Environment Ministry body gives funding nod for managing human-tiger conflict outside tiger reserves
India’s tigers are expanding beyond the safe boundaries of tiger reserves. They’re venturing into farmlands, villages, and roads, which leads to deadly encounters with humans. To address this growing concern, the Environment Ministry has approved a ₹176.45 crore initiative. The plan targets human-tiger conflict outside tiger reserves, an area that conservation efforts often overlook.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) will implement the project. Funds will come from the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA). This marks a major shift in conservation efforts by focusing on tiger habitats that fall outside official reserves.
Why This Funding Matters
Roughly 30% of India’s 3,600+ wild tigers live outside protected reserves. That’s over a thousand tigers roaming areas with little or no formal wildlife protection. These regions lack the surveillance, fencing, and staffing of tiger reserves.
From 2020 to 2024, tigers killed 378 people in India. Maharashtra alone saw 218 deaths. Tigers also die in these conflicts, either due to retaliatory attacks or accidents. These figures underline the urgency for targeted solutions.
What the Plan Covers
The project, titled “Tigers Outside Tiger Reserves”, will cover 80 forest divisions in 10 tiger-range states. These include high-conflict areas like Chandrapur (Maharashtra), Wayanad (Kerala), and Pilibhit (Uttar Pradesh).
The strategy includes four major focus areas:
1. Stronger Monitoring and Protection
Forest departments will use M-STrIPES, drones, and camera traps to track tiger movements. They’ll expand ranger patrols in known conflict areas. This real-time monitoring helps forest officials act quickly before a tiger enters a village or farmland.
By using advanced tools, officials can spot unusual activity and prevent tragedy. This also helps reduce poaching, a major threat in unprotected zones.
2. Community Involvement and Rapid Response
Communities play a key role in preventing conflict. The plan trains local teams to respond fast when tigers come near human settlements. These teams will help move people to safety and guide tigers back into the forest.
Villagers will also receive support, including compensation for livestock losses. Awareness campaigns will teach communities how to avoid danger and protect both lives and wildlife.
3. Improving Habitats and Wildlife Corridors
Many tigers leave reserves because they can’t find food or space. The plan will improve habitats in buffer areas and restore wildlife corridors. These corridors allow tigers to move safely between forests without entering human settlements.
Officials will clear invasive species, plant native trees, and build waterholes. These steps help attract prey animals back to the area, giving tigers a reason to stay in the wild.
4. Training Forest Staff and Boosting Coordination
The plan includes training for forest staff in modern methods. This includes using technology, handling emergencies, and coordinating across state borders. Regions like Assam and Uttarakhand, which share boundaries with Nepal and Bhutan, need such coordination to manage tiger movement across borders.
Better equipment and fast communication tools will also help rangers work more efficiently.
Smarter Use of CAMPA Funds
CAMPA collects money from industries that use forest land. For years, states used these funds mostly for tree plantations. Now, the Environment Ministry is channeling CAMPA funds into tiger conservation, especially in unprotected areas. This approach puts the money to better use and aligns with the goals of Project Tiger.
While Project Tiger focuses on core and buffer zones of reserves, this new initiative expands the safety net for tigers across India.
Development and the Growing Risk
India’s forests are shrinking due to urban expansion, highways, and rail lines. As habitats shrink, tigers enter human areas more often. Recent cases show tigers wandering near schools, highways, and towns.
These incidents are no longer rare. Without action, such conflicts will only increase, putting both humans and wildlife at risk.
This plan gives India a chance to balance conservation with development. It shows that tiger protection doesn’t stop at park boundaries—it must cover the wider landscape too.
A Model for Global Wildlife Conservation?
India holds more than 70% of the world’s wild tiger population. How India manages human-tiger conflict will shape global conservation efforts. By focusing on tiger corridors, fringe forests, and community safety, the country could set an example for others facing similar challenges.
If the project succeeds, it may inspire future plans for other species that live outside reserves, like leopards and elephants.
Conclusion: A Forward-Thinking Conservation Strategy
By approving this ₹176 crore plan, the Environment Ministry has acknowledged a key reality: protecting tigers in today’s world requires more than guarding parks. It means working with people, protecting corridors, and acting before conflicts turn deadly.
The “Tigers Outside Tiger Reserves” project takes that bold step. It offers hope for a future where tigers roam free—and safely—even outside the borders of protected forests.
