NTCA Restricts Tiger Corridors to Minimal Pathways
Tiger Corridors Latest News
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has recently restricted the identification of tiger corridors to a minimal set of pathways known as the 32 "least cost pathways," originally identified in a 2014 report. This represents a significant policy shift from the previous broader definition that included multiple scientific studies and ecological benchmarks such as:
Protected areas occupied by tigers,
- Corridors in Tiger Conservation Plans (TCPs),
- Studies by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) from 2016 and 2021,
- Quadrennial All-India Tiger Estimation (AITE) data.
Now, NTCA limits tiger corridors mainly to the 32 least cost pathways from 2014 and corridors recorded in specific tiger reserve TCPs, excluding many more recent and extensive scientific studies and data.
Importance of Tiger Corridors
- Tiger corridors are vital for the safe movement of tigers between habitats, enabling gene flow, maintaining genetic diversity, reducing human-animal conflicts, and ensuring long-term survival.
- This move by NTCA simplifies project clearances for development by easing the requirement for statutory clearance from the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL) for projects falling outside these minimal pathways.
However, conservationists have expressed concern. Restricting corridors to minimal pathways underestimates the complexity of tiger movement. A recent study by Nagpur's LRC Foundation highlighted 192 potential corridors across 10 central Indian states, showing a much denser and biologically important network beyond the 32 pathways. The NTCA’s 2014 report itself called the least cost pathways a "minimal requirement" and acknowledged the existence of alternative connectivities that need conservation.
This policy reversal has implications for tiger conservation, especially as India's tiger population recovers but faces increasing habitat fragmentation. It risks prioritizing short-term development over long-term ecological connectivity and genetic viability of tiger populations.
The issue is currently under judicial scrutiny, with the Bombay High Court hearing a petition challenging Maharashtra's decision to enforce NTCA's minimal corridor definition. The NTCA is reportedly working on refining corridor maps but has indicated that further updates may be postponed until court rulings are finalized.
In summary, NTCA has restricted tiger corridors to a narrower definition focusing on minimal pathways to ease project clearances, which has raised ecological and conservation concerns regarding the long-term viability of tiger populations and habitat connectivity in India.
NTCA Restricts Tiger Corridors to Minimal Pathways,FAQs
1. What is the primary change in the National Tiger Conservation Authority's (NTCA) recent policy on tiger corridors?
A) Expanding tiger corridors to include all protected areas occupied by tigers
B) Restricting tiger corridors to the 32 "least cost pathways" identified in 2014 and specific Tiger Conservation Plans (TCPs)
C) Eliminating the use of the 2014 report and relying solely on the latest Wildlife Institute of India studies
D) Increasing the number of tiger corridors based on the latest All-India Tiger Estimation data
2. What is a major concern raised by conservationists regarding NTCA's restriction of tiger corridors?
A) It will lead to an immediate increase in human-tiger conflicts due to reduced habitat space
B) It oversimplifies the complexity of tiger movement by ignoring numerous potential corridors beyond the minimal pathways
C) It will cause the tiger population to exceed the habitat’s carrying capacity
D) It prioritizes tiger conservation over developmental projects, causing economic loss
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