Master10
Environment & Ecology15 Concepts & Facts

Project Tiger & Tiger Reserves GK Questions & Answers

Reviewed by the Master10 Editorial Board for accuracy, clarity and competitive-exam relevance.Editorial Policy
Project Tiger was initiated on 1 April 1973 at Corbett National Park as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme to halt the severe decline of Panthera tigris across its native range. Following the local extirpation of tigers in Sariska Tiger Reserve during 2004–2005, the Union Government constituted the Tiger Task Force under environmentalist Sunita Narain to restructure conservation governance. Based on its recommendations, Parliament passed the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2006, inserting Chapter IV-B into the principal 1972 statute. This amendment established the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) under Section 38L as a statutory body headed by the Union Environment Minister, providing legal authority for tiger reserve declarations, Tiger Conservation Plans, and specialized anti-poaching operations across range states.

The operational framework of tiger conservation under Section 38V mandates the spatial division of each reserve into two distinct zones: an inviolate Core or Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH) and an adjoining Buffer or Peripheral Area. Core areas are notified through scientific ecological assessments, requiring the voluntary relocation of human settlements and the exclusion of commercial activities to guarantee undisturbed breeding zones. Buffer areas surround the core to provide habitat connectivity, support spillover populations, and promote sustainable co-existence with forest communities under the Forest Rights Act of 2006. Field surveillance utilizes M-STrIPES (Monitoring System for Tigers - Intensive Protection and Ecological Status), a digital mobile platform that maps patrol coverage, poaching threats, and wildlife encounters to evaluate enforcement efficacy.

The NTCA, collaborating with the Wildlife Institute of India, conducts the All-India Tiger Estimation quadrennially using an advanced double-sampling methodology. This framework pairs ground-based spoor surveys with spatially explicit capture-recapture (SECR) statistical models derived from automated camera traps. The fifth assessment cycle, published in 2023 on the golden jubilee of Project Tiger, recorded a minimum count of 3,167 individuals, demonstrating sustained population recovery across major ecological complexes. In UPSC CSE (General Studies Paper III) and SSC examinations, recurrent topics include the statutory powers of the NTCA under Section 38L, procedural guidelines for notifying Critical Tiger Habitats, technological operational features of M-STrIPES, mathematical foundations of SECR estimation, and inter-state corridor linkages.

Key Concepts & Self-Assessment15 Key Facts

Review key Project Tiger & NTCA: Tiger Reserves & Wildlife Conservation exam facts and rate your mastery to track revision.

Progress: 0/15 Rated 0 Mastered 0 Review Later
#1
Project Tiger was inaugurated on April 1, 1973, at Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand, initially encompassing nine tiger reserves across an area of 9,115 square kilometers.
#2
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) was accorded statutory status following the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act of 2006 under Chapter IV-B.
#3
The NTCA is chaired by the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, while the Minister of State serves as its Vice-Chairperson.
#4
Section 38V of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 legally mandates state governments to notify tiger reserves upon recommendations of the NTCA.
#5
Tiger reserves consist of a legally demarcated Core or Critical Tiger Habitat that must remain inviolate, and an outer Buffer or Peripheral Area supporting regulated co-existence.
#6
Section 38W of the Wildlife (Protection) Act dictates that no alteration of tiger reserve boundaries shall be made except on a recommendation of the NTCA and approval of the National Board for Wildlife.
#7
India conducts the All India Tiger Estimation cycle quadrennially (every four years), led jointly by the NTCA and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).
#8
M-STrIPES (Monitoring System for Tigers - Intensive Protection and Ecological Status) is a GPS-based mobile application launched in 2010 for field patrolling and ecological data collection.
#9
India doubled its wild tiger population ahead of the target year 2022 established under the St. Petersburg Declaration on Tiger Conservation (Tx2 goal) adopted in 2010.
#10
In April 2023, India marked the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger in Mysuru, Karnataka, officially announcing the launch of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA).
#11
Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve, spanning across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, represents the largest tiger reserve in India by geographic land area.
#12
Orang Tiger Reserve and Bor Tiger Reserve rank among the smallest tiger reserves in India by core area.
#13
Corbett Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand maintains the highest individual tiger density among all protected reserves in India.
#14
The Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) is a specialized paramilitary force raised by states with NTCA funding to combat organized poaching syndicates in sensitive reserves.
#15
Voluntary village relocation from core tiger habitats is incentivized by the NTCA with statutory financial rehabilitation packages of up to fifteen lakh rupees per adult family unit.

Subject Specialist Commentary

Analytical perspective & practical exam advice from the Master10 academic board

Educator's Insight
Launched on April 1, 1973, at Corbett National Park, Project Tiger is India's most celebrated wildlife conservation initiative. The project transformed fragmented sanctuaries into structured tiger reserves featuring strictly protected core habitats surrounded by buffer zones. Following the 2006 amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act, the National Tiger Conservation Authority was established as a statutory body under the Union Environment Minister, ensuring scientific monitoring through quadrennial censuses and mobile tools like M-STrIPES.
For UPSC Prelims and State PSC exams, pay close attention to statutory procedures and reserve geography. A recurring statement trap involves reserve boundaries: changing any tiger reserve boundary requires both an NTCA recommendation and approval from the National Board for Wildlife. Remember that Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam is India's largest tiger reserve by total area, while Corbett holds the highest tiger density. Memorize the quadrennial four-year cycle for national tiger estimation.

Related Knowledge Topics to Discover

Looking for more GK practice?

Explore 52,789+ questions across 65 General Knowledge categories.

Open Interactive Search