New Tiger Reserve: Chhattisgarh

• 07 Oct 2021

Why in News

Recently, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has designated the combined areas of the Guru Ghasidas National Park and Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary as a Tiger Reserve.

• NTCA is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, established in 2005 for strengthening tiger conservation.
• This will be the 53^rd Tiger Reserve in India. Ramgarh Vishdhari Wildlife Sanctuary (Rajasthan) is the 52^nd Tiger Reserve in India.

Key Points

• About:
  
  • It is located in the northern part of Chhattisgarh, bordering Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand.
  • Approval was granted under Section 38V(1) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
  • This will be the fourth Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh, after the Udanti-Sitanadi, Achanakmar and Indravati Reserves.
• Significance:
  
  • Guru Ghasidas National Park was the last known habitat of the Asiatic cheetah in the country.
  • It connects Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh and provides a corridor for tigers to move between the Bandhavgarh (Madhya Pradesh) and Palamau Tiger Reserves (Jharkhand).
• Guru Ghasidas National Park:
  
  • About:
    
    • Named after the Satnami reformist hero of the place, Guru Ghasidas, is the result of the carving of Chhattisgarh from Madhya Pradesh in the year of 2000. It is located in the Koriya district of Chhattisgarh.
    • The park has undulating topography and it falls under the Tropical climate zone.
  • Biodiversity:
    
    • Flora: The vegetation consists mainly of mixed deciduous forest with teak, sal and bamboo trees.
    • Fauna: Tiger, Leopard, Chital, Nilgai, Chinkara, Jackal, Sambar, Four-horned Antelope etc.
• Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary:
  
  • About:
    
    • It is located in the Surajpur district of Chhattisgarh bordering Uttar Pradesh. It is named after Tamor hill and Pingla Nalla.
    • Tamor hill and Pingla Nalla are considered to be the old and prominent features of the sanctuary area.
  • Biodiversity:
    
    • Flora: Mixed deciduous forests dominate the sanctuary. Sal and bamboo forests are seen all through.
    • Fauna: Tigers, Elephants, leopards, bears, sambar deer, blue bulls, chital, bison and many such animals are found here.

Source: IE