Eighteen years after the Centre announced the creation of the Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) to curb poaching and reduce human-animal conflict, only three states have established the dedicated force, exposing a significant gap in tiger conservation efforts.The delay assumes added significance as more than 100 tigers have died unnatural deaths in recent years, including cases linked to poaching.In the 2008 Union Budget, the then UPA government unveiled the STPF under Project Tiger and allocated Rs 50 crore to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to encourage states to raise the force across tiger reserves. Under the scheme, the Centre was to bear 60% of the expenditure and states the remaining 40%. For Northeastern and Himalayan states, the funding ratio was fixed at 90:10.Nearly two decades later, only Karnataka, Maharashtra and Odisha have operationalised the STPF.Explaining the concept behind the force, wildlife activist Gaurav Bhardwaj said the mandate of the STPF was unambiguous: prevent poaching, electrocution and other forest crimes; carry out intelligence gathering and combing operations; and reduce human-wildlife conflict.“States were given two options: deploy police personnel on deputation or use forest department staff. Most opted for forest personnel. Each company was to comprise 112 members, and the force was initially planned for 13 sensitive tiger reserves. Around 30% of posts were earmarked for local forest dwellers. Training was to include wildlife laws, weapon handling and commando skills,” Bhardwaj said.According to him, Maharashtra has raised STPF units in Melghat, Tadoba, Nagzira and more recently Sahyadri, while Odisha implemented the force even before relocating tigers to some of its reserves.Bhardwaj pointed out that several tiger-bearing states are yet to act on the NTCA model despite repeated announcements. “Madhya Pradesh, which has nine tiger reserves, does not have an NTCA-model STPF. Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Arunachal Pradesh announce it in their budgets, but implementation remains pending. States earn substantial tourism revenue in the name of tigers, yet have been slow to establish the force meant to protect them,” he said.Former Karnataka Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force) BK Singh said even the states that raised STPF units encountered operational challenges.“It is true that only a few states such as Karnataka and Maharashtra recruited, trained and armed STPF personnel. Most others chose to strengthen their regular forest protection staff through conventional recruitment and training. Even states that raised the force later diluted the protocols laid down by the NTCA in 2008,” Singh said.He added that many personnel deployed in the STPF sought transfers through political influence because they were reluctant to remain in the specialised force throughout their careers.Singh also questioned the long-term sustainability of the model. “No individual can be expected to pursue poachers and hunters throughout an entire service career. The policy required regular recruitment. After five to ten years, personnel should have been absorbed into routine forestry operations and replaced by newly recruited, specially trained staff. That would have ensured continuity of the programme announced in 2008,” he said.With tiger conservation continuing to face threats from poaching, electrocution and habitat-related pressures, wildlife experts argue that the slow rollout of the STPF represents a missed opportunity to strengthen on-ground protection in some of the country’s most ecologically sensitive landscapes.