Tiger reserves of India

The tiger reserves of India were set up in 1973 and are governed under Project Tiger, which is administrated by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, Government of India. Tiger reserves were designated in 50 protected areas until 2018.[1] In 2022, the 53rd tiger reserve was declared in Ranipur Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttar Pradesh, and the State's fourth tiger reserve.[2]

India is home to 80 percent of tigers in the world. In 2006, India estimated that there were 1,411 tigers which increased to 1,706 in 2010, 2,226 in 2014 and 2,967 in 2018.[3] The increase in population of tigers in India played a big role in driving up global populations as well; the number of wild tigers globally rose from 3,159 in 2010 to 3,890 in 2016 according to World Wildlife Fund and Global Tiger Forum.[4]

Goal

State forestry departments operate 71,027.1 km2 (27,423.7 sq mi) of declared reserves "to ensure maintenance of viable populations of the conservation dependent Bengal tigers in India". The tigers are maintained for their scientific, economic, aesthetic, cultural and ecological values and to preserve for all time areas of biological importance as a national heritage for the benefit, educational purposes."[5]

Population assessment
State wise Bengal tiger population India as of 2018

By the year 2018, according to the National Tiger Conservation Authority, there were estimated only 2,967 tigers in existence in India.[6] The 2010 National Tiger Assessment estimated the total population of tigers in India at 1,706. As per Ministry of Environment and Forests, the tiger population in India stood at 2,226 in 2014 with an increase of 30.5% since the 2010 estimate. This exhaustive study indicated that better protected tiger source sites, especially tiger reserves, have maintained viable populations. However, the area occupied by tigers outside protected areas has decreased considerably. This demonstrates the need for corridors in order for tigers to move between source sites. The existing tiger reserves represent around one-third of India's high density forest area.[7] More tigers were killed in the first quarter of 2016 than in the entire previous year. This significant revelation comes at a time when the tiger census numbers are disputed by the scientific community.

In 2010–11, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in partnership with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) undertook an independent management effectiveness evaluation (MEE) of the 53 tiger reserves in the country. The reserves were categorized into four major categories. Madhya pradesh has the highest number of tigers(526) in the age group of 1.5 years with more than 408 big cats. Other states with significant populations include Karnataka (524), Uttarakhand (442), Tamil Nadu (229), Maharashtra (190), Assam (167), Kerala (136) and Uttar Pradesh (117).[8]

