Centre launches projects on tiger, dolphin, gharial, sloth bear conservation

New Delhi, Oct 6 (PTI) The Centre on Monday launched five national-level projects on species conservation and conflict management, including one to address conflicts between humans and tigers outside tiger reserves, and projects for the conservation of gharials and sloth bears.

The other two initiatives focus on implementing the 'Action Plan of Project Dolphin (Phase-II)' to strengthen conservation measures for riverine and marine cetaceans across India, and establishing the Centre of Excellence for Human-Wildlife Conflict Management (CoE-HWC) at SACON to support policy, research and field-based mitigation of human–wildlife conflicts.

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, who launched the projects at an event at the Wildlife Institute of India during Wildlife Week celebrations, said India has made significant progress in tiger conservation but faces growing conflict between tigers living outside reserves and humans.

"The pollution in rivers is impacting the dolphin population," he said.

With 35 per cent to 40 per cent of India's tigers now living outside protected areas, the 'Tigers Outside Tiger Reserves' (TOTR) project aims to reduce conflict incidents, prevent retaliatory killings and ensure safety for both people and wildlife.

In its first phase, it will cover 40 forest divisions across nine states, with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) as the coordinating body and state forest departments implementing measures on the ground.

Under the project, rapid response teams equipped with rescue gear, drones and AI-based monitoring tools will be deployed. Tiger movement will be tracked using camera traps, wireless networks and the M-STrIPES system.

Training programmes will be conducted for forest staff, veterinarians and local volunteers in conflict management and rescue operations.

Community engagement is a key component of the initiative. Outreach efforts such as 'Bagh Mitra' (Tiger Friend) groups, school programmes and eco-development activities will be promoted to build awareness and reduce fear in local populations.

India is home to about 70 per cent of the world's wild tiger population and the country's tiger numbers have risen from 1,411 in 2006 to 3,682 in 2022, with nearly 1,325 tigers estimated to be outside reserves.

Project Sloth Bear seeks to secure and restore India's sloth bear population through science-based conservation and community engagement.

Endemic to the Indian subcontinent, sloth bears are found across 20 Indian states and account for about 90 per cent of the global population.

Listed as "vulnerable" by the IUCN, the species faces threats from shrinking habitats and rising human-bear conflict.

The project, running from October 2025 to October 2030, will focus on mapping conflict hotspots, monitoring populations and restoring degraded habitats to strengthen corridor connectivity.

Led by the WII and implemented by 16 state forest departments, it emphasises research, early warning systems, rapid response teams and local capacity building.

Project Gharial aims to strengthen the conservation and restoration of India's gharial population across its natural river systems.

The project covers key rivers such as the Chambal, Ramganga, Girwa, Ghaghara, Gandak, Mahanadi, Son and Ken, spread across Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Odisha and Assam.

According to the project document, the objectives include preparing a baseline assessment of gharial populations, mitigating threats to their habitats and building capacity among field staff for better management.

The initiative also emphasises community participation in conservation efforts to secure long-term protection for the species.

The government has begun implementing Phase-II of Project Dolphin to strengthen conservation of the endangered Ganges river dolphin and improve the health of India's aquatic ecosystems.

The action plan focuses on training, technology and community participation to reduce accidental dolphin deaths and restore river habitats.

The second phase aims to build capacity for the rescue and rehabilitation of dolphins, promote community networks among fishermen and citizens to prevent net entanglement and assess the impact of river infrastructure projects on dolphin habitats.

It also calls for mitigation measures to safeguard migration routes and breeding zones.

Other key goals include promoting dolphin conservation awareness, developing model villages and interpretation centres along river stretches.

Conducted from 2021 to 2023, the first population estimation of riverine dolphins in India had revealed the presence of 6,327 dolphins in the Ganga, Brahmaputra and Indus River systems.

The CoE-HWC has been established at the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) to provide scientific, technical and policy support to states and UTs in addressing human-wildlife conflict.

Approved during the 7th meeting of the National Board for Wildlife in March, the centre follows a "people-first" approach aimed at preventing loss of lives, injuries and property while protecting wildlife.

The CoE-HWC will focus on six key areas -- policy and advocacy, spatial analysis, technology integration, stakeholder engagement, capacity building and long-term research.

It will collaborate with BISAG-N and IIT Madras Research Park to develop technology-based solutions. PTI GVS GVS KSS KSS