Over 50 pc tiger deaths since 2021 occurred outside tiger reserves: Govt data

New Delhi: More than half of the tiger deaths in India since 2021 occurred outside protected reserves, a PTI analysis of government data revealed on Tuesday, even as the country pushes ahead with new initiatives to strengthen conservation, including an India-led global alliance for big cats and efforts to relocate villages from core tiger habitats.

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) data shows that 667 tigers died between 2021 and so far in 2025, and 341, or 51 per cent, of the deaths occurred outside tiger reserves.

Maharashtra recorded the highest number of such deaths at 111, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 90. The data also shows 129 tiger deaths in 2021, 122 in 2022, 182 in 2023, 126 in 2024 and 108 so far in 2025.

Home to around 3,682 tigers, India continues to face the challenge of conserving big cats outside reserves, where nearly 30 per cent of the population lives. To address this, the government plans to launch the Tigers Outside Tiger Reserves (TOTR) project, covering 80 forest divisions in 17 states, to reduce human-tiger conflict.

On the occasion of International Tiger Day, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said 24 countries have agreed to join the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), an India-led global initiative to protect seven species of big cats. The alliance currently has 12 member nations, including Bhutan, Ethiopia and Cambodia.

Yadav said the number of tiger reserves in India has risen from 46 in 2014 to 58 at present, reflecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to protecting the national animal. He also launched a nationwide tree plantation drive under which more than one lakh saplings will be planted across all tiger reserves.

Union Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh described India's achievements in tiger conservation as a "milestone" and lauded Modi for prioritising environmental protection.

"Protecting the tiger also means protecting the environment because the tiger is an apex species. If the tiger survives, it means the environment and the ecology down the chain are also surviving," he said.

Singh added that several countries have sought India's expertise in training their officers for big-cat conservation.

"The environment is a very important field. It has international implications and is an important pathway for diplomacy. We are doing very well in that," he said.

On Project Cheetah, Singh said India plans to bring more cheetahs from climate-compatible regions, such as Namibia, and that the conservation efforts are progressing well.

Various states marked International Tiger Day with new initiatives.

In Jharkhand, officials said the forest department has started relocating residents from 35 villages inside the Palamau Tiger Reserve to improve the tiger habitat and reduce human-animal conflict. Around 10,000 people live in the reserve's core area.

The forest advisory committee of the environment ministry will also discuss a proposal to de-notify 1,501.88 hectares of forest land in Achampet for relocating five villages from the core area of the Amrabad Tiger Reserve in Telangana.

Under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, core areas of tiger reserves must remain "inviolate" for conservation, while buffer zones allow sustainable human activity.

The NTCA asked states last year to speed up village relocation from core areas, sparking protests over alleged violations of the Forest Rights Act and a lack of consultation with the affected tribal communities.

In Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the state has acted against encroachment to expand wildlife reserves and it now boasts of the third-highest tiger density in the world. A report released on Tuesday showed that the tiger population in the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve has risen by 27 to 148.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu also reaffirmed his government's commitment to conserving tigers and their habitat. "Tigers are not just apex predators, they are vital indicators of a healthy ecosystem and proud emblems of our national heritage," he said.