Status of Ungulates in Tiger Habitats of India Report

Status of Ungulates in Tiger Habitats of India Report Recently, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) released a report titled "Status of Ungulates in Tiger Habitats of India."

• Key Highlights of the Report: Odisha, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh show alarming drops in prey species like chital, sambar, and gaur, increasing the risk of tiger-human conflict.

o High bushmeat hunting, civil unrest, and Left Wing Extremism are hampering wildlife conservation in these regions. Many reserves in eastern India fall below the minimum required prey density of 30 ungulates per sq km to sustain tiger populations.

• About Wildlife Institute of India (WII): Autonomous institution established in 1982 under the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, Government of India.

o Located in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, adjacent to Rajaji National Park.

o Internationally recognized for training, academic courses, and advisory services in wildlife research and management.

o Conducts extensive research on biodiversity and wildlife across India.

• About NTCA : Statutory body under Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and established in 2006 under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

o Provides legal authority to Project Tiger to ensure compliance with its directives.

o Promotes accountability between Central and State governments via MoUs for managing Tiger Reserves.

o Ensures oversight by Parliament on tiger conservation efforts.

o Addresses livelihood interests of local communities around Tiger Reserves.

Composition: Minister in charge of MoEFCC (Chairperson) , Minister of State, MoEFCC (Vice-Chairperson), Three members of Parliament, Secretary, MoEFCC & Other members.

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