest areas can be restored to enhance connectivity between Protected Areas.

 

Conclusion

Although India has made a tremendous work in protecting the wildlife, the policy of tiger conservation in India needs to be democratised. This will help in taking conservation efforts beyond Protected Area system.

 

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Q) What are some challenges faced in Tiger Conservation?

Challenges faced in Tiger Conservation include poaching for illegal wildlife trade, Habitat loss, and Human-Tiger conflict.

 

Q) What is the philosophy behind Project Tiger?

Tiger is an “Umbrella Species” which ensures viable populations of other wild animals and forest, thereby ensuring the ecological viability of the entire area and habitat.

 

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Source: The Hindu