State-wise List of Tiger Reserves in India | Current Affairs & General Knowledge - CLAT PDF Download

Introduction

As per the news, there are 53 tiger reserves in India, with Guru Ghasidas National Park of Chhattisgarh being the 53rd Tiger Reserve In India as of 2022.

• The reserves were initially established in 1973-74 and are governed by Project Tiger, working under the administration of the National Tiger Conservation Authority.

A protected area statutorily designated for the conservation of the striped big cats is referred to as Tiger Reserve. 

• Tiger reserves in India were introduced to save tigers as they were supposed to come under an endangered species, according to the IUCN Red Data book.  

History of Indian Tiger

In the wild, Tigers are currently found in Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Sumatra, Vietnam, Nepal, China, Russia, India, Bhutan, and Malaysia.

• The Indian/Bengal tiger is found mainly in Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Bangladesh.
• Habitat: Tigers are found in equatorial and sub-tropical woods, mangrove swamps, evergreen forests, and grasslands. The tigers have been reported in temperate forests of the Himalayas as well.
• IUCN status: Endangered
• WPA Status: Tigers are listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act
• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES): Appendix I.

What is National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)?

NTCA

• The Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972, amended in 2006, grants authority over wildlife to the National Tiger Conservation Jurisdiction.
• The National Tiger Conservation Jurisdiction is a statutory agency operating under the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change.
• The agency is headed by the Minister in charge of the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
• Other members of the agency include three members of Parliament, the Secretary to the Ministry of Environment and Forests, and the Minister of State.
• The agency's mandate includes the implementation and monitoring of Project Tiger, conservation efforts for tigers on the ground, scientific monitoring of tigers and their habitats using advanced technologies, and providing financial and technical support to tiger reserves in India.

What is Project Tiger?

• The Project Tiger initiative was launched in 1973 by India to protect the national animal, the tiger.
• Currently, there are 54 tiger reserves in India, covering approximately 2.21% of the country's total land area.
• The Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change's Project Tiger is a centrally sponsored program that provides centralized support to tiger reserve states in India for tiger conservation.
• The execution of Project Tiger is overseen by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
• Tiger reserves in India are declared by the NTCA and consist of two components: the core area and the buffer area.
• The core areas have the legal status of a national park or a sanctuary, with a focus on exclusive tiger conservation measures.
• The buffer areas are a mix of forest and non-forest land and are managed as a multiple-use area, with an inclusive and people-oriented approach.

Critical Facts about Tiger Reserves in India

• Tiger Population: As per the Tiger Census Report, 2019, the Tiger population has significantly increased from 2,226 in 2014 to around 2,967 in 2019.
• Highest number of tigers: Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of tigers at 526, followed by Karnataka (524) and Uttarakhand (442).
• Most Tigers in India: Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand has the most Tigers in India, followed by Nagarhole and Bandipur in Karnataka, Bandhavgarh in (Madhya Pradesh) and Kaziranga in Assam.
• Lasgest Tiger Reserve: Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam is the largest tiger reserve in terms of Area.
• Smallest Tiger Reserve: Bor Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra is minimum in area.
• Biosphere Tiger reserves. Manas (Assam), Similipal (Orissa), and Sunderbans (West Bengal) are Biosphere Tiger reserves.

Kawal Tiger Reserve is located at Jannaram mandal of Mancherial District  

State wise list of Tiger Reserves in India

Threats to Tiger Reserves in India

• Poaching is still among the significant challenges for the conservation of Tigers.
• Every part of the tiger has great market value, thus promoting hunting by professional poachers, local hunters, trappers, pirates, and villagers.
• Climate change and global warming increasing global temperatures have forced tigers and other species to shift their belts and migrate towards colder regions.
• Natural disasters such as large-scale forest fires are a great threat.
• Human encroachment of tiger habitats for livestock grazing, infrastructure expansion, and farming is a cause of concern.
• Infrastructural development such as railways and roadways severely threaten Tiger habitats.