Mysore/Mysuru: The Global Tiger Day also known as International Tiger Day is celebrated today across the country, with the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, inaugurating the celebrations at New Delhi this morning.

The Conservators of Forest (CF) and Deputy Conservators of Forest (DCF) from 57 Tiger Reserves across the country took part in the virtual discussion and threw light on the action taken towards the conservation of tigers and the challenges faced in the realm.

National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has issued instructions to the CFS and DCFs of all the Tiger Reserve Areas to launch ‘plastic free tiger reserve’ campaign and to take stern action in this regard. Besides, adequate preparations have been made to launch programme titled ‘Ek Ped Ma Ke Naam,’ to plant 2,000 indigenous seedlings involving local communities in the buffer areas or adjoining peripheral villages of the tiger reserves, said Dr. P. Ramesh Kumar, CF, Project Tiger.

Though the tiger population is spread over 13 countries of the world, majority of 70 % to 80% among them are in India.

Karnataka that once enjoyed the pride having most number of tigers in its forests, had to cede space for Madhya Pradesh in the Tiger Census conducted in 2018 and 2022, as the latter emerged as No. 1 State having maximum number of Tigers.  Now, Karnataka stands second with 563 tigers in the latest Tiger Census conducted in 2022. Bandipur Tiger Reserve, the State’s first ever Tiger Reserve spread over Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts, has 150 tigers, followed by Nagarahole Tiger Reserve – 140, Biligiri Ranganatha Tiger (BRT) Reserve – 37, Bhadra Tiger Reserve in Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga – 28 and Kali Tiger Reserve in Uttara Kannada – 17. The tiger habitats are also identified in M.M. Hills and Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuaries.

 The social forests in the surroundings of Mysuru have also witnessed tiger movements, with about five to six tigers turning these areas into their habitat. Two years ago, the tigers had passed through Chikkakanya, Doddakanya, Byathahalli, Varkod forest, Mahadevapura and Madapura in Srirangapatna and near Bannur.

According to the findings of a survey conducted by Forest Department, tiger habitats have proven advantageous in preventing the illegal felling of trees in forest areas. The trees are integral to the formation of favourable conditions for the occurrence of rainfall, which rejuvenate rivulets and trees, bringing a new lease of life to the rivers.