MYSURU, Karnataka: The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi announced the country’s total tiger population to be 3,167 at the Mysuru University, Karnataka. He also inaugurated a program titled, ‘Commemoration of 50 years of Project Tiger’ and launched the International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA).
Addressing the gathering, PM Modi expressed his happiness on the fact that tiger reserves in India cover 75,000 square kilometers of land which is now home to 75 per cent of the world’s tiger population.
Highlighting India’s achievement in wildlife conservation, Modi stated that, “India is a country where protecting nature is a part of the culture.” He mentioned that India has only 2.4 per cent of the world’s land area which contributes around eight per cent toward global biodiversity. He stated that India is the largest tiger range country in the world, the largest Asiatic elephant range country in the world with nearly 30,000 elephants, and also the largest single-horn rhino country with a population of nearly 3000. He further added that India is the only country in the world to have Asiatic lions and its population has increased from around 525 in 2015 to around 675 in 2020. He also touched upon India’s leopard population and stated that it increased by over 60 per cent in four years.
Referring to the work being done to clean up rivers such as the Ganga, the Prime Minister highlighted that some aquatic species that were once considered to be in danger have shown improvement. He credited the people’s participation in achieving this feat.
Noting India’s G20 motto, ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’, Modi amplified the message that a better future for humanity is possible only when the environment remains safe and biodiversity continues to expand.