INITIATIVE TO SAVE TIGERS: Govt.seeks proposals for FIVE MORE TIGER RESERVES

The Statesman, Kolkata, Thursday 14 August 2014

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
New Delhi, 13 August, 2014

Government has accorded "in principle" approval for creation of two new tiger reserves in the country and has sought proposals from states for giving status to five more protected areas, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said today.

In a written reply in Lok Sabha, he said final approval has been given to three others for declaring them as tiger reserves.
"In Principle approval has been accorded by National Tiger Conservation Authority for create of 2 new tiger reserves -

Ratapani(MP) and
Sunabeda (Odisha)," Javadekar said.

"Final approval has been accorded to

Bor (Maharashtra)
Kudremukh (Karnataka) and
Rajaji (Uttarakhand) for declaring as tiger reserves," he said.

He said that the state governments have been advised to send proposals for declaring 5 other areas as tiger reserves. The state governments were advised to send proposals on

Suhelwa (UP)
Guru Ghasidas National Park (Chhattisgarh)
Mhadei Sanctuary (Goa)
Srivilliputhur Grizzled Giant Sqiurrel/Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuaries/Varushanadu Valley (Tamil Nadu) and
Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary (Arunachal Pradesh).

Giving details of tiger deaths till August 6 this year, the minister said inside tiger reserves, a total of 24 cases were under scrutiny.
There were zero deaths due to poaching including seizure and 4 deaths due to natural and other causes.
Similarly, in terms of tiger deaths outside tiger reserves, there were 13 cases which were under scrutiny, 3 cases of poaching and other causes and zero cases of natural and other causes.

The recent initiatives taken by the government include implementing MOU with tiger states, special crack teams sent to tiger reserves affected by Left Wing Affected extremism, modernisation of infrastructure and field protection and launching Monitoring system for Tiger Intensive Protection and Ecological Status and others.

This is good news. Hopefully these areas will receive more protection after being declared as Tiger reserves and help in conserving this species. Thanks for sharing.

Quote
Economic Times
PTI/ 23 Nov, 2014
New Delhi

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has given, in principle, approval for creation of Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve in Chattisgarh.
The NTCA has sought a final proposal from the state administration in this regard, officials said.
The National Park lies between two important tiger reserves - Bandhavgarh (M.P) and Palamau (Jharkhand) - and is also contiguous with the Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserve (M.P) and is about 450 km away from Capital Raipur.
This will ensure the largest landscape within the part of Central India for tiger conservation. ...........
Unquote

Apropos of our posting dated 15 August 2014 wherein it was reported that the State governments have been advised to send proposals for declaring 5 new areas as Tiger Reserves including the present one, this is possibly the first visible action in that direction.

I sincerely hope that the detailed proposal will be submitted by the State and final approval will be accorded by NTCA on merits after due appraisal and notification as a Tiger Reserve be issued at an early date.

Good News.
SaktiWild

RAJAJI TIGER RESERVE (48 th.)

On 20 April 2015, Rajaji National Park was notified as 48 th.Tiger Reserve of our country. The total area is 1075 sq.km inclusive of 255 sq.km of buffer area, as per latest information received. It is reported that there are about 11 Tigers in the Core area ( I may not comment upon the figures in the Buffer zone as the boundary has been increased/redrawn from the earlier 820 sq.km of National Park).

Good News.

Introduction of a few young Tiger and Tigress in the western part of the tiger reserve which has been cut off [near Hardwar/Rishikesh ] and thus deprived from the benefit of spill over from Corbett T.R. and Ramnagar R.F; would be an interesting challenge for Government and Naturalists. I am sure, it would be successful.
-SaktiWild

RAJIV GANDHI ORANG TIGER RESERVE

Latest and 49th.Tiger Reserve of India


Rajiv Gandhi ORANG National Park has formally been declared as a Tiger Reserve with State (Assam Govt.) Notification on Feb 24, 2016. NTCA gave its nod in 2015 and State Board accorded its approval earlier in 2014.

AREA:
Critical Tiger habitat: 79.28 sq.km
Buffer/Peripherial habitat: 413.18 sq.km
Total Area :492.46 sq. km

Orang is rich in bio-diversity and is often called 'Mini-Kaziranga'. Kaziranga-Orang landscape will now have 1100 sq.km of protected area mainly comprising of reverine landscape from the east of Kaziranga to the west of Orang. Now it will form the single largest protected area with Tigers in Assam, ahead of Manas Tiger Reserve.

According to 2013 census based on camera trap method, Orang had 24 Tigers including 4 cubs. It has a healthy population of Rhinos, Elephants, Wild Buffalos, Hog deer, Pigmy Hog and Gangetic Dolphin.

Apart from Sundarbans, Orang is the other Tiger Reserve where one may come across tigers swimming from one island to the other, spread across the mighty Brahmaputra river.


SaktiWild

Good that both Rajaji and Orang have been declared as Tiger Reserves. I hope this move will help in conservation. Thanks for sharing.

This is a good move to declare Rajaji and Orang as Tiger Reserves. Though Rajaji got heavily impacted by the anthropogenic activities of Gujjars and the canal, it still is a good place with some tigers still spilling over to it. Hope to see a tiger swimming in Orang. Thanks to Sakti da one more entry in my list of dream sightings. :)

KAMLANG TIGER RESERVE , Arunachal Pradesh

( Latest and India's 50 th. Tiger Reserve)

Good news.

Kamlang Wildlife Sanctuary has recently been notified as India's 50 th. Tiger Reserve. The TR falls in the south eastern part of Lohit district in Arunachal Pradesh and is about 700 km from Itanagar. The vegetation is broadly tropical, temperate and alpine. Named after Kamlang River flowing through it, the reserve is known for its beautiful lakes at different elevations, noted among them is Glow Lake (5000ft) having an area of 8 sq. km. The total area of the TR (Core:671, Buffer: 112) is 783 sq. km. Major wild life includes Tiger, Leopard, Clouded Leopard, Snow Leopard, Elephant, Capped Langur, Rhesus Macaque, Stump-tailed Macaque, Assam Macaque, Hoolock Gibbon.


SaktiWild

This is certainly good news. Hopefully declaring it as Tiger Reserve will ensure sufficient funds for its protection.

VALMIKI TIGER RESERVE Bihar

In 1994, the 900 sq. km. forests bordering Nepal was brought under Project Tiger.

After Supreme Court banned stone mining from Pandai river in 2002 , the green cover has improved . Patna High Court also ordered Indian railways in 2017 to build structures on railway track that passes through the reserve so that wild animals can cross over without risks of being mowed down by trains.

Apart from regular forest staff, the authorities have engaged 584 local youth from Tharu and Oraon tribes as wireless and computer operators, guards and chowkidars.

Three elephants have initially been brought from Karnataka for deep patrolling.

In the last eight years grasslands have regenerated, weeds removed and prey base has expanded.

The Tiger Population has increased as estimated below:
__________________________________________________ _________________________________________
Year No. of Tigers
__________________________________________________ _________________________________________
2006-11 : 10
2012-14 : 22
2014-15 : 28
2016-17 : 31 (plus 9 cubs)
__________________________________________________ ______________________________________________


Source: TOI Environment June 24, 2018

The gist of the news published has been reproduced here.

SaktiWild

A very good news. It shows that if proper efforts are taken, then we can still rebuild and preserve our wilderness areas and protect the wildlife. Hope this reserve continues to prosper. Thanks for sharing.

It is certainly a very welcome news about Valmiki tiger reserve. Hope the good efforts continue. If we allow our wilderness areas to remain unmolested by human hand then nature will take over and the places will bounce back.