GUWAHATI: Three of Assam’s tiger reserves in Kaziranga, Manas, and Orang have received the accreditation of the Global Conservation Assured/Tiger Standards (CA/TS). The tiger reserves received the accreditation for meeting the criterion of effective management of target species for successful tiger conservation. This was stated by Assam Minister for Environment and Forests Parimal Suklabaidya on the occasion of Global Tiger Day on 29th July.
Assam in particular and the country as a whole has been able to reach the goal of doubling its tiger population four years ahead of schedule of the St.Petersburg Declaration on Tiger Conservation, informed the minister.
Apart from Assam, only Madhya Pradesh has received the CA/TS accreditation in the country for three reserves. At present, there are 121 big cats in Kaziranga, 48 in Manas, 28 in Orang, and three in Nameri tiger reserves.
The tiger population in Assam has increased to 200 in 2021 from 159 in 2018. Tiger conservation has been particularly successful in Manas where its population has increased from zero to 48 in the past 20 years. In Kaziranga the tiger population increased to from 90 in 2015 to 121.
“The increasing numbers of the big cats should encourage us to pursue conservation and habitat restoration with the same unwavering commitment. Let us pledge to save the habitat of this beautiful, and majestic animal to protect our ecology,” said Suklabaidya.
The Global Tiger Day was observed in the state’s four tiger reserves with officials, NGOs, wildlife activists, and local communities underscoring the need for conservation of the animal to maintain a healthy ecosystem.
