The big picture on tigers (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 3: Environment
Prelims level : Tiger Conservation
Mains level : Improving infrastructure on animal conservation process

Context

•  The tiger, which once sat crouching, is now roaring in India. Results of a once-in-four-years estimation of tiger numbers show us that India has about 3,000 of them. This is relevant not only nationally, but also globally this is a majority of the world’s wild tiger population, of around 4,000 tigers.

Scope of the tiger population increase

•  Each year, the tiger estimation increases its scope.
•  Camera trap images, findings of foot surveys and other evidence on tigers and their prey species are collected.
•  The latest estimate says that we have approximately 2,967 tigers in India, up from 2,226 as per the 2014 count.
•  The scope of the effort was different this time: while the 2014 count included tigers that were over 1.5 years of age, this one included tigers as young as one-year old.

Widening of rail, road networks

•  Relaxations in norms to allow for a widening of highway and railway networks are the new threats, adding to the old ones of retaliatory poisoning and poaching.
•  A report on management effectiveness of tiger reserves was also released on World Tiger Day.
•  The report rated Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh as the best in terms of good management practices.
•  This is fairly commensurate with its tiger numbers. Central India is one of the best tiger nurseries in India.
•  Of all States, Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of tigers, over 500 of them.
•  Yet, tiger reserves cannot control what is around them; and the Pench tiger faces a new threat.
•  The National Highway 7 (NH7), which connects Pench and Kanha tiger reserves, has just been widened. Tigers, as well the animals they prey on, find it hard to cross roads; for instance, a tiger died near Dehradun in 2016 after being hit by a speeding vehicle.
•  It may have been from Rajaji Tiger Reserve, an area that needs more male tigers.
•  After sustained pressure from citizens and protests from the Madhya Pradesh forest department, authorities built underpasses meant for wildlife through NH7.
•  But go down the spanking new highway in Maharashtra, and it has barriers on the road.
•  It isn’t much of a surprise then that a tiger was recently seen climbing the barrier to cross the road.
•  To put this incident into perspective, most National Highways are slated for widening and upgradation, and most tiger reserves have State or National Highways around them.
•  Each year, thousands of animals die on the road. Apart from highways, railway and irrigation projects are coming up in tiger reserves, and the Ken-Betwa river interlinking project will submerge 100 sq. km of Panna Tiger Reserve.

Way forward

•  The story is beyond and around the reserve boundaries that tigers have to cross.
•  The numbers should also give pause to the plans being made discounting the presence of tigers.
•  This is a time for thoughtful growth. Highways and railways should not be expanded to encroach into tiger areas; irrigation projects should also avoid the areas.
•  Cost-benefit analyses need to take into account the needs of wild animals.
•  At the moment, highways are not even able to do away with barriers, and it is assumed that tigers can swim through dam-submerged areas.
•  So, to live, tigers are being made to swim across dams, cross highways, dash across railway lines, not eat livestock, and avoid people.

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Prelims Questions:

Q.1) With reference to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill, 2019, consider the following statements:
1. Under the Act, investigation of cases may be conducted by officers of the rank of Deputy Superintendent or Assistant Commissioner of Police or above.
2. If the investigation is conducted by an officer of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the approval of the Director General of NIA would be not be required for seizure of such property.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both
D. None

Answer: A
Mains Questions:
Q.1) To what extent lack of infrastructure expansion is a threat for tiger population. Comment.