A young male tiger met its demise in a road collision near Murdoli village within the buffer zone of the Nawegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. This reserve, spanning Gondia and Shahdara Districts, encompasses various protected areas including Nawegaon National Park, Nawegaon Wildlife Sanctuary, Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary, and more. The reserve is ecologically linked to neighboring tiger reserves like Pench, Kanha, and Tadoba Andhari. Comprising Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest, it shelters diverse flora such as Terminalia tomentosa and Anogeisus lotifolia, while supporting fauna like tigers, panthers, sloth bears, and more.
Prelims pointer
- Nawegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve: Located in Maharashtra, this reserve includes Nawegaon National Park, Nawegaon Wildlife Sanctuary, Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary, New Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary, and Koka Wildlife Sanctuary. It serves as a vital habitat for various wildlife species, including tigers.
- Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest: This biome features deciduous trees adapted to seasonal variations, found in regions with distinct wet and dry seasons. In the Nawegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve, it supports a range of plant species from dry mixed forests to moist forest types.
- Flora: The reserve houses 364 plant species, including significant trees like Terminalia tomentosa and Diospyrus melanoxylon, contributing to the diverse ecosystem within the reserve.
- Fauna: The reserve’s fauna comprises a variety of wildlife, such as tigers, panthers, wild dogs, sloth bears, and various other species like chital, gaur, and pangolins, showcasing the rich biodiversity of the area.
- Buffer Zone: The buffer zone surrounding the tiger reserve serves as a transition area between human activities and the core tiger habitat, aiming to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts while supporting conservation efforts.
