Take a look at the essential events, concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up your knowledge. Here’s your knowledge nugget for today. Knowledge Nugget: India’s latest tiger reserve Subject: Environment Why in news? Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (March 9) hailed the development of India adding the 58th tiger reserve to its tally with Madhya Pradesh’s Madhav National Park, and said it was “amazing news for wildlife lovers”. Key Takeaways : 1. Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav had on Saturday (March 8) said he was thrilled to announce that the country has added the 58th tiger reserve to its tally with the latest entrant being Madhav National Park. 2. Notably, on December 2, 2024 India got its 57th tiger reserve in the Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary of Madhya Pradesh, following in-principle approval from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change. 3. Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary of Madhya Pradesh has a core area of 763.8 sq km, buffer area of 507.6 sq km and total area of 1271.4 sq km. What is a Tiger Reserve? 1. A tiger reserve in India is a designated area established under the Project Tiger initiative to ensure the conservation of tigers and their habitats. These reserves are part of the government’s efforts to protect the tiger population, maintain biodiversity, and restore ecological balance. 2. Tiger reserves consist of extensive areas of land that include both a core zone and a buffer zone. The core area is designated as a national park or sanctuary, providing strict protections for wildlife. In contrast, the buffer zone is a mix of forested and non-forested land that serves various uses. These buffer zones act as transitional areas that support wildlife movement and habitat. National Tiger Conservation Authority The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change constituted under enabling provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, for strengthening tiger conservation, as per powers and functions assigned to it under the said Act. The NTCA conducts the All India Tiger Estimation to track the big cat numbers, usually in cycles of four years. As per the 5th cycle summary report of 2022, India has a minimum of 3,167 tigers and is home to more than 70% of the world’s wild tiger population. Process of Creating a Tiger Reserve 1. The state government identifies a suitable area for a tiger reserve based on the presence of a viable tiger population and appropriate habitat. Ecological assessments are conducted, which include studies on the prey base, vegetation, and the area's potential to support tigers. 2. The state prepares a detailed proposal that includes maps, ecological studies, and management plans. This proposal is submitted to the NTCA, which reviews and approves it before forwarding it to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for further consideration. 3. Once this process is complete, the state government issues a preliminary notification under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, declaring the identified area as a tiger reserve. 4. After addressing any objections or proposed modifications, the state issues a final notification under Section 38V of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, formalizing the establishment of the reserve. Notably, As per section 38W of the Act, once the notification comes “no State Government shall de-notify a tiger reserve, except in public interest with the approval of the Tiger Conservation Authority and the National Board for Wild Life”. Conservation of Tiger (Panthera Tigris) 1. The IUCN status of the tiger is endangered, and it is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. 2. India has been actively collaborating with neighbouring countries to enhance transboundary conservation efforts like India-Bangladesh to promote tiger conservation across the Sundarbans landscape. Conservation Assured Tiger Standards (CA|TS) Accreditation It is an international accreditation system that assesses management techniques in tiger reserves to make sure they adhere to strict conservation guidelines. 3. International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA) was launched by the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, in 2023 to promote the protection of seven big cats: the tiger, leopard, snow leopard, lion, cheetah, puma and jaguar during a program honouring 50 years of Project Tiger. The alliance seeks to establish contact with a spectrum of countries that surround these large cats’ native habitats. The IBCA aims to increase international collaboration and conservation efforts for these untamed inhabitants. BEYOND THE NUGGET: Project Tiger 1. The ‘Project Tiger’ is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) launched by the Central government on April 1, 1973, in a bid to promote conservation of the tiger. The programme came at a time when India’s tiger population was rapidly dwindling. According to reports, while there were 40,000 tigers in the country at the time of the Independence, they were soon reduced to below 2,000 by 1970 due to their widespread hunting and poaching. 2. To tackle the problem of hunting and poaching of not just tigers but also other animals and birds, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi promulgated the Wildlife Protection Act in 1972. A year later, after a task force urged the government to create a chain of reserves dedicated to tiger preservation, government unveiled Project Tiger. 3. Launched at the Jim Corbett National Park, the programme was initially started in nine tiger reserves of different States such as Assam, Bihar, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, covering over 14,000 sq km. 4. Notably, Project Tiger didn’t just focus on the conservation of the big cats. It also ensured the preservation of their natural habitat as tigers are at the top of the food chain. List of Tiger Reserves in India (As of March 2025) Sl No Tiger Reserve (TR) State TR Notification Year 1 Bandipur Karnataka 2007 2 Corbett Uttarakhand 2010 Amanagarh buffer Uttar Pradesh 2012 3 Kanha Madhya Pradesh 2007 4 Manas Assam 2008 5 Melghat Maharashtra 2007 6 Palamau Jharkhand 2012 7 Ranthambore Rajasthan 2007 8 Simlipal Orissa 2007 9 Sunderban West Bengal 2007 10 Periyar Kerala 2007 11 Sariska Rajasthan 2007 12 Buxa West Bengal 2009 13 Indravati Chattisgarh 2009 14 Namdapha Arunachal Pradesh 1987 15 Nagarjunsagar Sagar Andhra Pradesh 2007 16 Dudhwa Uttar Pradesh 2010 17 Kalakad Mundanthurai Tamil Nadu 2007 18 Valmiki Bihar 2012 19 Pench Madhy Pradesh 2007 20 Tadobha Andhari Maharashtra 2007 21 Bandhavgarh Madhy Pradesh 2007 22 Panna Madhy Pradesh 2007 23 Dampa Mizoram 2007 24 Bhadra Karnataka 2007 25 Pench – MH Maharashtra 2007 26 Pakke Arunachal Pradesh 2012 27 Nameri Assam 2000 28 Satpura Madhya Pradesh 2007 29 Anamalai Tamil Nadu 2007 30 Udanti Sitanadi Chattisgarh 2009 31 Satkoshia Odisha 2007 32 Kaziranga Assam 2007 33 Achanakmar Chattisgarh 2009 34 Kali Karnataka 2007 35 Sanjay Dhubri Madhya Pradesh 2011 36 Mudumalai Tamil Nadu 2007 37 Nagarhole Karnataka 2007 38 Parambikulam Kerala 2009 39 Sahyadri Maharashtra 2012 40 Biligiri Ranganatha Temple Karnataka 2007 41 Kawal Telangana 2012 42 Sathyamangalam Tamil Nadu 2013 43 Mukundara Rajasthan 2013 44 Nawegaon Nagzira Maharashtra 2013 45 Amrabad Telangana 2015 46 Pilibhit Uttar Pradesh 2014 47 Bor Maharashtra 2012 48 Rajaji Uttarakhand 2015 49 Orang Assam 2016 50 Kamlang Arunachal Pradesh 2017 51 Srivilliputhur Megamalai Tamil Nadu 2021 52 Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve Rajasthan 2022 53 Ranipur Tiger Reserve Uttar Pradesh 2022 54 Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve Madhya Pradesh 2023 55 Dholpur – Karauli Tiger Reserve Rajasthan 2023 56 Guru Ghasidas – Tamor Pingla Tiger Resereve Chhattisgarh 2024 57 Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary Madhya Pradesh 2024 58 Madhav National Park Madhya Pradesh 2025 (Sources: Fifty years of ‘Project Tiger’, ntca.gov.in, With Ratapani in MP declared India’s latest tiger reserve, all about the protected areas,International Big Cat Alliance and India, PM Modi hails India adding 58th tiger reserve to its tally) For your queries and suggestions write at roshni.yadav@indianexpress.com Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week. 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