List of tiger reserves
Si No. Tiger ReserveYear of creation State Population of tigers, 2018[1] Area (km2)
1 Bandipur1973–74 Karnataka 120 868.63
2 Corbett1973–74 Uttarakhand 216 1318.54
3 Kanha1973–74 Madhya Pradesh 80 940
4 Manas1973–74 Assam 11 500
5 Melghat1973–74 Maharashtra 25 1677
6 Palamau1973–74 Jharkhand 3 414.93
7 Ranthambore1973–74 Rajasthan 37 1334
8 Similipal1973–74 Odisha 99 2750
9 Sunderbans1973–74 West Bengal 68 1330.10
10 Periyar1978–79 Kerala 20 350
11 Sariska1978–79 Rajasthan 9 881
12 Buxa1982–83 West Bengal 2 760
13 Indravati1982–83 Chhattisgarh 12 1258.37
14 Namdapha1982–83 Arunachal Pradesh 11 1985.23
15 Dudhwa1987–88 Uttar Pradesh 58 490.3
16 Kalakad-Mundanthurai1988–89 Tamil Nadu 10 895
17 Valmiki1989–90 Bihar 40 898.45
18 Pench1992–93 Madhya Pradesh 43 (contiguous with Maharashtra) 292.85
19 Tadoba-Andhari1993–94 Maharashtra 115 625.4
20 Bandhavgarh1993–94 Madhya Pradesh 63 1536
21 Panna1994–95 Madhya Pradesh 17 542.67
22 Dampa1994–95 Mizoram 0 500
23 Bhadra1998–99 Karnataka 22 892.46
24 Pench1998–99 Maharashtra 35 (contiguous with Madhya Pradesh) 257.26
25 Pakke1999–2000 Arunachal Pradesh 7 861.95
26 Nameri1999–2000 Assam 5 200
27 Satpura1999–2000 Madhya Pradesh 26 524
28 Anamalai2008–09 Tamil Nadu 13 958
29 Sitanadi2008–09 Chhattisgarh 4 556
30 Satkosia2008–09 Odisha 3 796
31 Kaziranga2008–09 Assam 103 858.98
32 Achanakmar2008–09 Chhattisgarh 11 557.55
33 Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve2008–09 Karnataka 5 1300
34 Sanjay2008–09 Madhya Pradesh 8 466.68
35 Mudumalai2007 Tamil Nadu 103 321
36 Nagarhole2008–09 Karnataka 101 642.39
37 Parambikulam2008–09 Kerala 19 643.66
38 Sahyadri2009–10 Maharashtra 7 1166
39 Biligiri Ranganatha Temple2010–11 Karnataka 68 539.52
40 Kawal2012–13 Telangana – 2015.44
41 Sathyamangalam2013–14 Tamil Nadu 72 1408.6
42 Mukandra Hills2013–14 Rajasthan – 759.99
43 Nawegaon2013–14 Maharashtra 7 133.88
44 Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam1982–83 Andhra Pradesh 74 3728
45 Amrabad2014 Telangana – 2611.4
46 Pilibhit2014 Uttar Pradesh 65 602.79
47 Bor2014 Maharashtra 5 121.1
48 Rajaji2015 Uttarakhand – 820.5
49 Orang2016 Assam – 78.81
50 Kamlang2016 Arunachal Pradesh – 783
51 Srivilliputhur – Megamalai2021 Tamil Nadu 14 1016.57
52 Ramgarh Vishdhari2021 Rajasthan 35 1501.89
53 Guru Ghasidas National Park and
Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary		2022 Chhattisgarh

Future

In addition to existing reserves, the in-principle approval has been accorded by the National Tiger Conservation Authority for the creation of two new tiger reserves, namely Ratapani Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh and Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary in Bihar. Final approval has been accorded to Kudremukh National Park to be declared as a tiger reserve. The State Governments have been advised to send proposals for declaring the following areas as tiger reserves: Suhelva Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh, Mhadei Sanctuary in Goa, Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh and Cauvery-MM Hills in Karnataka.[11]

References
  1. Jhala, Y. V.; Qureshi, Q.; Nayak, A. K. (2019). Status of tigers, co-predators and prey in India 2018. Summary Report. TR No./2019/05 (PDF) (Report). New Delhi, Dehradun: National Tiger Conservation Authority & Wildlife Institute of India.
  2. "Uttar Pradesh gears up for its fourth tiger reserve in Chitrakoot". newsonair.com. 2022.
  3. "India's tiger population sees 33% increase". BBC. 2019.
  4. "2967 – What the new global Tiger number means". WWF. 2016.
  5. "Project Tiger" (PDF). Delhi: Government of India. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  6. Y.V. Jhala; R. Gopal; Q. Qureshi, eds. (2008). Status of the Tigers, Co-predators and Prey in India (PDF) (Report). National Tiger Conservation Authority, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. TR 08/001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-06-02.
  7. "Tiger Estimate in India" (PDF). Public Information Brochure. New Delhi: Ministry of Environment and Forests, GOI. 28 March 2011. p. 9. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  8. "India's tiger population rises". Deccan Chronicle. 15 January 2015.
  9. "National Tiger Conservation Authority". ntca.gov.in. Retrieved 2021-09-19.
  10. "Tiger Reserves". Wildlife Institute of India. Retrieved 2021-09-19.
  11. "In-principle approval given to 4 new tiger reserves: Government". Times of India. 2016.
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