Correct Option
The correct option is 1 and 3 only.
Explanation
Project Tiger is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, launched to ensure a viable population of Bengal tigers in their natural habitats and to preserve areas of biological importance.
Statement-wise Analysis
- Statement 1 is Correct: Project Tiger was launched on April 1, 1973, from the Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand. It started with 9 tiger reserves and has since expanded significantly.
- Statement 2 is Incorrect: The tiger population in India has shown a consistent increase, not a decline, since 2006. According to the quadrennial All India Tiger Estimation, the population rose from 1,411 in 2006 to 1,706 in 2010, 2,226 in 2014, and 2,967 in 2018.
- Statement 3 is Correct: India is currently home to approximately 70 to 75 % of the global wild tiger population. This highlights the relative success of conservation efforts in the country compared to global trends.
Key Takeaway
Key Takeaway: Project Tiger, launched in 1973, has successfully reversed the declining trend of the tiger population in India, which now accounts for over 70% of the world's wild tigers.