Government of India's recent efforts towards wildlife conservation: tigers, lions and cheetahs. by Ruchita Bait Gavhane
For centuries, India was home to a vast population of tigers, cheetahs, and lions. Even till the beginning of the 20th century, the population of these apex hunters was thriving.
However, with a growing human population, animal habitats began getting occupied. There was a rise in animal-human conflict, and illegal activities such as hunting and poaching for the trade of animal skin and bones grew significantly
The tiger population declined to a few thousand individuals. And the lion population, once found in abundance in various parts of Asia, Africa, and Europe, experienced a sharp decline.
Over the year, the Indian government has launched conservation efforts to save and bring back these vulnerable big cats.
The impact of these illegal activities was so severe, the Asiatic Cheetah went completely extinct in India in 1952.
Project Tiger
Some 200 years ago, there were 58,000 tigers roaming the Indian forests. With the growing human population, increased poaching activities, and declining number of prey, the tiger population fell sharply.
By the 1970s, the estimated number of tigers found in India was down to 2,000 individuals. This prompted the then-Indian government to jump into action; in April 1973, the Government of India declared the tiger the country’s national animal, and simultaneously, it launched Project Tiger.
Government of India's recent efforts towards wildlife conservation: tigers, lions and cheetahs. by Ruchita Bait Gavhane
One of the world’s largest species conservation initiatives, Project Tiger’s core objective was to reduce the factors responsible for the depletion of tiger habitats and return the ecosystem to its natural state.
The advancement of technology came to aid in this initiative. To control poaching, wireless communication and outstation patrol camps were developed in each tiger reserve. And the efforts have paid off. According to recent estimates, the global tiger population is at 4,500.
The Gir Lion Conservation Landscape
Considered to be an endangered species today, the Asiatic Lion was once found in parts of West and Southern Asia. But during the 19th century, the population experienced a sharp decline due to intensive hunting by British colonial officers and Indian rulers.
Government of India's recent efforts towards wildlife conservation: tigers, lions and cheetahs. by Ruchita Bait Gavhane
The lion population by the end of the 19th century was down to a few dozen individuals.
In efforts to save the species from extinction, the Gir Forest Reserve, Gujarat, the only place where the Asiatic Lion occurs and lives, was created. And it was accorded sanctuary status in 1965. The Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is spread over 500 square miles.
Since then, several lions have been bred in the sanctuary. And years of conservation efforts have led to an increase in the lion population, which stands at 674 individuals today.
Government of India's recent efforts towards wildlife conservation: tigers, lions and cheetahs. by Ruchita Bait Gavhane
The fastest land animal was once found in great numbers in India. Excessive hunting activities by Indian kings caused a fall in the cheetah population. And nearly 70 years ago, the Asiatic Cheetah went extinct in India.
While the efforts to reintroduce the cheetah began soon after their extinction was confirmed, there were several bureaucratic roadblocks to be overcome. It was only in September 2022 that a few cheetahs that were flown in from Namibia were finally introduced to the Indian ecosystem
Government of India's recent efforts towards wildlife conservation: tigers, lions and cheetahs. by Ruchita Bait Gavhane
India had nine tiger reserves in 1973, and today it has 52 such reserves and the tiger population in the country has also stabilized.
With plans of bringing the total cheetah population in Kuno to 40, 12 cheetahs from South Africa will soon join the cheetahs from Namibia. As for the Asiatic lions, there are additional efforts being made to translocate them to other Indian national parks to save them from threats of epidemics and natural disasters.
Government of India's recent efforts towards wildlife conservation: tigers, lions and cheetahs. by Ruchita Bait Gavhane
Over the past many decades, India has brought back and saved these animal species from the brink of extinction. It is a success story unlike any.