In recent news, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, has taken a step further in strengthening tiger conservation. The NTCA has designated the combined areas of the Guru Ghasidas National Park and Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary as a Tiger Reserve. Established in 2005, this is now the 53rd Tiger Reserve in India, following the Ramgarh Vishdhari Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajasthan which is the 52nd one.
Location and Legal Approval
This newly appointed Tiger Reserve is located in the northern part of Chhattisgarh, bordering Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand. The approval for this 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 of the Designation
The significance of this designation lies in the fact that the Guru Ghasidas National Park was the last known habitat of the Asiatic cheetah in the country. This park also serves to connect Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh, providing a corridor for tigers to move between the Bandhavgarh (Madhya Pradesh) and Palamau Tiger Reserves (Jharkhand).
About Guru Ghasidas National Park
Named after the Satnami reformist hero of the place, Guru Ghasidas, this park came into existence following the carving of Chhattisgarh from Madhya Pradesh in the year 2000. The park, situated in the Koriya district of Chhattisgarh, has an undulating topography and falls under the Tropical climate zone. Its vegetation mainly consists of mixed deciduous forest with teak, sal and bamboo trees. Among the fauna, it is home to the Tiger, Leopard, Chital, Nilgai, Chinkara, Jackal, Sambar, Four-horned Antelope etc.
About Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary
Located in the Surajpur district of Chhattisgarh bordering Uttar Pradesh, this sanctuary is named after Tamor hill and Pingla Nalla, which are considered old and prominent features of the area. The sanctuary is dominated by mixed deciduous forests, with sal and bamboo forests spread all through. It is home to Tigers, Elephants, leopards, bears, sambar deer, blue bulls, chital, bison and many other animals.
