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Ramgarh Vishdharito be the fourth tiger reserve in Rajasthan
According to a 2018 tiger census, there are 102 tigers in three reserves -- Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in Sawai Madhopur, Sariska Tiger Reserve in Alwar, and Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve in Kota — in the state.
The ministry of environment, forest and climate change on Monday approved the conversion of the Ramgarh Vishdhari Sanctuary in Rajasthan’s Bundi district into the fourth tiger reserve in the state.
Making the announcement on Twitter, Union minister Prakash Javadekar said: “Happy to sanction one more tiger Sanctuary, Ramgarh Vishdhari Sanctuary which will link Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in the Northeast & Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve on the southern side. Increasing numbers of Tigers and other apex predators certify our robust biodiversity.”
According to a 2018 tiger census, there are 102 tigers in three reserves -- Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in Sawai Madhopur, Sariska Tiger Reserve in Alwar, and Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve in Kota — in the state.
The proposal for converting the Ramgarh Vishdhary Sanctuary, which is spread across 1,071 square kilometre, into a tiger reserve was recently approved by the National Tiger Conservation Authority’s technical committee, a senior forest official said.
The state government will soon issue a notification in this regard, he said.
Last year, the Rajasthan government announced its plan to develop the Bundi sanctuary as a tiger reserve to provide a second habitat for tigers in the Ranthambore Reserve.
According to experts, there is overcrowding at the Ranthambore reserve, which houses 77 tigers.
Over 300 sq km area in the proposed sanctuary will be left as a critical habitat for the animals, while the rest will be a buffer zone, the officials familiar with the matter said.
The NTCA is now expected to send a committee to review the Bundi sanctuary, a second official said. Tigers from Ranthambore can only be translocated to the new sanctuary after the NTCA’s approval.
Upgrading the sanctuary would resolve the space crunch at Ranthambore reserve, the second official said.
Officials also hope to connect Ranthambore to Ramgarh and Mukundra. “To strengthen the prey base, the state has already approved shifting of chital (spotted deer) from Ghana Bird Sanctuary (Karauli) to Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve, Keoladeo National Park, and Ramgarh Vishdhari,” said third forest official who did not want to be identified.
A fourth official said that the proposed sanctuary is known as a breeding place for tigers. According to a 1985 census, there were nine tigers there. At least three big cats have strayed out of Ranthambore to Ramgarh since 2013. This shows that tigers are migrating there naturally, the official said.
Wildlife expert and founder secretary Sariska Tiger Foundation, Dinesh Durani, said the move to increase tiger population and reduce territorial infights is welcome.
“But the focus should be on improving the existing tiger habitat and corridors for their easy disbursal,” he said.
