Madhya Pradesh

• 04 Nov 2024

Elephant Deaths in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve

Why in News?

Recently, four elephants were found dead and five others critically ill in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, prompting a thorough investigation by wildlife officials and conservation teams.

Key Points

• Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve:
  • Located in Madhya Pradesh, Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve spans an area rich in biodiversity and serves as one of India's premier tiger habitats.
  • Elephant Population:
    • Originally devoid of elephants, the reserve saw its first elephant herd migration from Chhattisgarh in 2018, marking the start of a permanent elephant population within the reserve.
    • The initial herd numbered around 15-20 elephants and has since been observed in both core and buffer areas of the reserve.
• The elephants were located in Reserved Forest (RF) 384 and Protected Forest (PF) 183 A, in the Salakhaniya Beat of Khitauli and Pataur core ranges.

Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR)

• It is located in the Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh and is spread over the Vindhya hills.
• In 1968, it was notified as a national park and in 1993 was declared a tiger reserve- under the Project Tiger Network at the neighbouring Panpatha Sanctuary.
• It is known for the Royal Bengal Tigers. The density of the tiger population at Bandhavgarh is the highest known in India as well as in the world.
  • These streams then merge into the Son river (an important southern tributary to the river Ganga).
• The important prey species consists of chital, sambhar, barking deer, nilgai, chinkara, wild pig, chowsingha, langur and rhesus macaque.
  • Dependent upon them are the major predators like tiger, leopard, wild dog, wolf and jackal.