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International Tiger Day: Big cat numbers continue to rise in UP, says govt
The number of tigers in Uttar Pradesh has continued to rise under the Yogi government, with conservation and scientific management emerging as key priorities
The number of tigers in Uttar Pradesh has continued to rise under the Yogi government, with conservation and scientific management emerging as key priorities. According to the 2022 tiger census, the state is now home to 205 tigers, up from 173 in 2018, said a government statement on the eve of International Tiger Day that is observed on July 29.
The main event will be organised by Ranipur Tiger Reserve at Jagadguru Rambhadracharya Divyang State University, Karvi, Chitrakoot. The theme for 2026 is “Securing the future of Tigers with Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities at the Heart”.
Principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) Anuradha Vemuri, as quoted in the statement, said Uttar Pradesh now has four tiger reserves — Pilibhit, Dudhwa, Amangarh and Ranipur. Ranipur, notified as the country’s 53rd tiger reserve, reflects the state’s growing commitment to biodiversity and wildlife protection. The national total of tiger reserves now stands at 58.
Data show a steady increase over the years. The tiger population in UP was 109 in 2006, 118 in 2010, 117 in 2014, 173 in 2018, and 205 in 2022, the statement said.
The ‘Bagh Mitra’ programme, launched in Pilibhit in 2019 under CM Yogi’s guidance, has played a major role in it. To make it more effective, an app was launched in October 2023. The initiative was also praised by PM Narendra Modi in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address, the statement added.
DFO, Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, Manish Singh, as quoted in the statement, said 120 villagers, including 118 women, from areas within 5 km of the forest have been enrolled as ‘Bagh Mitras’. They are part of a WhatsApp group and trained to report tiger or other wildlife sightings outside the forest.
