“The third country wide assessment of the status of tigers, co-predators and their prey, using the refined methodology has shown a country wide 30 per cent increase in tiger number in 2014 with an estimated number of 2,226 tigers (range 1945—2491) as compared to second assessment done in 2010 with estimated number of 1,706 tigers (range 1520—1909),” Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said in a written reply.

Replying to another question on killing of elephants, the minister said, around 100 pachyderms die every year in the country.

100 elephants die every year

“It is estimated that on an average around 100 elephants die every year,” MrJavadekar said.

“Chief Wildlife Warden, Kerala in collaboration with Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and other agencies last year busted a big nexus of elephant poachers and ivory smugglers in the country, leading to identification of 18 elephantscarcases, 538 kilograms of ivory/ivory products, arrest of 63 offenders and recovery of guns and vehicles,” he said. - PTI