Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on Thursday chaired the 29th meeting of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in Coimbatore, where key policy, management and institutional measures to strengthen tiger conservation across the country were reviewed.
Held at the Central Academy for State Forest Service (CASFOS) in Tamil Nadu, the meeting was attended by Members of Parliament Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Harish Chandra Meena, members of the Authority, senior officials of the Ministry, Chief Wildlife Wardens of tiger range states and Field Directors of Tiger Reserves.
The deliberations focused on strengthening protection measures, improving management practices and enhancing conservation outcomes across India’s tiger landscapes. The Authority reviewed the implementation of decisions taken during its previous meeting and examined proposals aimed at improving the conservation of tigers and their habitats.
During the meeting, Yadav released two key publications prepared by the NTCA.
The first, titled “Roadmap to Rescue: Strategic Roadmap for Establishment of Temporary/Transit Facilities for Rescue-Rehab-Release of Wild Animals in Tiger Landscapes”, provides a scientific framework for strengthening wildlife rescue, rehabilitation and safe release mechanisms. The roadmap aims to improve preparedness for emerging conservation challenges and human-wildlife interactions.
The second publication, “STRIDES 2026: Status of Tiger Reserves – Infrastructure, Development, Ecology & Social Parameters”, presents a comprehensive assessment of conservation and management interventions across India’s Tiger Reserves and is expected to support evidence-based planning and adaptive management.
The Authority also approved the NTCA Annual Report for 2024-25 and reviewed the Action Taken Report on decisions made during its 28th meeting. Recommendations submitted by the Technical Committee and Administrative Committee were also considered.
Among the major agenda items was the proposal to undertake the sixth cycle of the Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) of Tiger Reserves, a nationwide exercise to assess the effectiveness of management practices and strengthen adaptive management across protected areas.
The meeting also discussed organising a Tiger Conclave as a national platform to mobilise financial resources for Tiger Reserves through Tiger Conservation Foundations by encouraging partnerships with corporate entities, philanthropic organisations and other stakeholders.
Another proposal focused on organising STRIPES (Symposium on Tiger Research, Innovation, Policy, Ecology and Sustainability), envisaged as a national forum for researchers, reserve managers and conservation practitioners to share scientific findings, innovative management practices and policy insights for strengthening tiger conservation.
Members were also briefed on recent initiatives undertaken by the NTCA and deliberated on measures to strengthen conservation governance, scientific management and the long-term protection of tiger habitats.
The meeting reaffirmed the Government of India’s commitment to advancing tiger conservation through science-based management, collaborative governance and landscape-level conservation while supporting broader biodiversity conservation and ecological security goals.
