The tiger population in the country has witnessed a remarkable surge, soaring from 1,411 in 2006 to 3,682 in 2022, marking a staggering 161% increase, according to information provided by the government to the Parliament on Monday.

Union Minister of Culture G Kishan Reddy said this in a written response in the Lok Sabha.

Reddy was asked whether certain bird, flower, animal etc. in the country have been designated as national bird, national flower and national animal and provided protection along with the special status keeping in view the sentiments of common people across the country.

As informed by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF & CC), the Government of India had notified tiger and peacock as 'National Animal' and 'National Bird' respectively, the minister said in his response.

"As the said notifications of the Government of India were not forthcoming in the official records of MoEF & CC for quite some time, the Ministry renotified Tiger and Peacock as 'National Animal’ and National Bird' respectively, on 30th May 2011," he added.

Tiger and peacock have been included in the Schedule-I animals of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, thereby "according them the highest degree of protection from hunting. In addition, important habitats of these animals have also been declared as Protected Areas," he said in his response.

The population of tigers in the country has "increased from 1,411 in 2006 to 3,682 in 2022," the minister said.

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