Madhya Pradesh

• 03 Dec 2024

Madhya Pradesh's 9th Tiger Reserve

Why in News? 

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has approved the designation of Madhav National Park in Shivpuri district as a Tiger Reserve. This move will establish Madhav as the 9th tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh. 

• The committee also sanctioned the release of one male and one female tiger into the park.

Key Points 

• Proposed Tiger Reserve Area: 
  • It will span 1,751 square kilometers, including a core area of 3 
  • 75 square kilometers and a buffer zone of 1,276 square kilometers. 
  • Madhav National Park achieved a milestone in tiger conservation with the birth of tiger cubs in September 2024, following a successful breeding program. 
• Second Phase of Tiger Reintroduction: 
  • The Madhya Pradesh Forest Department is preparing for the second phase of reintroductions, which includes bringing in additional tigers from Bandhavgarh, Kanha, or Sanjay-Dubri National Parks. 
• Long-Term Expansion Plans: 
  • Madhav Tiger Reserve is part of a long-term plan to expand into a 1,600-square-kilometer area within five years. 
  • A tiger safari spanning 100 hectares is also planned, with an infrastructure investment of Rs. 20 crore, expected to boost ecotourism and local economies. 
• Conservation and Ecotourism Benefits: 
  • This initiative aims to strengthen wildlife management in Madhav and Kuno National Parks. 
  • The project is expected to boost ecotourism and benefit local communities, contributing to regional development. 
• Madhya Pradesh’s Pending Notifications: 
  • Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary, which was granted in-principle approval as a tiger reserve in 2008, still awaits official notification. 
  • Reports suggest political resistance due to mining activities near Ratapani has delayed its formal designation.

Madhav National Park 

• About: 
  • Madhav National Park is situated in Shivpuri District, Madhya Pradesh. 
  • It is a part of the upper Vindhyan hills. 
  • The Park was the hunting ground of Mughal emperors and Maharaja of Gwalior. It got the status of a National Park in 1959. 
• Ecosystem:  
  • It has a diverse ecosystem consisting of lakes, dry deciduous & dry thorn forests. 
  • The forest is home to tigers, leopards, Nilgai, and Chinkara (Gazella bennettii) and Chousingha (Tetracerus quadricornis) and Deers (Chital, Sambar and Barking Deer) among others. 
• Tiger Corridor:  
  • The Park falls within one of the 32 major Tiger Corridors of the country, which are operationalised through the Tiger Conservation Plan. Tiger Conservation Plan is implemented under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.