Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, today addressed the Global Tiger Day 2026 celebrations organised by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in New Delhi. The Minister called for a deeper societal connect with nature and a conservation-oriented lifestyle. The event was graced by the presence of Union MoS (EFCC), Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh, besides senior government officials, wildlife experts, frontline forest personnel, students and other stakeholders to celebrate India’s achievements in tiger conservation and reaffirm the collective commitment towards protecting tigers and their habitats.

Emphasising that conservation is not merely about protecting wildlife but also about developing a respectful relationship with nature, Shri Yadav said, “Nature is not only a source of tourism or entertainment, it also needs to be respected and people must derive peace from it.” He encouraged people to draw inspiration from nature and lead a lifestyle dedicated to environmental conservation.

Highlighting India’s conservation achievements, the Minister said that the number of tigers (3682) and tiger reserves (58) has seen a remarkable increase under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He added that the number of elephant reserves, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, protected areas, community reserves and wetlands has also increased during the last 12 years.

While launching the NTCA Eco-tourism webpage, Shri Yadav congratulated NTCA for bringing information relating to all Tiger Reserves on an integrated platform. It provides direct links to authentic websites of all Tiger Reserves for safari and accommodation bookings, making information more accessible while promoting responsible and sustainable nature-based tourism. (Link: https://ntca.gov.in/eco-tourism/)

Speaking about the importance of documenting conservation experience, the Minister said, “The stories of forests is not bare data but it includes traditional knowledge, emotions, passion towards Wildlife Conservation and years long experiences of wildlife officers, Conservationists etc.” He urged forest officers to write more about wildlife conservation and share their experiences in a manner that can contribute to practical and implementable policy solutions.

Shri Yadav also stressed the need for capacity building of the forest officers and staff by incorporating global best practices. He highlighted the role of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) in taking knowledge sharing to the world under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

Recognising the contribution of those working on the ground for tiger conservation, NTCA Awards were presented to wildlife officers and other contributors for exemplary work in tiger conservation and protected area management. The celebrations also provided a platform to acknowledge the contribution of frontline personnel whose efforts are central to wildlife conservation.

The Minister also reviewed an exhibition showcasing the best entries from the painting, sketching, slogan-writing and mask-making competitions organised on the theme ‘Save Tiger’ for school children across Delhi-NCR.  Further, a nationwide tiger conservation awareness campaign was also organised through Eco-clubs under the Ministry's Environment Education Programme, with special focus on schools located near Tiger Reserves.

Five publications were released during the celebrations, reflecting NTCA’s continued emphasis on science-based conservation, knowledge sharing and public awareness. These include the July 2026 edition of NTCA Outreach Journal – STRIPES; the Security Audit Report of 24 Tiger Reserves; a report on habitat suitability assessment for Sloth Bears across Tiger Landscapes in India; Tigers of the World, published by IBCA and GTF; and The Rehman Khera Tiger, by Shri Chandra Prakash Goyal and Shri Satya Prakash Yadav.

The Global Tiger Day 2026 celebrations reaffirmed India’s enduring commitment to tiger conservation through recognition of excellence, scientific management, capacity building, responsible eco-tourism, knowledge sharing and greater public participation in safeguarding the country’s rich natural heritage.

Background: Global Tiger Day 2026

A century ago, an estimated 1,00,000 wild tigers roamed across Asia. Today, they occupy less than 8% of their historic range, and three subspecies—the Bali, Javan, and Caspian tigers—have become extinct. The decline in tiger populations has been driven by poaching, illegal wildlife trade, habitat loss and fragmentation, human-wildlife conflict, and climate change.

Recognising the urgent need for collective action, the leaders of the 13 Tiger Range Countries came together at the St. Petersburg Tiger Summit in 2010 and launched the Global Tiger Recovery Program (GTRP). The Summit also established Global Tiger Day, to be observed annually on 29th July, with the ambitious TX2 goal of doubling the global wild tiger population by 2022.

Since then, Global Tiger Day has served as a global platform to raise awareness about tiger conservation, strengthen international cooperation, encourage public participation, and review progress in protecting tigers and their habitats.

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VM/GS/SK