India has 3682 tigers, home to 75 per cent of global numbers: Tiger census data
New Delhi/Ramnagar (U'khand), Jul 29: The number of tigers in India has increased from 2,967 in 2018 to 3,682 in 2022, an annual rise of 6 per cent, according to the latest government data released on the International Tiger Day on Saturday.
With this, India has become home to approximately 75 per cent of the world's tiger population, Union Minister of State for Forest, Environment and Climate Change Ashwini Kumar Choubey said in Ramnagar while releasing the data for 2022.
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the "Status of Tigers 2022" to mark the completion of 50 years of "Project Tiger" in April, the government had said there are at least 3167 tigers in India. Tiger census is held every four years in the country.
"There are a maximum of 3925 tigers in the country. The average number is 3,682," a senior official from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) said.
With a 50 per cent increase in the last four years, Madhya Pradesh has the maximum number (785) of tigers in the country, followed by Karnataka (563), Uttarakhand (560), and Maharashtra (444), according to the data.
In his message on the occasion, Union Minister of Forest, Environment and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav said, "India's exemplary efforts in tiger conservation and the increase in tiger numbers is not just a statistic but a testament to the determination and commitment of the nation.
"Under the ambit of tiger conservation, India has not only successfully safeguarded its tiger population, but also has secured the future of all life forms, truly in line with our philosophy of 'Vasudhaiva Kutambakam'."
He also took to Twitter to congratulate Madhya Pradesh for the achievement.
"With 785 tigers as per the latest tiger estimation exercise, MP is the Leading Tiger State of India! This reflects MP's commitment to conserving tigers through intensive protection and monitoring by involving local communities," he said.
However, the data shows, states such as Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand have recorded a dip in the number of majestic cats in the last few years.
The ministry has called for serious conservation efforts to aid in the recovery of the tiger population in these states.
According to data analysis done by the Wildlife Institute of India, the upper limit of the tiger population is estimated to be 3925 and the average number is 3682 tigers, reflecting a commendable annual growth rate of 6.1 percent per annum, the ministry said.
In his address, Choubey said, "Nature protects those who conserve nature. So, nature and wildlife must be protected at any cost."
Arunachal Pradesh lost around 70 per cent of its tigers -- from 29 in 2018 to just 9 in 2022.
The number of tigers dropped from 28 to 20 in Odisha, from 5 to 1 in Jharkhand, from 19 to 17 in Chhattisgarh and from 26 to 21 in Telangana.
The count dipped from 6 in 2006 to nil in 2022 in Mizoram and from 10 in 2006 to just 2 in 2022 in northern West Bengal. Nagaland also does not have any tigers now, according to the data.
Approximately, 35 per cent of the 53 tiger reserves in India urgently require enhanced protection measures, habitat restoration, ungulate augmentation, and subsequent tiger reintroduction, the Union environment ministry said in a statement.
The number of tigers "within the tiger reserve" is highest in Corbett (260), followed by Bandipur (150), Nagarhole (141), Bandhavgarh (135), Dudhwa (135), Mudumalai(114), Kanha (105), Kaziranga (104), Sundarbans (100), Tadoba (97), Sathyamangalam (85), and Pench-MP (77).
Eighteen tiger reserves have less than 10 big cats left.
These are Ranipur in Uttar Pradesh; Achanakmar, Indravati and Udanti Sitanadi in Chhattisgarh; Palamau in Jharkhand; Bor and Sahyadri in Maharashtra; Satkosia in Odisha; Mukundara and Ramgarh Vishdhari in Rajasthan; Kawal in Telangana; Kalakad Mundanthurai in Tamil Nadu; Nameri in Assam; Dampa in Mizoram; Pakke, Kamlang and Namdapha in Arunachal Pradesh and Buxa in West Bengal.
Released in April, the "Status of Tigers 2022" report highlighted both encouraging and concerning trends in tiger populations across various landscapes.
The tiger population in the forest divisions of the Shivalik Hills and Gangetic Plains landscape has experienced a significant surge: 804 unique tigers have been photographed in these regions, surpassing the estimated 646 population in 2018.
This increase in tiger numbers has been attributed to photographic evidence showing tigers in new areas of Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, raising hopes for range expansion in these regions.
The Western Ghats witnessed a decrease in tiger occupancy, except for a few areas like Kali (Anshi Dandeli), where the number of unique tigers remains stable. The report pointed to "increasing human footprint and development" as the primary reasons behind the declining tiger population in the Western Ghats and stressed the need to address the issue of human-mega herbivore and carnivore tensions in this vital biodiversity hotspot.
Moving to the Northeastern Hills and Brahmaputra Plains landscape, while the number of distinctive tigers captured on camera decreased to 194 from the estimated 219 in 2018, the report assured that the tiger population in the region is still "secure".
However, due to its small size and genetic uniqueness, intensive conservation efforts are necessary to protect the tiger population from threats such as habitat loss, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict, it said.
Central India has seen an increase in the tiger population, with 1,161 tigers photographed compared to the estimated 1,033 in 2018. While this expansion of tiger habitats is positive, urgent attention and conservation efforts are required in areas where local tiger populations have become extinct, including reserves like Kawal, Satkosia, and Sahyadri, to prevent the extinction of small populations and mitigate human-tiger interactions, the government said.
In the Sundarbans, 100 tigers were captured on camera in 2022 compared to 88 in 2018. The population remains steady, but there is limited potential for range extension. To preserve the ecological integrity of the Sundarbans, the report stressed the importance of cross-border collaboration and knowledge exchange between India and Bangladesh.
Attending the programme in Ramnagar virtually, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said a balance between ecology and economy is a must.
He also sought more resources from the Centre to curb man-animal conflicts and illegal poaching of animals.
The programme was also addressed by Union Minister of State for Defence and Nainital MP Ajay Bhatt, Director General (forest) Chandra Prakash Goyal and NTCA member secretary SP Yadav.
Apart from the All India Tiger Estimation 2022 report, a report on the reserves and management effectiveness and evaluation report were also released.
Six tiger reserves in the country -- Kali, Melghat, Pilibhit, Tadoba Andhari, Navegaon and Periyar -- were given CAT awards.
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Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
