Tigers: Project Tiger, reserves and the census
India holds about 70 percent of the world's wild tigers, counted every four years and protected in a growing network of tiger reserves.
What the paper can ask
- Project Tiger started with nine protected areas, with Jim Corbett National Park as the first.
- The NTCA became a statutory body in 2006 and is chaired by the Environment Minister. It approves state tiger plans, sets tourism rules and monitors reserves.
- Estimation cycles ran in 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022, one every four years. The 2010 figure was 1,706 and 2014 was 2,226.
- Global Tiger Day was created at the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit in 2010.
- The Indian Board for Wildlife (now the National Board for Wildlife) chose the tiger as the national animal at a meeting in 1972.
Latest
Project Tiger was launched on 1 April 1973. India has 58 tiger reserves: Madhav (Madhya Pradesh), declared in March 2025, is the 58th and the state's ninth, giving Madhya Pradesh the most. The 2022 estimate was an average of 3,682 tigers (minimum 3,167); the sixth cycle began in January 2026. Nameri got CA|TS approval in October 2026, covering all four Assam reserves.
Why exams ask
Setters ask the reserve count and the newest, the state with the most, the latest census figure, the day and the summit, the year the tiger became national animal and which law created the NTCA.
The full story
Project Tiger began with nine reserves and has grown into a national network run by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), a statutory body chaired by the Environment Minister. Every four years the NTCA and the Wildlife Institute of India run the All India Tiger Estimation, a camera-trap census.
In the news
Test yourself
1.Project Tiger was launched in India in:
Correct. Project Tiger began on 1 April 1973 with nine reserves, Corbett being the first. It completed 50 years in 2023.
Not quite. Project Tiger began on 1 April 1973 with nine reserves, Corbett being the first. It completed 50 years in 2023. It goes into your error book.
2.The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) was constituted in 2006 under an amendment to which Act?
Correct. The 2006 amendment inserted Section 38L and following into the Wildlife (Protection) Act, giving Project Tiger a statutory authority, the NTCA, chaired by the Environment Minister.
Not quite. The 2006 amendment inserted Section 38L and following into the Wildlife (Protection) Act, giving Project Tiger a statutory authority, the NTCA, chaired by the Environment Minister. It goes into your error book.
3.Global Tiger Day is observed every year on:
Correct. Global Tiger Day was established at the 2010 St Petersburg Tiger Summit and is observed on 29 July.
Not quite. Global Tiger Day was established at the 2010 St Petersburg Tiger Summit and is observed on 29 July. It goes into your error book.