India’s Bengal tiger population sees a remarkable comeback

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What You Need To Know!

• In the early 20th century, there were an estimated 40,000 Bengal tigers in the wild in India, but their numbers dwindled to 4,000 due to hunting and habitat destruction.
• Indira Gandhi, India’s third prime minister, cared deeply about nature and pushed through the Wildlife Protection Act in 1972, which led to the formation of a tiger conservation task force and Project Tiger.
• 50 years later, India now has 53 tiger reserves, with an estimated combined tiger population of 2,967 in 2018, and the upcoming release of new figures may show a further increase to 4,000.

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India’s Bengal tiger population has been making a remarkable comeback thanks to conservation efforts that started over five decades ago. In the early 1900s, there were an estimated 40,000 Bengal tigers in the wild, but their numbers dwindled to a mere 4,000 due to rampant hunting and habitat destruction.

However, the appointment of Indira Gandhi as India’s third prime minister in 1966 marked a turning point for tiger conservation in the country. A “task force” was formed with renowned naturalists and conservationists, who estimated that only 1,827 tigers remained in the wild in India in the early 1970s.

This led to the launch of Project Tiger in April 1973, which aimed to save the big cats from extinction by mapping habitats and conducting research on their conservation.

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Fast forward to today, and India now boasts 53 tiger reserves, with an estimated combined tiger population of 2,967 in 2018. These numbers are set to increase even further, with the upcoming release of new figures by India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, on April 9th.

The count is expected to show a potential increase to 4,000, which is an impressive feat for tiger conservation in the country. The success of India’s tiger conservation efforts can be attributed to the tireless work of conservationists, researchers, and the government in creating protected areas and raising awareness about the importance of these majestic creatures.

Source: onlygoodnewsdaily.com