Ratapani Tiger Reserve

News: The Madhya Pradesh government has officially notified the Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary as a Tiger Reserve. Ratapani is now the state’s eighth tiger reserve. Ratapani Tiger Reserve

About Ratapani Tiger Reserve

• Location– It is situated in the Vindhyachal Mountain Ranges across Raisen and Sehore districts of Madhya Pradesh.
• Origin: It was first declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1976, extended in 1983, and received approval from the NTCA to become a tiger reserve in 2008.
• Rivers- It runs parallel on the northern side of the Narmada River. The Kolar River forms the western boundary of the Sanctuary.
• Vegetation– Dry deciduous and moist deciduous type
• Flora– Teak (55 percent of area is covered by teak), Bamboo etc.
• Fauna– Tiger,leopard,Chinkara, sloth bear, hyena, spotted deer, sambar deer, paradise flycatcher (the state bird of Madhya Pradesh) among others.
• Significance– The Sanctuary has Bhimbetka, a group of rock shelters and rock paintings, which is one of the ” World Heritage Site ” declared by UNESCO.

About Tiger Reserves of India

• The tiger reserves in India were established under Project Tiger, launched in 1973.
• They are administered by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) of the Government of India.
• As of December 2024, there are 57 protected areas that have been designated as tiger reserves.
• Tiger reserves consist of a core area, which includes parts of protected areas like national parks or wildlife sanctuaries, and a buffer zone, which is a combination of forested and non-forested land.
• State governments notify areas as tiger reserves based on the NTCA’s recommendations.
• The tiger reserve designation enables the state to receive funding from the NTCA. It will ensure better management and conservation efforts for wildlife.