Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, on Tuesday, revealed that the tiger count in Maharashtra is estimated to be 446, which is a 23% rise from the previous tiger census conducted in 2018. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently released the Tiger Status Report 2022, according to which the tiger population in the country has crossed 3,000. As per the report, Central Indian Highlands and Eastern Ghats which also consist the entire Maharashtra, recorded the highest 1,161 tigers. With 446 tiger population estimated, Maharashtra has the highest tiger count in Central Indian Highlands and Eastern Ghats.

According to WII, there are minimum 390 tigers in Maharashtra and the estimated number varies between 403 and 489. Maharashtra recorded a considerable increase in tiger population in each of the last four consecutive tiger census. As per the Tiger Status Report 2022, there were 103 tigers in 2006, 168 tigers in 2010, 190 tigers in 2014 and 312 tigers in 2018. As per the study, Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) that comes under the Chandrapur Forest Circle, has the highest 87 (minimum) tigers. Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR), which comes under the jurisdiction of Amravati Forest Circle, has 55 tigers, and Bramhapuri Forest Circle has 53 of them. The Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) under the Nagpur Forest Circle has 41 tigers, which is a decline since last census in 2018. However, the tiger population in PTR may change as the tiger reserve is spread over two states -- Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

No major change was observed in Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve (NNTR) where the tiger count is lowest -- 12.

Chandrapur Forest Circle, which includes Central Chanda (10 tigers), Warora Bhadravati range (13), Rajura Block (02), Kanhalgaon Block (12) and Junona Block (21), recorded the majority of tiger population in the state.

Chandrapur district which has the highest tiger count in the state, is also suffering with the highest number of incidents of man-animal conflict due to increase of tiger population and decrease of their habitats in recent time. The Tiger Status Report 2022 also mentions that and raises concern over the man-animal conflict in Maharashtra which is also the highest in the country. The report also talked about mitigation of man-animal conflict which is hampering the objective of Project Tiger of Government of India. State government is working on its mitigation with the help of WII and the Central Government.