By Ashish Kurl
Bhopal: The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), V. N. Ambade, has expressed satisfaction at the remarkable rise in the tiger population in Madhya Pradesh, which has grown from 526 to 785 across various reserves in the state. This shows Madhya Pradesh’s position as the leading state in tiger conservation, contributing significantly to India’s overall tiger tally of between 3,682 and 3,925, with nearly 75 per cent of the world’s wild tigers residing in India’s forests.
Speaking exclusively to this correspondent, Ambade emphasised that teams of forest officials are deployed round the clock to safeguard wildlife habitats across the state. “Our teams keep constant watch in every corner of our forests, ensuring that wildlife thrives in a natural and secure ambiance,” he said.
However, Ambade cautioned that the threat to tigers and other wildlife is not limited to poaching. He drew attention to the long-term challenge of inbreeding, which he said has quietly become a serious concern in smaller reserves. “Two hundred years ago, when Rajas and Maharajahs ruled different states, their palaces displayed tiger trophies that were nearly double the size of the animals we see today. This decline in size and vigour is largely the result of inbreeding,” Ambade noted.
He explained that in some forest areas, the tiger population is as small as five to twenty individuals, leading to limited genetic exchange. Such conditions increase the risk of inbreeding, which can weaken tiger populations over time.
Wildlife experts warn that inbreeding in tigers may result in multiple negative consequences, including reduced genetic diversity, higher susceptibility to diseases, and the emergence of birth defects or physical abnormalities. It may also cause reduced fertility and lower chances of successful reproduction, ultimately threatening the long-term survival of the species.
Ambade highlighted that trophy hunting and indiscriminate killing of tigers in past centuries caused severe population bottlenecks, and the effects are still visible. “While numbers are rising, the genetic health of the population requires careful management. Without maintaining diversity, the future of tigers may remain fragile despite their growing numbers,” he said.
Conservationists stress that modern conservation strategies must focus not only on protecting tigers from poachers but also on sustaining robust and genetically diverse populations. Measures such as creating wildlife corridors between reserves, relocating individuals to prevent inbreeding, and improving scientific monitoring of genetic health are seen as essential.
Madhya Pradesh, with its iconic reserves such as Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Pench, Satpura, and Panna, continues to be a stronghold of tiger conservation in India. The state’s proactive measures, from anti-poaching patrols to community-based conservation, have contributed to its success. Yet Ambade’s remarks serve as a timely reminder that conservation does not end with counting numbers; it extends to securing the genetic resilience and ecological balance necessary for the long-term survival of the species.
As India celebrates its growing tiger numbers on the global stage, the next challenge lies in ensuring that these majestic animals are not only numerous but also strong, diverse, and capable of thriving for generations to come.
