'It's not about how many Tigers—it's about where they thrive': A conversation with L Krishnamurthy, APCCF (Wildlife), Madhya Pradesh
The rapid diversion of forest land for non-forest use, encroachments into corridors, and climate-linked pressures add further complexity to conservation work in the state.
In this context,
P Naveen
spoke with
L Krishnamurthy
, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Madhya Pradesh. In this candid interview, Krishnamurthy outlines the forest department's current focus areas—from strengthening corridors and habitat management to leveraging technology and empowering communities—and offers insights on the road ahead for tiger conservation in the state.
Q-How many are too many? When it comes to tiger numbers in the state, what is Madhya Pradesh's target population?
A -We can't fix the numbers. The department is focusing on consolidating the landscape through protection, habitat management, corridor management, and community engagement in wildlife conservation. That said, we still have some tiger reserves and forest areas, like the proposed Omkareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, where more tigers can be supported.
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The main focus is on landscape consolidation rather than chasing a specific number.
Q- How many tigers can Madhya Pradesh realistically support without leading to excessive human-wildlife conflict?
A-Tiger numbers can be estimated based on the ecological carrying capacity of each tiger reserve and protected area. However, it's equally important to consider the social carrying capacity—that is, the willingness and ability of communities to coexist with large carnivores.
Our goal is to keep tiger populations connected through functional corridors, which helps reduce conflict in and around tiger reserves.
Q- What plans are in place to manage the tiger population as it approaches the state's ecological carrying capacity?
A-Under the leadership of the Chief Minister, we have expanded our network of protected areas by adding new tiger reserves and sanctuaries. We've also developed comprehensive strategies including the State Wildlife Action Plan, a State Elephant Management Plan, and the use of Artificial Intelligence in wildlife monitoring and conflict reduction.
We're also promoting ecotourism, creating livelihood opportunities, and running awareness programs.
Each tiger reserve has a Tiger Conservation Plan, and protected areas are governed by detailed Management Plans.
Q. The State of India's Environment 2025 report by CSE states that Madhya Pradesh has diverted the highest amount of forest land (38,553 hectares) for non-forest use. How much of this diversion occurred within designated tiger corridors or ecologically sensitive zones?
A -In cases where land is diverted from within corridor areas, we receive equivalent revenue land under the Forest Conservation Act (FCA) provisions. Additionally, mitigation measures are implemented to ensure that wildlife movement is not disrupted, following the recommendations of the State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) and the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL). The proportion of land diverted from within Ecologically Sensitive Zones (ESZs) and tiger corridors is a small fraction of the total—excluding Panna, where we've taken a landscape-level approach with the Greater Panna Landscape Management Plan.
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