Executive Summary:
This document presents the Indian government's response to a parliamentary question regarding tiger and leopard poaching, specifically concerning incidents near Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh. It outlines the measures taken to prevent poaching, monitor tiger populations, and address related crimes. The response details actions by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
Key Points / Main Content:
Government Awareness and Confirmation:
* The State Government of Madhya Pradesh reported the seizure of articles related to big cats near Sheopur.
Steps to Prevent Tiger and Wildlife Poaching:
* Financial Assistance: Providing financial assistance to States under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project Tiger for protection, infrastructure, and anti-poaching operations, including the deployment of Tiger Protection Force and Special Tiger Protection Force.
* Information Dissemination: Sharing real-time information about poachers and wildlife criminals.
* Supervisory Visits: Conducting field visits through the National Tiger Conservation Authority and its regional offices.
* Tiger Monitoring: Launching tiger reserve level monitoring using camera traps to create a photo ID database of individual tigers and a national database to link body parts to dead tigers.
* Local Workforce: Assisting States in deploying local workforces for protection.
* International Cooperation: Sharing information on body part seizures among tiger range countries.
Security Measures:
* Security Plan: Issuing generic guidelines for formulating a Security Plan for each tiger reserve, operationalized in the Tiger Conservation Plan mandated under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
* Security Audit: Developing a framework for assessing security threats and formulating site-specific security plans; Phase I completed in 25 tiger reserves.
* MSTrIPES: Utilizing the Monitoring System for Tigers - Intensive Protection & Ecological Status (MSTrIPES), an android application with Patrol, Ecological, and Conflict modules, to ensure accountability of frontline staff and strengthen protection measures.
Legal and Financial Amendments:
* Wildlife Protection Act Amendment: Enhancing punishment for offenses in core tiger reserve areas or related to hunting or altering boundaries.
* CSSIDWH Funding: Providing funding assistance under the Project Tiger Component of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats (CSSIDWH) for conservation, awareness, habitat management, protection, ecodevelopment, human resource and infrastructure development, and voluntary village relocation.
Tiger Population Status:
* Population Increase: The All India Tiger Estimation in 2022 estimated 3682 tigers (range 3167-3925), compared to 2967 in 2018 (range 2603-3346) and 2226 in 2014 (range 1945-2491).
Arrests and Investigation:
* Arrests Made: 7 accused have been arrested in two registered cases by the State Tiger Strike Force, Madhya Pradesh.
* Legal Action: Action has been taken under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Impact Analysis:
State Governments (Madhya Pradesh and other Tiger Range States):
* Impact: Responsible for reporting poaching incidents, implementing conservation and protection measures, deploying protection forces, and conducting investigations.
* Action Required: Report incidents, implement NTCA guidelines, utilize CSSIDWH funding, and continue law enforcement efforts.
National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA):
* Impact: Responsible for providing guidelines, financial assistance, conducting supervisory visits, monitoring tiger populations, and coordinating with states.
* Action Required: Continue providing support and oversight to tiger range states, refine security plans and monitoring systems (MSTrIPES), and facilitate international cooperation.
Forest Staff/Tiger Protection Force:
* Impact: Responsible for on-the-ground protection, anti-poaching operations, and data collection using MSTrIPES.
* Action Required: Implement protection measures, utilize MSTrIPES for data collection and reporting, and ensure accountability in anti-poaching efforts.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change: A ministry of the Government of India responsible for environment and forest conservation.
Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh: A district in Madhya Pradesh, India, where poaching incidents of tigers and a leopard were reported.
National Tiger Conservation Authority: A statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, responsible for tiger conservation in India.
Project Tiger: A centrally sponsored scheme of the Indian government for tiger conservation.
Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: An act of the Parliament of India enacted in 1972 for the protection of plants and animal species.
MSTrIPES: Monitoring System for Tigers Intensive Protection and Ecological Status, an android application used for tiger monitoring and protection.
