Project Tiger

India:

India contains 60% of the world's tigers; as recently as 1970 it was still legal to hunt them and to export skins. During the 1950s and early 1960s it is recorded that more than 3,000 tigers lost their lives to trophy hunters, most of these being tourists.

Aims of Project Tiger:

Thanks in no small part to the efforts of conservation-minded Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, India's national emblem was eventually declared a protected animal.

Project Tiger was formed in 1972 and launched on the 1st April 1973 at Corbett National Park. It's aims were:

To ensure maintenance of a viable population of tigers in India for scientific, economic, aesthetic, cultural and ecological values.

To preserve, for all times, areas of such biological importance as a national heritage for the benefit, education and enjoyment of the people.

Early development:

With the co-operation of the Indian Government, Project Tiger initially established 9 reserves, across different ecosystems. These were devoted specifically to saving the tiger and eliminating those factors which were contributing to the decline of the tiger:

habitat destruction.

forestry disturbance.

loss of prey.

poaching.

competition with local villagers and domestic animals.

(Continued Page 2)

Project Tiger - Page 1&2: Development Of Project Tiger | 3: Initial Successes | 4: An Alarming Reversal |
5: Project Tiger Today

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