New Delhi: India marked Global Tiger Day 2026 with a renewed commitment to wildlife conservation as Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav called upon citizens to build a deeper relationship with nature and adopt a conservation-oriented lifestyle. The celebrations, organised by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in New Delhi, also witnessed the launch of the NTCA Eco-tourism webpage, presentation of NTCA Awards and the release of five key conservation publications.
The event was attended by Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh, senior government officials, wildlife experts, frontline forest personnel, students and conservation stakeholders.
‘Nature Must Be Respected, Not Just Enjoyed’
Addressing the gathering, Bhupender Yadav said conservation extends beyond protecting wildlife and requires society to develop a respectful relationship with nature.
“Nature is not only a source of tourism or entertainment; it also needs to be respected, and people must derive peace from it,” he said, urging citizens to draw inspiration from nature and embrace environmentally responsible lifestyles.
The Minister also stressed that stories of wildlife conservation go beyond statistical data.
“The stories of forests are not bare data. They include traditional knowledge, emotions, passion towards wildlife conservation and years of experience of wildlife officers and conservationists,” he said.
He encouraged forest officers and conservation professionals to document their experiences to help shape practical and evidence-based conservation policies.
India’s Tiger Conservation Success
Highlighting India’s conservation achievements, Yadav said the country now has 3,682 wild tigers spread across 58 tiger reserves, reflecting significant progress under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He added that over the past 12 years, India has also expanded its network of:
- Elephant reserves
- National parks
- Wildlife sanctuaries
- Protected areas
- Community reserves
- Wetlands
These initiatives, he said, demonstrate the government’s sustained commitment to biodiversity conservation.
NTCA Launches Eco-Tourism Webpage
A key highlight of the celebrations was the launch of the NTCA Eco-tourism webpage, an integrated digital platform providing authentic information on all tiger reserves across the country.
The portal offers:
- Direct links to official tiger reserve websites
- Safari booking facilities
- Accommodation information
- Reliable visitor guidance
The initiative aims to promote responsible, sustainable and nature-friendly tourism while making information more accessible to visitors.
Recognition for Conservation Champions
The National Tiger Conservation Authority honoured wildlife officers, frontline forest personnel and other contributors through the NTCA Awards for their exemplary efforts in tiger conservation and protected area management.
The awards recognised individuals whose work has significantly strengthened India’s conservation ecosystem and protection of tiger habitats.
Focus on Capacity Building and Global Cooperation
Bhupender Yadav emphasised the need to continuously upgrade the capabilities of forest officers by adopting international best practices.
He highlighted the role of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) in promoting global collaboration, knowledge sharing and conservation efforts under India’s leadership.
School Awareness Campaign and Creative Competitions
The Minister also visited an exhibition featuring winning entries from painting, sketching, slogan-writing and mask-making competitions organised for school students across Delhi-NCR on the theme “Save Tiger.”
In addition, the Ministry organised a nationwide tiger conservation awareness campaign through Eco-Clubs under its Environment Education Programme, with special emphasis on schools located near tiger reserves.
Five Major Publications Released
To strengthen science-based conservation and knowledge dissemination, five important publications were released during the event:
- NTCA Outreach Journal – STRIPES (July 2026 Edition)
- Security Audit Report of 24 Tiger Reserves
- Habitat Suitability Assessment for Sloth Bears Across Tiger Landscapes in India
- Tigers of the World (published by IBCA and Global Tiger Forum)
- The Rehman Khera Tiger by Chandra Prakash Goyal and Satya Prakash Yadav
These publications focus on wildlife research, habitat management, conservation strategies and public awareness.
Why Global Tiger Day Matters
Global Tiger Day is observed every year on 29 July to raise awareness about tiger conservation worldwide.
The observance traces its origins to the 2010 St. Petersburg Tiger Summit, where leaders of the 13 Tiger Range Countries launched the Global Tiger Recovery Program (GTRP) and adopted the ambitious TX2 goal of doubling the global wild tiger population by 2022.
A century ago, around 100,000 wild tigers roamed Asia. Today, tigers occupy less than 8% of their historic range, while the Bali, Javan and Caspian tiger subspecies have become extinct due to poaching, habitat loss, illegal wildlife trade, human-wildlife conflict and climate change.
India’s continued success in tiger conservation has emerged as one of the world’s strongest wildlife conservation stories.
