PTI

New Delhi, Feb 13: India's Tiger population declined by more than half in the last five years and only 1,411 big cats are left in the country, a latest census revealed on Tuesday painting an alarming picture.

Unveiling the latest figures, the government said there were an estimated 3,500 tigers in the last major survey in 2002. The government, however, said previous data was not accurate. Poaching, loss of quality habitat and prey were the main factors blamed for the dwindling numbers.

"This time we have used new and additional methods for tiger census. Last time since it was on the basis of using pugmark, there were some slippages," Rajesh Gopal, member secretary, National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) said while making a presentation about tiger census at a function.

Gopal, however, said, "Currently tigers are spotted largely in the forest areas of 17 states in the country, Madhya Pradesh topping the list with 300 tigers. But there are no more big cats outside the tiger reserves." Total country level population of tiger is 1,411 with variation of 17.43 per cent -- the lower limit at 1,165 and the upper limit at 1,657, Gopal said.

The census has classified the tiger reserves areas into six landscape complexes namely, Shivalik-Gangetic Plains, Central Indian Landscape Complex, Eastern Ghats, Western Ghats, North-eastern Hills and Bhramputra Plains and Sunderbans -- in 23 states depending on their habitats.

In Uttrakhand while the number of tigers is estimated to be at 178, in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar the approximate number is 109 and 10 tigers respectively.

Similarly, in Andhra Pradesh, the number stood at 95, Chattisgarh has 26, Madhya Pardesh (300), Maharashtra (103), Orissa, (45) and Rajasthan(32).