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India aims to plant over 100,000 saplings across 58 tiger reserves

India is aiming to plant more than 100,000 saplings across 58 tiger reserves, as part of the country's wildlife conservation initiative. With Madhav National Park in Madhya Pradesh being declared a tiger reserve last March, India currently has a total of 58 tiger reserves. Speaking at the National Zoological Park in New Delhi on Global Tiger Day, Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on Tuesday announced the launch of a nationwide tree plantation drive. This will involve planting over 100,000 saplings across all 58 tiger reserves, making it one of the largest such campaigns in the world. Madhya Pradesh has nine tiger reserves; Maharashtra has six; Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have five each. As part of the initiative, each tiger reserve will plant 2,000 saplings of indigenous plant species in degraded areas to promote habitat restoration and strengthen the ecological foundations essential for tiger conservation. Forest nurseries at three locations in the Aravalli landscape were also inaugurated. These will serve as key resources for afforestation using native species and for fostering long-term ecological resilience. Aimed at eliminating the use of all single-use plastics within tiger reserves, a 'Plastic-Free Tiger Reserves' campaign was also launched. Emphasising the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) launched by India to protect the seven big cats found globally, Yadav informed that 24 countries have already agreed to join this effort, with the IBCA headquarters to be based in India. Yadav called upon the youth to live a life of determination, patience and humility, and to contribute to society through conservation efforts under Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment). India's wildlife conservation efforts involve a multi-pronged approach, including the establishment of protected areas like national parks and sanctuaries, species-specific conservation projects like Project Tiger and Project Elephant, and community engagement initiatives. These efforts aim to protect biodiversity, mitigate threats such as habitat loss and poaching, and promote sustainable practices. As of the 2023 tiger census, India is estimated to have 3,682 tigers. About 30 per cent of them are considered to be living outside tiger reserves.