“Tiger Reserves” in India

What is the News?

Six tigers are unaccounted for in the Ranthambore tiger reserves in Rajasthan, since March 2020. But State officials are not willing to label them as missing. NTCA has constituted a committee in this regard.

About Tiger Reserves:

• Tiger Reserves are areas of protection for tigers. They aim to conserve the habitat to ensure a viable population of the tigers along with their prey base in their habitat.
• Declared by: The National Tiger Conservation Authority via Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act,2006 under Project Tiger, declares tiger reserves .
  • Project Tiger: It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Government of India launched in 1973. It aims for in-situ conservation of wild tigers in designated tiger reserves.
• Proposal for tiger reserves: To declare an area as Tiger Reserve, the state governments can forward their proposals to NTCA. The Central Government via NTCA may also advise the state governments to forward a proposal for creation of Tiger Reserves.
• Tigers Reserves in India: There are 51 tigers reserves in India. The Project Tiger governs these reserves and the National Tiger Conservation Authority(NTCA) administers them.
  • Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Karnataka is the first tiger reserve in India
  • Srivilliputhur- Megamalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu is the 51st Tiger Reserve in India.
• Largest Tiger Reserve: Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve located in Andhra Pradesh is the largest tiger reserve in India.
• Tiger Reserve with the Highest Tiger counts: Corbett Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand has the highest number of tigers. And then comes the Nagarhole tiger reserve(Karnataka) and the Bandipur Tiger Reserve(Karnataka).

About National Tiger Conservation Authority(NTCA):

• NTCA is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. It was constituted under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
• It got established in 2005 following the recommendations of the Tiger Task Force.
• Objectives of National Tiger Conservation Authority:
  • Firstly, providing statutory authority to Project Tiger so that compliance with its directives becomes legal.
  • Secondly, fostering accountability of Center-State in the management of Tiger Reserves by providing a basis for MoU with States within our federal structure.
  • Thirdly, providing for oversight by Parliament.
  • Lastly, addressing livelihood interests of local people in areas surrounding Tigers Reserves.

Source: The Hindu