Cambodia is considering importing tigers from India

Context: Cambodia plans to import four tigers from India this year under an agreement signed with India to revive the population of big cats.

Key Points:

• Cambodia and India have agreed to act in unity. This means that the two will work to save tigers and also their habitats.
• The two countries have come up with an agreement and are expected to have four tigers, one male and three female ones in Cambodia by the end of 2024.
• They will stay in a 90-hectare forest here in the Tatai Wildlife Sanctuary during their adaptation before finally getting released into the wild.
• This refuge is along the western areas of Koh Kong and Pursat in Cambodia. Anchoring of the rest of the tigers will be done in five years after the first phase is very successful when twelve tigers are brought in.

Current status of the tiger population in Cambodia:

• The recent sighting of a tiger in the Kingdom of Southeast Asia was caught by camera trap in 2007, causing the tigers to be “functionally extinct” in Cambodia in 2016.
• Tigers in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam have become extinct, while in Myanmar, it is now thought that only 23 can be found in the wild.
• The dry forest of Cambodia, which was once renowned for Indochinese tigers, has heavily suffered from the extensive hunting of the tigers and their prey, which caused tremendous reduction of the tiger’s numbers.

Current status of tigers in India:

• According to the “Status of Tigers 2022” report, which was released in the run up to the 50th anniversary of “Project Tiger”, the government stated that there were 3167 tigers in India as a minimum figure.
• In the whole country, Madhya Pradesh leads the tigers count, which is 785 as per the current year, followed by Karnataka in the index with 563, Uttarakhand with 560, and Maharashtra with 444, all of these reflecting a more than 50 percent increase over the last four years.
• Today, India has about 75% of the world’s tiger population on its territory.

Why is Tiger Conservation Important?

• The tiger serves as a crucial top predator in the food chain, helping to regulate the population of wild ungulates and ensuring a harmonious balance between herbivores and their food sources. 
• The existence of tigers within the forest serves as a positive indication of the overall health and well-being of the ecosystem.

Conclusion:

• The initiative by Cambodia to import tigers from India highlights the vital importance of international cooperation in the conservation of endangered species. 
• The project showcases a wider dedication to restoring habitats and populations, emphasising the significance of safeguarding these magnificent creatures for the ecological balance and biodiversity of our planet.

Source: NDTV

UPSC Prelims Practice Questions:

Q.Among the following Tiger Reserves, which one has the largest area under “Critical Tiger Habitat”? (2020)

a. Corbett

b. Ranthambore

c. Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam

d. Sundarbans

Ans: “c”

Download as PDF