• Over the last three months, over 200 men with sniffer dogs, drones and trap cameras scoured the forests in Maharashtra Yavatmal district on the trail of an elusive man-eating tiger.
• Due to the fear it caused the villagers, the Maharashtra forest department issued a shoot – to – kill order to eliminate it.
• Although the order was to be used as a last resort, it was challenged in the courts all the way to the supreme Court.
• In September, the top court refused to restrain the forest department from killing. After a 53-days of massive hunt, the man eater tigress was shot dead in Raligoon by a sharp shooter leading to protest of wildlife activists.

Various steps taken by the government for Tiger conservation:

• Indian Tiger is listed in Schedule 1 of the wild life (Protection) Act, 1972.
• Act prohibits trade of rare and endangered species.
• Project tiger was initiated in 1973.
• In 1973, project launched in Jim Corbett national Park.
• Project is sponsored by centre in 9 reserves of different states.
• Projects running in 17 states, their number has increased to 50.

Tiger conservation authority:

• National Tiger Conservation authority was launched in 2005.
• NTCA farmed under ministry of environment, forests and climate change.
• Ensures protective measures and reduces dependency of local communities on tiger reserves.
• Responsible for implementing “Project Tiger” Plan.

Special Tiger Protection Force:

• Formed recommendations by NTCA to protect tiger in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve.

Wildlife protection society of India:

• Founded in 1994 by Belinda Wright.
• WPSI implemented successful conservation campaign around tiger reserve areas in central India.
• Campaign was launched in April 2011.

Tiger Population in India:

• According to the census released by National Tiger Conservation authority there is 5.8% annual increase in Tiger population.
• 2015 Census estimates 2,226 tigers.

Tiger Habitat in India:

• Shivalik – Gangetic Plains Landscape.
• Central Indian and Eastern Ghats Landscape complex.
• Western Ghats Landscape.
• North – eastern hills and Brahmaputra flood plains.

World Tigers

• Larger subspecies live in Northern colder areas,
• Smaller subspecies live in southern, warmer countries.
• Smaller species live in arid forests, flooded mangrove forests, tropical forests and tiaga.
• There are nine subspecies of tigers: Bengal, Siberian, Indo Chinese, South Chinese, Sumatran, Malayan, Caspian, Javan, Bali.
• Caspian, Javan, Bali already extinct, the rest are endangered.