A senior Forest official from the state, who is attending a three-day Global Tiger Forum organised by Ministry of Environment, National Tiger Conservation Authority among others in New Delhi, told Deccan Herald, “The Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change increased the funding from Rs 180 crore to Rs 380 crore. Add to it the 40% stakeholder funding, it will be increased to Rs 500 crore.

The funds will be divided among 49 tiger reserves across India, based on the tiger reserve area and tiger population. Since Karnataka has the highest tiger population in India, maximum funds will be diverted to the state,” the official added.

The funds will be used to increase the area to mitigate conflicts, strengthen tiger and elephant corridors and buy land to increase forest cover.

These are vital to increase the tiger density in the state. At present, tiger density is 18 tigers per 100 sq km in Bandipur and Nagarhole. Stress will also be laid on habitat improvement, the officer said.

As per the latest Tiger Census report, Karnataka houses 406 tigers of the 2,226 in India. The Western Ghats stretch, in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Goa, now houses 776 tigers; making it the richest and most densely tiger-populated landscape globally.

The Karnataka Forest department was represented by Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) B G Hosmath, Chamarajanagar Chief Conservator of Forests B P Ravi, Bandipur Tiger Reserve Director B BMallesh and Forest, Environment and Ecology Minister Ramanath Rai.

Interestingly, heads of all tiger reserves from Karnataka were not made a part of the forum. Another senior Forest official said: “Though the invite from NTCA was extended to heads of all tiger reserves, due to internal bickerings, the invitation to several heads was denied. We were given the task to attend meetings in Bengaluru instead.”