India, Oct. 8 -- Wildlife conservation in India has made significant strides over the past decade. The period has been marked by ambitious initiatives aimed at preserving species and restoring degraded habitats. According to the India State of Forest Report 2023, the country's total forest and tree cover increased by 1,445 sq km, bringing green cover to 25.17% of its land area - comprising 21.76% forest cover and 3.41% tree cover - since 2021. According to Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)'s State of World's Forest 2024, India ranks third globally in average annual forest area gain, adding an impressive 266,000 ha each year from 2010 to 2020. According to FAO's Global Forest Resource Assessment 2020, India, with 72.16 lakh ha of forest cover, ranks among the top 10 countries. On the protected-area front, India now maintains 1,022 protected areas, encompassing 178,640 sq km - or 5.43% of its geographic territory - which includes national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, conservation reserves, community reserves, and several of them enjoy the status of tiger reserves and elephant reserves. Community and conservation reserves have increased from 115 in 2014 to 343 in 2024 and 37 national parks and wildlife sanctuaries have been added after 2014, making for a total of 106 national parks and 573 wildlife sanctuaries. To date, 474 eco-sensitive zones have been established across India. This deliberate expansion of formal protection alongside ambitious afforestation efforts reflects a dual strategy - securing habitat for wildlife and restoring green cover. A strong legislative framework was established to protect biodiversity during this period. In 2022, the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act was passed, implementing CITES obligations, rationalising species classification, and enhancing sanctuary governance by including gram sabha consultations in the management. The Modi government has also prioritised the formulation and execution of the National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP), emphasising the importance of local involvement in conservation efforts. A notable success in the realm of conservation has been the resurgence of iconic species. India is the first country to prepare a checklist of its 102,718 species of fauna in the 10 biogeographic zones of the country. The population of the tiger, which once faced extinction, has seen a commendable rebound. As per the 2022 countrywide population estimation, the number of tigers has increased by over 30% in the last decade. With 3,682 tigers, India is now home to 70% of the global wild tiger population. India's Amrit Kaal Ka Tiger Vision (Tiger@2047) - unveiled during the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger in April 2023 - establishes an ambitious strategy to bring all potential tiger habitats under conservation cover, integrate core, buffer and corridor areas, and mobilise green investments, multi-ministry coordination, and ecosystem-based climate resilience through a unified approach across national, state, and local levels. Lions, too, constitute a remarkable conservation success story. The May 2025 census recorded 891 Asiatic lions, marking a significant growth of 32% since 2020. At 13,874 animals, leopards also have a stable population. India is the third-largest range country for snow leopards, with 718 of them spread across the Himalayan and trans-Himalayan region. The Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India programme covered almost 70% of the potential habitats. Recognising the importance of conserving the animal as a keystone species in high-altitude Himalayan ecosystems, India launched Project Snow Leopard by involving local communities, state governments, and conservation partners. The ambitious reintroduction initiative under Project Cheetah has marked the return of cheetahs to India after their extinction in 1952. The first batch of eight African cheetahs from Namibia was released into Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh, in September 2022. This marked the first intercontinental wild-to-wild translocation of any species in the world. This was followed by the arrival of another 12 cheetahs from South Africa in February 2023. Project Dolphin, launched in 2020, achieved landmark success with the first-ever comprehensive river dolphin survey across eight states, revealing an estimated 6,327 dolphins across the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Indus river systems, which is more than 90% of the global population of the endangered Ganges river dolphin. The project also piloted India's landmark satellite tagging of the Ganges river dolphin in Assam, a transformational step that will enhance our understanding of dolphin ecology and inform targeted riverine conservation measures. India has also achieved a remarkable milestone by expanding its network of Ramsar-designated wetlands from just 26 in 2014 to 91 by mid-2025, making it the country with the most Ramsar sites in Asia and third globally. With 91 Ramsar sites covering 1.35 million hectares, India champions wetland conservation. India has also made remarkable progress over the last decade in adopting smart green linear infrastructure to safeguard wildlife. The NH-44 upgrade through Pench Tiger Reserve in Central India introduced nine carefully designed underpasses and overpasses - now used by at least 18 species, including tigers and leopards - demonstrating a 240% increase in wildlife crossings within three years. This approach has since been mainstreamed: The Samruddhi Expressway, India's first green highway, includes multiple wildlife bridges and underpasses planned in consultation with the Wildlife Institute of India, an autonomous institution of the Union ministry of environment and forests, for future monitoring, and the forthcoming Delhi-Dehradun Expressway features Asia's longest wildlife corridor (14 km) through Rajaji National Park, integrating elevated corridors and underpasses to facilitate safe animal movement. These projects reflect a national shift toward embedding biodiversity safeguards into road and railway design. Looking ahead, the climate crisis poses a significant threat to wildlife habitats. Addressing these challenges requires sustained commitment and innovative solutions. However, the foundation built over the past decade provides hope and optimism....