Table of Contents
Q) Among the following Tiger Reserves, which one has the largest area under “Critical Tiger Habitat”?
- Corbett
- Ranthambore
- Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam
- Sunderbans
- On 8th February, 2021, Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Shri Prakash Javadekar, announced the notification of a new Tiger Reserve.
- It will be known as the Srivilliputhur Megamalai Tiger Reserve.
- It is the 51st Tiger Reserve of India.
- Fifth Tiger Reserve of Tamil Nadu.
It is formed in the area of two wildlife sanctuaries:
- The Srivilliputhur Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary
- Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary
- Area of the new tiger reserve = 1016.57 sq km
- Core area = 641.86 sq km
- Buffer area – 374.70 sq km
- Can provide habitat to tigers dispersing from neighbouring Periyar Tiger Reserve & Anamalai Tiger Reserve.
Need for the new Tiger Reserve
- Environmental activists have been seeking a tiger reserve linking the two sanctuaries of Srivilliputhur and Megamalai.
- These two sanctuaries adjoin the Periyar Tiger Reserve in Kerala.
- Naturalists then sought to connect it with the Tirunelveli Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve to make it a contiguous corridor where the big cats can thrive.
- Forest officials have noticed 14 tigers regularly in both the wildlife sanctuaries.
- According to a report by the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), direct and indirect evidence of tigers were mostly restricted to the western plateau of the landscape.
- The report had also recommended the expansion of Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary.
Other Benefits
- The new tiger reserve will help in the rejuvenation of the Vaigai river by protecting the river’s origins in these forests.
- The area has experienced severe interruption of local residents for cattle grazing.
- This has increased the chance of spreading diseases from cattle to wild ungulates, thereby threatening the prey base of tigers.
List of Tiger Reserves:
1.Bandipur (1973-74)
2.Corbett (1973-74)
3.Kanha (1973-74)
4.Manas (1973-74)
5.Melghat (1973-74)
6.Palamau (1973-74)
7.Ranthambore (1973-74)
8.Similipal (1973-74)
9.Sunderbans (1973-74)
10.Periyar (1978-79)
11.Sariska (1978-79)
12.Buxa (1982)
13.Indravati (1982)
14.Namdapha (1982-83)
15.Dudhwa (1987-88)
16.Kalakad-Mundanthurai (1988-89)
17.Valmiki (1989)
18.Pench
19.Tadoba-Andhari (1993-94)
20.Bandhavgarh (1993-94)
21.Panna (1994)
22.Dampa (1994-95)
23.Bhadra (1998-99)
24.Pench (1998-99)
25.Pakke (1999-2000)
26.Nameri (1999-2000)
27.Satpura (1999-2000)
28.Anamalai (2008-09)
29.Udanti-Sitanadi (2008-09)
30.Satkosia (2008-09)
31.Kaziranga (2008-09)
32.Achanakmar (2008-09)
33.Dandeli-Anshi (Kali) (2008-09)
34.Sanjay-Dubri (2008-09)
35.Mudumalai (2008)
36.Nagarahole (2008-09)
37.Parambikulam (2008-09)
38.Sahyadri (2009-10)
39.Biligiri Ranganatha Temple (2010-11)
40.Kawal (2012-13)
41.Sathyamangalam (2013-14)
42.Mukandra Hills (2013-14)
43.Nawegaon-Nagzira (2013-14)
44.Nagarjunsagar Srisailam (1982-83)
45.Amrabad (2014)
46.Pilibhit (2014)
47.Bor (2015)
48.Rajaji (2015)
49.Orang (2016)
50.Kamlang (2016)
- Largest Tiger Reserve in India- Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana)
- Smallest Tiger Reserve in India- Bor Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra).
- Critical ‘tiger’ habitats are also known as core areas of tiger reserves.
These are identified under the Wild Life Protection Act (WLPA) 1972.
- Manas, Assam is 840 sq km
- Periyar, Kerala – 881 sq km
- Pakke, Arunachal Pradesh – 683 sq km
- Sundebans – 1699.62 km2
- Nagarjunsagar, Andhra Pradesh – 2595 sq km
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