Tripura is home to over 100 wildlife species, all vital to maintaining ecological balance. Against the backdrop of rising human-elephant conflict in various states and UTs, including Tripura, the Centre's initiatives for conservation of wildlife assumes special significance. Emphasising the need to reduce conflict and safeguard elephant movement, Tripura Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma recently suggested constructing underpasses in areas where elephant corridors intersect, particularly in the Atharamura hill range. The corridors have historical significance, once extending to Chittagong in Bangladesh, and offering a vast, uninterrupted forest for elephants to roam freely.
Debbarma expressed concern over the impact of barbed wire fencing along the Indo-Bangladesh border, which has severely restricted elephant movement. As a result, these pachyderms are confined to smaller territories, leading them to wander into human settlements in search of food. This often results in human-elephant conflicts. The expansion of railway and national highway networks through forested areas has further fragmented elephant habitats, creating difficulties for herds to move between ranges. Debbarma has proposed enhancing food sources within forest areas to discourage elephants from entering villages. The state plans to undertake large-scale planting of banana trees and bamboo to provide reliable fodder for the herds.
Wild Life Act
The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 provides for conservation, protection and management of wildlife. The Act regulates hunting of wild animals, provides for declaration of Sanctuaries, National Parks, Conservation Reserves and Community Reserves and also for penalties for violation of the provisions of the Act. The Centre provides the financial assistance to States and Union Territories under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes, of ‘Development of Wildlife Habitats’ and ‘Project Tiger and Elephant’ which aims at conservation and protection of wildlife and improvement of its habitats.
These schemes launched by the Environment, Forest and Climate Change support activities like removal of invasive species, creation of water holes, grassland management, maintenance of fire lines, soil and moisture conservation works, establishment and maintenance of anti-poaching camps, patrolling squads, improved wireless communication, wildlife veterinary care, use of technology like camera traps, drones, e-surveillance etc. for monitoring of wild animals, detecting illegal intrusions,early warning system in relaying information to quick reaction teams in the field for managing human wildlife conflict, eco-development activities involving communities.
Conservation of flagship species such as Tiger, Elephant, Dolphin etc are implemented in 'project mode' like Project Tiger, Project Elephant, Project Lion, Project Snow Leopard, Project Dolphin. Under a species specific component ‘Recovery programme for saving critically endangered species and habitats’, States and Union Territories are assisted for focused conservation action on identified 24 critically endangered species.
The population assessment of wild animals is carried out by the respective States and Union Territories from time to time. The population assessment of the identified flagship species are carried out at National level. The first ever scientific assessment of the snow leopards and river dolphin have indicated a population of 718 snow leopards and 6,327 river dolphins in the country. The tiger population has shown increase as per the All India Tiger Estimation done in 2022, with an estimated number of 3,682 (range 3,167-3,925) as compared to the 2018 estimation of 2,967 (range 2,603-3,346). Further, as per ‘Status of Leopards in India-2022’ report, leopard population in country is estimated at 13,874 (Range: 12,616-15,132) individuals, in comparison to 12,852 (12,172-13,535) individuals as per 2018 report.
Further, with a view to protecting, propagating and developing wildlife a network of Protected Areas have been created in the country. The number of Protected Areas have increased from 981 in 2020 to 1,134 in 2025. Similarly, the Tiger Reserves have increased from 50 to 58 and Elephant Reserves have increased from 30 to 33 during the same period. In addition, for maintaining the ecological connectivity, 32 tiger corridors and 150 Elephant corridors have been identified. The Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) exercise for the National Parks, Sanctuaries, Tiger Reserves and Elephant Reserves, have also been undertaken to assess the effectiveness of management.