Dehradun: Amid the government’s effort to protect the population of Tigers in the country, some good news has sailed in owing to all the efforts being made. As per official sources, the tiger population in Uttarakhand has increased at a rate of 314 per cent between 2006 and 2022.

Uttarakhand Chief Wildlife Warden Samir Sinha claimed that the tiger population which stood at 178 in 2006 has risen to 560 in 2022, recording a rise of 314 per cent growth in the tiger population density in Uttarakhand. This is also the highest in the world.

The official further stated that the increase in the population of the wild animal in the state is due to steps taken by the forest department in recent years to improve their habitat conditions.

With the growth in the population of tigers, a slight increase in the number of people killed and injured in the tiger attack was recorded in 2023. According to the data shared by the forest department official, two persons were killed in tiger attacks in 2021, 16 in 2022 and 17 in 2023.

Apart from this, eight persons were injured by big cats in 2021, 10 in 2022 and nine in 2023, the official said.

The total number of people killed in encounters with animals such as leopards, elephants and snakes besides tigers was 71 in 2021, 82 in 2022 and 66 in 2023. While the number of persons injured in man-animal conflicts was 361 in 2021, 325 in 2022 and 317 in 2023, the official said.