Project “Tigers Outside Tiger Reserves”

Current Context: Recent reports indicate that 30% of India’s estimated 3,682 tigers live outside designated reserves, leading to increased human-wildlife conflict and poaching threats.

• To tackle this, the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change has launched the “Tigers Outside Tiger Reserves” project with an allocated budget of ₹176.45 crore until 2026-27.

Key Concerns

• Tigers outside reserves often enter human settlements, attack livestock, and face poaching risks.
• Conflict-prone areas include Wayanad, Chandrapur, and Pilibhit.
• 2020-2024: 378 human fatalities due to tiger conflicts, highest in Maharashtra, UP, MP.

Implementation Strategy:

• Led by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
• Covers 80 forest divisions across 10 states.
• Utilizes data from the 2022 Tiger Census & conflict trends.
• Additional funding from Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority(CAMPA) for afforestation & conservation efforts.

Tiger Population & Distribution

• Largest populations found in Central Indian Highlands & Eastern Ghats.
• Other key landscapes: Shivalik Hills, Terai plains, Sundarbans.