National Workshop on Tiger Re-introduction Inaugurated in Rajasthan
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Bhupender Yadav inaugurated the National Workshop on "Tiger Re-introduction: Opportunities & Challenges" at Alwar, Rajasthan on June 28, 2026. The workshop was organized by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in collaboration with the Government of Rajasthan and brought together field directors, Chief Wildlife Wardens, and wildlife experts from across India's tiger landscapes to deliberate on science-based strategies for tiger re-introduction and active management.
Key Conservation Achievements and Publications Released
The Minister highlighted several significant conservation milestones, noting that Sariska Tiger Reserve has witnessed remarkable recovery from local extinction in 2005 to currently supporting 56 tigers. India has increased its number of tiger reserves from 46 to 58 over the past decade and successfully achieved the St. Petersburg Declaration target of doubling its wild tiger population by 2022.
During the event, Shri Yadav released three important publications: the Road Map on Active Management of Tigers in India, which provides a framework for managing tiger populations across reserves and landscapes; the Booklet on Reintroduction and Recovery of Tigers in India, documenting India's experience in restoring tiger populations through planned programmes; and the Annual Report of Project Cheetah covering September 2024 to December 2025, which presents progress on cheetah translocations, habitat management, veterinary interventions, and community engagement.
Community Participation and Conservation Strategy
The Minister emphasized that successful reintroduction programmes in Panna and Sariska were possible due to support and participation of local communities, while noting that similar success could not be achieved in Satkosia Tiger Reserve, Odisha, due to lack of community support. He stressed that equal importance should be given to the welfare and interests of local communities alongside tourism development. The workshop also focused on maintaining landscape connectivity in areas where tiger and elephant distributions overlap.
Workshop Deliberations and Future Directions
The technical sessions covered habitat restoration, prey augmentation, wildlife translocation, landscape connectivity, monitoring protocols, and active management strategies. Participants shared experiences from tiger reintroduction programmes in Sariska, Panna and other reserves, while tiger-deficient reserves presented preparedness and future recovery strategies. The workshop included dedicated sessions on Project Cheetah and the role of prey augmentation through translocation of species such as gaur and barasingha in supporting ecosystem restoration.
The deliberations and recommendations from the workshop are expected to guide future conservation planning for tiger-deficient landscapes through science-based tiger reintroduction, supplementation, prey base augmentation, habitat restoration and active management, while strengthening collaboration among NTCA, State Forest Departments, and scientific institutions.