Bhupender Yadav flags funding and research gaps in tiger conservation, Calls comprehensive review of all policy decisions

Alwar, Rajasthan: Calling for a major reset in India’s tiger conservation framework after five decades of Project Tiger, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on Saturday urged a comprehensive review of all policy decisions taken so far by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), saying conservation strategies must evolve to meet present-day challenges on the ground.

Addressing the inaugural session of the two-day Conference of Chief Wildlife Wardens of Tiger Range States and Field Directors of Tiger Reserves in Alwar, Yadav said the 28 NTCA meetings held till date should be examined to identify decisions that have become outdated, those that could not be implemented and those that have been fully executed.

Stating that India has completed 50 years of tiger conservation, the Minister said the milestone provided an opportune moment for a comprehensive policy review.

He flagged key issues requiring focused deliberation, including tiger population estimation, rescue and rehabilitation infrastructure, human-wildlife conflict, utilisation of the Tiger Reserve Fund and strengthening the foundations of tiger conservation.

The conference, attended by Rajasthan Forest Minister Sanjay Sharma, senior officials of the Ministry, NTCA, Chief Wildlife Wardens of tiger range States and Field Directors of tiger reserves, is reviewing the overall status of tiger conservation and deliberating on policy, management and operational challenges.

Yadav called for the formation of four working groups to examine region-specific issues such as changes in tiger populations and to assess the implementation of centrally sponsored schemes across tiger reserves.

He also stressed the need to strengthen coordination between NTCA and premier research institutions including the Wildlife Institute of India, Botanical Survey of India, Zoological Survey of India and the Indian Council for Forestry Research and Education, to ensure research inputs translate into practical conservation outcomes.

Highlighting the cheetah reintroduction programme, the Minister said India has successfully carried out an international translocation of a species that had gone extinct in the country, with the project now reaching the third India-born generation of cheetahs. A new batch of cheetahs from Botswana is expected to arrive by the end of February, he added.

Yadav also underlined India’s global leadership in wildlife conservation through the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), which now has 24 member countries, with several others seeking observer status.

International agencies such as UNDP, IUCN, FAO, CCF, GTF and GSLEP have expressed interest in associating with the alliance. He said the Union Budget has announced that the first Global Big Cat Summit will be hosted by India.

As wildlife increasingly moves beyond core forest areas, the Minister said strong and standardised response systems are essential to address conflict situations, injured animals and orphaned cubs. He called for a clear framework for rescue, rehabilitation and transit treatment centres around tiger reserves.

On the occasion, Yadav released NTCA’s outreach journal ‘STRIPES ‘and distributed prizes to students for a painting competition organised by the National Museum of Natural History.

Over the two days, the conference will see detailed discussions on nationally significant issues such as the All India Tiger Estimation 2026, protection and patrolling mechanisms, active population management, utilisation of Project Tiger funds, human-wildlife interactions and pending tiger mortality cases.