State Tiger Strike Force, Madhya Pradesh: A specialized law enforcement unit within Madhya Pradesh responsible for combating wildlife crime related to tigers.
Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats: A scheme by the Government of India to provide financial assistance to states for the conservation of wildlife.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3570
TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.08.2025
Poaching of Animals
3570. MR PATHAN YUSUF:
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to
state:
(a) whether the Government is aware of recent reports confirming the poaching of three
tigers and one leopard near Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh, as per the lab analysis of
seized bones;
(b) the details of the steps taken by the Government to prevent tiger and wildlife poaching
in the country, especially in tiger habitats;
(c) the status of tiger population monitoring in tiger habitats in the country and the
manner in which the Government is ensuring their safety from poachers;
(d) whether any arrests have been made in connection with seizure of 225 pieces of bones
near Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh; and
(e) if so, the details thereof along with the current progress in the investigation?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a) The State Government of Madhya Pradesh has reported seizure of articles
related to big cats near Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh.
(b) & (c) The steps taken by the Government of India through the National Tiger
Conservation Authority (NTCA) for the conservation and protection of tigers
is as under:-
1. Generic measures
Providing assistance to States under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme
of “Project Tiger” for protection, infrastructure and antipoaching operations
(including deployment of Tiger Protection Force and Special Tiger Protection
Force) which is now ongoing as the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project
Tiger & Elephant
Disseminating of real time information of backward / forward linkages
relating to poachers / wildlife criminals.
Performing supervisory field visits through the National Tiger
Conservation Authority and its regional offices.
Launching tiger reserve level monitoring using camera trap to keep a
photo ID database of individual tiger. Preparing a national database of individual tiger photo to establish linkage
with body parts seized or dead tigers.
Assisting States to deploy local workforce in a big way for protection to
complement the efforts of field staff.
Sharing of information on seizure of body parts including skin of tigers
among tiger range countries to ascertain source area.
2. Security Plan
The National Tiger Conservation Authority has issued generic guidelines for
formulating a Security Plan for each tiger reserve which is operationalized in
the overarching Tiger Conservation Plan which is legally mandated under
section 38 V of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
3. Security Audit
The National Tiger Conservation Authority has developed a framework for
carrying out the assessment of the security threats and for formulating site
specific security plan which has been completed in 25 different tiger reserves
in Phase-I and action has been initiated for the remaining tiger reserves.
4. M-STrIPES (Monitoring System for Tigers Intensive-Protection &
Ecological Status)
This is an android application which has three distinct modules namely Patrol
module, Ecological module and Conflict module. The Patrol module inter-alia
is a mechanism to ensure accountability of front line staff vis-à-vis anti-
poaching efforts and useful for the tiger reserve management to strengthen
protection measures, based on data that is generated through M-STrIPES.
5. Amendment to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
The Government of India amended the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and
enhanced punishment for offence in relation to the core area of a tiger reserve
or where the offence relates to hunting in the tiger reserves or altering the
boundaries of tiger reserves.
Further, funding assistance is provided under the Project Tiger Component of
the ongoing Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Integrated Development of
Wildlife Habitats (CSS-IDWH) to tiger range States for conservation of tigers,
raising awareness on tiger & other wildlife conservation, habitat management,
protection, eco-development, human resource and infrastructure development,
voluntary village relocation, as per sanctioned Annual Plan of Operation of the
Tiger Reserve, which stems out from a statutory Tiger Conservation Plan.
The tiger population has increased as per the All India Tiger Estimation done
in 2022, with an estimated number of 3682 (range 3167-3925) as compared to
the 2018 estimation of 2967 (range 2603-3346) and 2014 estimation of 2226
(range 1945-2491).
(d) & (e) As reported by the State, a total of 7 accused have been arrested in two
registered cases by the State Tiger Strike Force, Madhya Pradesh and action
has been taken as per relevant provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act,
1972.
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