Tiger Population
Highlights of NTCA Investigation
- Western Ghats - 30% of tiger population.
- Western Ghats - tiger population increased from 382 in 2010 to 828 in 2022.
- Mudhumalai Tiger Reserve - population increased from 51 in 2010 to 114 in 2022.
- Result - Infighting among tigers & tigers entering human areas.
- Mother tigers abandon cubs due to lack of prey.
Tiger Habitats
- Sumatran tigers - tropical rainforest of Indonesia.
- Royal Bengal tigers - Mangroves of Sundarbans.
- Indochinese tiger - Grasslands of Southeast Asia.
- Amur tiger - temperate forests of the Russian Far East (Siberia).
Distribution of Tigers in India
- 3,682 tigers found in India.
- States with most tigers - Madhya Pradesh (785), Karnataka (563), Uttarakhand (560), and Maharashtra (444).
- National parks with most tigers - Corbett National Park (260), Bandipur National Park (150), and Nagarhole National Park (141).
- 25% tigers - outside protected reserves.
Threats Faced by Tigers
- Habitat loss.
- Poaching.
- Human-animal conflict - due to increasing tiger population & clearing forest lands.
- Climate change - Drought - Less food for prey - Less prey for tigers.
Steps Taken by the Government
Project Tiger
- Launched in 1973.
- Government established protected areas specifically for tigers and their prey.
- To avoid poaching and habitat destruction.
National Tiger Conservation Authority
- Forms policies for the conservation of tigers in India.
- Direction of tiger conservation in India.
- Oversees the implementation of Project Tiger.
Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB)
- Enforces the Wildlife (Protection) Act and other relevant laws to prevent poaching.
- Collaborates with various agencies to ensure a coordinated response to wildlife crime.
Census
- Wildlife Institute of India & NTCA conducts Tiger census every 4 years.
Conservation Status
- Protected under Schedule I of WPA 1972.
- IUCN - Endangered.
- CITES - Appendix I.
Previous Year Question - UPSC Prelims 2017
Q. The term M-STRIPES' is sometimes seen in the news in the context of:
- (a) Captive breeding of Wild Fauna
- (b) Maintenance of Tiger Reserves
- (c) Indigenous Satellite Navigation System
- (d) Security of National Highways
Gangetic River Dolphin
Gangetic River Dolphin
Habitat
- Lives only in freshwater.
- Blind - catching prey using ultrasonic sound.
Distribution
Protection Status
- WPA Act, 1972 - Schedule-I.
- IUCN - Endangered.
- CITES - Appendix I.
Threats
- Industrial and agricultural pollution.
- Bycatch - getting caught in fishing nets.
- Habitat fragmentation
- Construction of dams and other irrigation-related projects.
- Dams - disturbs migration, breeding cycles, and habitat of dolphins.
- Gangetic dolphins hunted for meat and oil for medicinal reasons.
Conservation Efforts
- 2010 - Ganges River Dolphin Conservation Action Plan.
- 2019 - Project Dolphin
- Use of modern technology and anti-poaching activities.
- Engages fishermen & river-dependent population in conservation measures.
- Ganges Dolphin Sanctuary - Vikramshila, Bihar.
Practice Question – Prelims
Q. Indus river Dolphin, one of the world's rarest aquatic dolphins, can be seen in which one of the following rivers in India?
- (a) Brahmaputra
- (b) Ganges
- (c) Beas
- (d) Jhelum
Hamas and Israel-Palestine Conflict
Hamas
Objectives:
- Conduct armed struggle against Israel to liberate Palestine.
- Provide social welfare programs to Palestinian Arabs.
Basic Geography of the Region
- Palestine: Includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
- West Bank: Located between Israel and Jordan, currently under the rule of the Palestinian National Authority or Fatah.
- Gaza Strip: Located between Israel and Egypt, was occupied by Israel in 1967, but Israeli forces were removed in 2005, and it is currently under the rule of Hamas.
How the Territories Came into Existence
- 1947: UN Resolution 181 (Partition Plan) divided Palestine into Arab and Jewish states. The State of Israel was created in 1948.
- First Arab-Israeli War (1948): Israel won the war, leading to the division of territory, including the creation of the State of Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.
- Second War (1967): Known as the Six-Day War, Israel occupied East Jerusalem, the West Bank, the Golan Heights, Gaza, and the Sinai Peninsula.
- Yom Kippur War (1973): Started due to air strikes by Syria and Egypt against Israel and ended with a UN resolution after two weeks.
Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO)
- Formation: Established in 1964 with the main aim of liberating Palestine through armed struggle.
- Prominent Leader: Yasar Arafat
Israel-Palestine Conflict
- First Palestinian Intifada (1987): Uprising against Israeli occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, ended in 1993 with the signing of the Oslo Peace Accords.
- Second Palestinian Intifada (2000): Triggered by a visit of an Israeli politician to the Al Aqsa Mosque, leading to widespread violence that lasted for years.
- Third Palestinian Intifada: Ongoing conflicts, including recent air-strikes by Hamas and the subsequent war.
Practice Question – Mains
GS - II
Q. “India-Israel relationship has gradually moved beyond defence sector cooperation into a more comprehensive one but certain issues like Israel-Palestine conflict can be an obstacle in it.” Comment. (150 words, 15 marks)
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