Tiger count in India up by 30 per cent; country now home to 2,226 big cats

By Newsgram Staff Writer

The tiger population in the country has shown a staggering increase of 30 per cent and their current number stand at 2, 226, Environment Minitser Praksh Javedkar informed the Lok Sabha.

There are 2,226 tigers today. In the last four years, there has been an increase of 30 per cent in their population," he said during Question Hour.

Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar informed the House that 22 poachers were also killed last year in encounters with enforcement agencies.

Terming poaching as a "big problem", he said that 22 poachers were killed last year in encounters. He also said that the government has taken various pro-active measures in this regard. Elaborating the economics behind poaching, he said a single-horn rhino can fetch upto Rs one crore.

Talking about the need for stronger laws, Javadekar said the government wants to make law on poaching and wildlife more stringent and was bringing a comprehensive amendment to it.

Giving figures, the Minister said in 2012, deaths of 89 tigers were reported but the figure went down to 68 in 2013. The numbers witnessed a jump in 2014 when 78 deaths were reported and 17 tigers have died so far this year, he said.