Under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s leadership, Uttar Pradesh has seen a steady rise in its tiger population, from 173 in 2018 to 222 in 2022. This growth highlights the state’s focused efforts on conservation through better habitat management, modern patrolling, and community involvement.
Notably, the innovative ‘Bagh Mitra’ initiative, launched in 2019 and expanded via a mobile app in 2023, has been instrumental in reducing human-wildlife conflict and has earned praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Tiger Numbers Soar from 173 to 222
According to Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Anuradha Vemuri, Uttar Pradesh’s tiger population has shown remarkable growth, from 109 in 2006 to 222 in 2022. Dudhwa Tiger Reserve leads with 135 tigers (up from 68 in 2014 and 82 in 2018), followed by Pilibhit with 63, Amangarh with 20, and Ranipur with 4 tigers.
This success is backed by extensive patrolling under the M-Stripes system, with forest staff covering over 1.5 lakh km monthly across Dudhwa and its landscape using various modes, vehicles, boats, elephants, bicycles, and foot patrols. In Katarniaghat alone, about 41,684 km are patrolled each month.
‘Bagh Mitra’ Program
Chief Conservator of Forests (Rohilkhand), P.P. Singh, noted that incidents of human-wildlife conflict have significantly decreased due to the active involvement of local communities. Over 120 villagers, including youth, elders, and women, have been trained and enrolled as ‘Bagh Mitras’ in Pilibhit. They report animal sightings through WhatsApp and the official app, allowing the forest department to respond swiftly. The app also allows for photo uploads, aiding accurate species identification and real-time location tracking.
UP to Celebrate International Tiger Day with Events
On the occasion of International Tiger Day, several events will be held across the state, including a Walkathon at Lucknow Zoo. Dignitaries, including Forest Minister (Independent Charge) Dr. Arun Kumar Saxena, Minister of State KP Malik, Principal Secretary (Forest-Environment) Anil Kumar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Department Sunil Kumar Chaudhary, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Anuradha Vemuri, etc., will be present in it.
Additionally, numerous awareness programs will be held in the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve. Additionally, those who contribute to preventing human-wildlife conflict will also be honoured.
