Chhattisgarh Soon to have India’s 3rd Largest Tiger Reserve
New Delhi: Chhattisgarh has made a landmark move in tiger conservation with the formal approval of the Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve, set to become India’s third-largest tiger reserve. Spanning an impressive 2,829 square kilometers, this new reserve will stretch across four northern districts: Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur, Koriya, Surajpur, and Balrampur.
The decision to create this expansive reserve comes in response to a critical intervention by the Chhattisgarh High Court on July 15, which accelerated the process, requiring the state administration to finalize the reserve within a four-week timeframe. This action is in direct response to alarming statistics from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), which revealed a dramatic drop in the tiger population in Chhattisgarh—from 46 tigers in 2014 to just 17 in 2022. The reserve’s establishment reflects a crucial effort to address this decline and bolster the state’s tiger conservation efforts.
The new reserve will merge the existing Guru Ghasidas National Park and the Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary, creating a continuous and expansive habitat essential for the survival and growth of tigers. This strategic expansion aims to provide a stable environment that supports the tigers’ proliferation and long-term conservation.
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change has also noted similar concerns in other states, underscoring the importance of Chhattisgarh’s proactive stance. The creation of the Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve is a vital addition to India’s network of protected areas, reinforcing the country’s commitment to preserving its rich biodiversity amid ongoing challenges like habitat fragmentation due to development and mining activities.
India’s largest tiger reserve is the Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve in Andhra Pradesh, covering 3,296.31 square kilometers, followed by the Manas Tiger Reserve in Assam at 2,837.1 square kilometers. The establishment of the Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve represents a significant advancement in India’s efforts to conserve and sustain its tiger populations, marking a pivotal moment in the nation’s environmental conservation strategy.
FOLLOW FOR MORE.
