Centrality of Tiger agenda

 India is one of the few countries, where tigers have their natural habitat. There are an estimated 2,226 tigers in the country and India has 70 per cent of the world’s tiger population, according to the last tiger census.

Why centrality of tiger agenda is a ecological necessity:-

• Their protection is human responsibility towards the world and future generations”.
• An umbrella species, the tiger signifies the health of the ecosystem services which support life on the planet. The carbon locked up in tiger forests provide a great adaptation to the threats of climate change.
• Carbon trading hardly has kickstarted in tiger range countries, where it is required most.
• It is flagship species and is on top of the food chain hence conservation is critical.

Steps taken:-

Indian:-

• Enabling provisions for tiger in the national legislation
• Creation of National Tiger Conservation Authority
• India has taken several measures, including bringing out guidelines for tiger safaris, to reduce the pressure of eco-tourism, protect habitats of tigers and conserve its population
• India had launched Project Tiger in 1973 to conserve tigers.
• Till now, the coverage of Project Tiger has increased from nine reserves to 50 tiger reserves spread across 18 states.
• Year-round monitoring of tiger and prey
• Strict adherence to guidelines for responsible ecotourism in tiger reserves

Technological:-

• SOP to strengthen interstate coordination in bordering tiger reserves.
• Smart patrolling and notification of five more tiger reserves
• Aerial surveillance, Economic Valuation of Tiger Reserves.
• Modern protocol for field monitoring (M-STRIPES)
• Online database of tiger crime

International:-

World leaders had signed the St.Petersburg Declaration on Tiger Conservation, which also decided to celebrate July 29 as Global Tiger Day.
The Global Tiger Initiative (GTI) program of the World Bank, using its presence and convening ability, brought global partners together to strengthen the tiger agenda.
Global Tiger Forum (GTF), being the only inter-governmental platform of tiger range countries since 1993, has been consolidating Tiger Action Plans of the range countries. It has forged viable partnerships with several like-minded organizations in India and abroad — IUCN, WWF, WCT, WII, IIFM, IFAW, WTI, WCS, USAID, World Bank, Clemson University.
GTF engagement along with partners in areas of Conservation Assured Tiger Standards (CA|TS), Security Audit of Tiger Reserves, Management Planning etc. A special High-Altitude project is ongoing with the IUCN’s support for appraisal of tiger status in High Altitude Ecosystems of South Asia. Several other programmes are on the anvil.

Issues with Indian approach :-

• India is a long way from achieving the ambitious target set in 2010 of doubling the global tiger numbers by 2022.
• They share certain overarching common issues of concern such as poaching and habitat loss.
• All the range countries face the challenge to balance the interests of conservation and development.
• Four categories emerge in the context of tiger presence and status across the range countries: forest with no tiger or prey, forest with few tigers and abnormal sex-ratio, empty forests etc
• Paucity of resources
• Man animal conflict.

Way forward:-

Tiger must be secured at three basic levels: field formation, national and international. Though a sovereign issue, international engagements between border countries are important for evolving a common portfolio to address the threat of trafficking.
The Key Performance Indicators of the ongoing Global Tiger Recovery Program need adequate resources and more commitment. Donors with green mission need to support regional projects for reducing the threat of trafficking, and addressing resource dependency of locals through gainful portfolios.
Citizen’s charter is needed for green development within sustainable tiger landscapes.

By: SONAM SHEORAN