Project Tiger

OBJECTIVE
The main objective of Project Tiger is to ensure a viable population of tiger in India for scientific , economic , aesthetic , cultural and ecological values and to preserve for all time, areas of biological importance as anatural heritage for the benefit, education and enjoyment of the people. Main objectives under the scheme include wildlife management, protection measures and site specific eco-development to reduce the dependency of local communities on tiger reserve resources .

PAST

Project Tiger was launched in 1973-74 is on of the most successful conservation ventures of all time. The project aims at the conservation of tigers in specially constructed 'tiger reserves'. These represent the bio-geographical area falling in our country. An estimate of the tiger population at the turn of the century was around 40,000. Whereas when the 1st survey was done in 1972, the population came out to be only 1827. To prevent this shrinkage, a national ban on tiger hunting was imposed in 1970 whereas the Wildlife Protection Act came into being in 1972.

the principles on which the tiger reserves were made :-

1. Elimination of all forms of human exploitation and biotic disturbance from the core area and rationalization of activities in the buffer zone.
2. Restricting the habitat management only to repair the damages done to the eco-system by human and other interferences, so as to facilitate recovery of the eco-system to its natural state.
3. Monitoring the faunal and floral changes over time and carrying out research about wildlife.

Initially 9 tiger reserves were established which covered which covered an area 13,017 sq.km. Various reserves are Manas [Assam], Palamau [Bihar], Similipal [Orissa], Corbett [UP], Kanha [MP], Melghat [maharashtra], Bandipur [karnataka], Ranthambore [Rajasthan], Sunderbans [west bengal]. The project is a 'centrally sponsored' scheme were the expenditure is shared equally between the Central and State government. WWF gave an assistance of 1 million $ in the form of equipment, literature and expertise.

PRESENT

Wireless communication system and outstation patrol camps have been developed within the tiger reserves, due to which poaching has declined considerably. Fire protection is effectively done by suitable preventive and control measure Voluntory Village relocation has been done in many reserves, especially from the core, area. In Kanha, Bandipur and Ranthambhore, all the villages have been shifted from the core, and after relocation, the villagers have been provided with alternate agricultural lands and other community benefits.

This has resulted in the improvement of the carrying capacity of the habitat. Live stock grazing has been controlled to a great extent in the tiger reserves. Various compensatory developmental works have improved the water regime and the ground and field level vegetations, thereby increasing the animal density. Research data pertaining to vegetational changes are also available from many reserves. In general, the 'restorative management' and 'intense protection' under 'Project Tiger' have saved many of our eco-typical areas from destruction. The area around the buffer is now contemplated as a zone of multiple use, to bring compatibility between the reserves and the neighbouring communities.

FUTURE
a) Use of Information and Communication technology in Wildlife Protection and Crime Risk Management in Tiger reserves.
b) GIS based digitized database and MIS development/networking in Tiger Reserves:
c) Tiger Habitat & Population Evaluation System for the Indian Sub Continent
A 'Tiger Atlas of India' and a 'Tiger Habitat & Population Evaluation System for the country is being developed using the state- of - the - art technology.
This involves:
Satellite data is being used and classified into vegetation and land use maps on a 1:50,000 scale, with digitized data relating to contour , villages, roads , drainage , administrative boundaries and soil . The spatial layers would be attached with attribute data , viz. human population , livestock population , meteorological data, agricultural information and field data pertaining to wildlife, habitat for evolving regional protocols to monitor tiger and its habitat.

Update News From National Geographic......

Oldest Land-Walker tracks found
The first vertebrates to walk the Earth emerged from the sea 18 million years before than thought, say scientists who have discovered footprints from an 8-foot long prehistoric creature. Dozens of 395 million year old fossil footprints have been rezcently discovered in a former lagoon in South-eastern Poland. The prints were made by Tetrapods [animals with backbones and 4 limbs] and could rewrite the history of when, where, and why fish evolved limbs and first walked onto land, the study says.
The tracks were made by species which had digits or toes on each foot. The footprints vary in size, some being as wide as 10 inches. Track size indicate flat bodied, lizard like creatures 8.2 feet long and with stout legs. These were discovered in an abandoned mountain quarry.