Gujarat Reclaims Tiger Status After 33 Years; NTCA Adds State to 2026 Census

• Gujarat returns to India's tiger map after 33 years, included in NTCA's 2026 national tiger census.
• A 4-year-old tiger's stable presence for 10 months in Ratanmahal Wildlife Sanctuary, Dahod, confirmed by camera traps, led to this decision.
• NTCA instructed conservation measures; Gujarat Forest Department is monitoring and will be trained in 'STRIPES software system'.
• The last confirmed tiger presence in Gujarat was in 1989 (pugmarks only); a 2019 sighting was short-lived.
• Search for a tigress begins, and Gujarat seeks to declare Ratanmahal a Tiger Reserve, pending prey base assessment.

Why It Matters: Gujarat officially rejoins India's tiger map after 33 years due to a stable tiger presence.