India has taken several measures, including bringing out guidelines for tiger safaris, to reduce the pressure of eco-tourism, protect habitats of the big cats and conserve its population, Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan said today.
Noting that India is one of the few countries, where tigers have their natural habitat, he said the big cats were part of the country's heritage and "their protection is our responsibility towards the world and future generations".
"#InternationalTigerDay India has taken several measures to protect tiger habitats & conserve its population like Guidelines for Tiger Safaris to reduce pressures of Ecotourism, SOP to strengthen interstate coordination in bordering tiger reserves. @PMOIndia, @moefcc, @NTCAtiger," he tweeted on International Tiger Day.
There are an estimated 2,226 tigers in the country and India has 70 per cent of the world's tiger population, according to the last tiger census.
"#InternationalTigerDay @NCTAtiger issues advisories to deal with emergent situation of tiger & sympatric species mortality due to electrocution in tiger reserves; strengthen tiger conservation concerns in intl sphere thro' bilateral consultations. @PMOIndia, @moefcc," he said on Twitter.
The minister said smart patrolling and notification of five more tiger reserves are some of the other measures undertaken by his government to protect the big cats.
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""#InternationalTigerDay Smart patrolling, notification for five more tiger reserves, aerial surveillance, Economic Valuation of Tiger Reserves are part of the measures being undertaken to protect tiger habitats & conserve its population. @PMOIndia, @moefcc, @NTCAtiger," he tweeted.
Vardhan a few days back had said the government has set a target of doubling the tiger population in the country.
The preliminary census data of the ongoing tiger census has shown a rise in the population of the big cats in the country, which is a "big thing", he had said.
In the run-up to International Tiger Day this year, several events had been organised to raise awareness among the younger generation, an official statement had earlier said.
In 2010, at St Petersburg, Russia, the heads of governments of Tiger Range states, which includes India, resolved to strive to double the number of wild tigers (T X 2) across their global range by 2022.
They had signed the St.Petersburg Declaration on Tiger Conservation, which also decided to celebrate July 29 as Global Tiger Day.
India has significantly contributed to this target and has resolved to safeguard tiger habitat and source populations to foster viable tiger population during the Global Stock Taking meeting held in 2012 at New Delhi to review progress in terms of the St Petersburg Declaration.
India had launched Project Tiger in 1973 to conserve tigers.
Till now, the coverage of Project Tiger has increased from nine reserves to 50 tiger reserves spread across 18 states.