Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, recently announced the notification of the Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh as the 56th tiger reserve of India. The notification marks a significant milestone in India’s efforts to conserve tigers.
Details of the Tiger Reserve
- Location: Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve is located across the districts of Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur, Korea, Surajpur, and Balrampur in Chhattisgarh.
- Area: The reserve spans a total area of 2,829.38 square kilometers, including:
- Core/critical habitat: 2,049.2 square kilometers, which includes the Guru Ghasidas National Park and Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary.
- Buffer Zone: 780.15 square kilometers.
This makes it the third largest tiger reserve in India after Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (Andhra Pradesh) and Manas Tiger Reserve (Assam).
Conservation Landscape and Connectivity
- The Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve is part of a larger landscape complex that spans nearly 4,500 square kilometers when connected with the Sanjay Dubri Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
- It is also connected to the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh to the west and the Palamau Tiger Reserve in Jharkhand to the east.
This landscape approach to conservation is in line with India’s National Wildlife Plan.
Ecological Features
- The reserve is situated in the Chota Nagpur Plateau and partly in the Baghelkhand Plateau, offering varied terrains, dense forests, and numerous streams and rivers.
- These features make it an ideal habitat for a wide range of fauna, including tigers.
Biodiversity
- Total Species: A total of 753 species have been documented in the reserve by the Zoological Survey of India, including:
- 365 invertebrates
- 388 vertebrates, including:
- 230 bird species
- 55 mammal species (including several threatened species)
Impact on Tiger Conservation
- The notification of the Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve strengthens tiger conservation efforts in Chhattisgarh. The state now has four tiger reserves, further enhancing its role in the protection of the species under the Project Tiger initiative.
Approval and Notification
- The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) granted final approval for the notification of the tiger reserve in October 2021.
Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs):
1. Which state is home to the Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve?
- a) Madhya Pradesh
- b) Chhattisgarh
- c) Assam
- d) Andhra Pradesh
- Answer: b) Chhattisgarh
2. How large is the Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve?
- a) 2,500 square kilometers
- b) 2,829.38 square kilometers
- c) 3,000 square kilometers
- d) 4,000 square kilometers
- Answer: b) 2,829.38 square kilometers
3. Which of the following tiger reserves is the third largest in India after Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla?
- a) Sundarbans Tiger Reserve
- b) Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve
- c) Kanha Tiger Reserve
- d) Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve
- Answer: b) Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve
4. The Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve is connected to which tiger reserve to the west?
- a) Kanha Tiger Reserve
- b) Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve
- c) Sundarbans Tiger Reserve
- d) Rajaji Tiger Reserve
- Answer: b) Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve
5. How many species have been documented in the Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve?
- a) 500 species
- b) 753 species
- c) 1,000 species
- d) 1,500 species
- Answer: b) 753 species