The tiger population in India went up from 2,967 to 3,682 in 2022, showing an annual growth of 6%, as per government information. In Rajasthan, the number of tigers increased from 32 in 2006 to 88 in 2022.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has given permission to create a new tiger reserve in Rajasthan's Karauli and Dholpur districts. This is the 54th tiger reserve in India. Rajasthan already has four tiger reserves - Mukundra Hills, Ranthambore, Sariska, and Ramgarh Vishdhari. This is a big step to protect wildlife in Rajasthan.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) gave its green light for the new tiger reserve on August 4. The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change also granted initial approval on August 22.
On a social media platform, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav expressed his excitement. He said that the start of the Dholpur-Karauli Tiger Reserve is a huge step for protecting wildlife in Rajasthan. He asked everyone to work together to protect this important ecosystem and its magnificent tigers.
Over time, Kumbhalgarh in Rajasthan has also received initial approval to become a new Tiger Reserve. Yadav expressed his happiness about this progress too. He mentioned that this effort is an important move to protect wildlife. It holds the potential to create a better future for tigers and the variety of life in Rajasthan and Yadav pointed out that these actions will create more jobs for local people by promoting eco-friendly tourism.
Diya Kumari, who is a part of the NTCA and also a Member of Parliament from Rajsamand, was happy about the initial approval. She said she's committed to overcoming challenges to make this project happen. She also hoped for the upcoming creation of the Kumbhalgarh Tiger Reserve.
Based on government data, the number of tigers in India has increased significantly. It went from 2,967 in 2018 to 3,682 in 2022, which is a yearly growth of 6 per cent. Reports show that Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of tigers (785), followed by Karnataka (563), Uttarakhand (560), and Maharashtra (444). This means the tiger population has increased by 50 per cent over the last four years.