Rajasthan’s Tal Chhapar sanctuary gets protection from plan to reduce its size

Source: The post is based on the article “Rajasthan’s Tal Chhapar sanctuary gets protection from plan to reduce its size” published in The Hindu on 20th December 2022

What is the News?

Tal Chhapar blackbuck sanctuary in Rajasthan has received a protective cover against a proposed move of the State government to reduce the size of its eco-sensitive zone.

What is Tal Chhapar Sanctuary?

Tal Chhapar Sanctuary is a sanctuary located in Rajasthan.It is situated on the border of the Great Indian Thar Desert.

The sanctuary is a distinctive shelter of the most graceful Antelope seen in India, “the Blackbuck”. 

Geography: The sanctuary has nearly flat territory and a combined thin low lying region this has got open and wide grasslands with spread Acacia and Prosopis plants that offer it a look of a characteristic Savanna.

Fauna: The sanctuary is host to about 4,000 blackbucks and other wild animals, over 40 species of raptors and more than 300 species of resident and migratory birds. 

The raptors, which include predators and scavengers, are on top of the food chain and control the populations of small mammals, birds and reptiles as well as insects.

Issues faced by sanctuary: The issues confronting the sanctuary include hyper-aridity, grazing pressure, the invasive weed Prosopis juliflora, salt mines in the vicinity and insufficient area for its large blackbuck population.