Uttar Pradesh plans its 4th tiger reserve in Bundelkhand

Context: The Uttar Pradesh (UP) cabinet recently approved the notification of the state’s fourth tiger reserve in the Ranipur Wildlife Sanctuary (RWS) in Chitrakoot district.

About Ranipur Wildlife Sanctuary:

• Ranipur Wildlife Sanctuary, was founded in 1977.
• This will be the fourth tiger reserve in the state to be developed, after Dudhwa, Pilibhit, and Amangarh.
• RWS has no tigers of its own. But it is an important corridor for the movement of tigers.
• The Ranipur Tiger Reserve has tropical dry deciduous forests and is home to fauna such as tigers, leopards, sloth bears, spotted deer, sambhar, chinkara and a number of birds and reptiles.
• It will also be the first in the state’s portion of the Bundelkhand region, which it shares with neighbouring Madhya Pradesh.
• There are 53 Tiger Reserves in India spread across India.
• There were 2,967 tigers in India according to the National Tiger Conservation Authority estimation in 2018.

About 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, as amended in 2006, for strengthening tiger conservation.
• The authority consists of the Minister in charge of the Ministry of Environment and Forests ( as Chairperson), the Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment and Forests (as Vice-Chairperson), three members of Parliament, Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests and other members.
• The ‘Project Tiger’ is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, providing funding support to tiger range States for in-situ conservation of tigers in designated tiger reserves.
• The objectives of NTCA are:
  • Providing statutory authority to Project Tiger so that compliance of its directives become legal.
  • Fostering accountability of Centre-State in management of Tiger Reserves, by providing a basis for MoU with States within our federal structure.
  • Providing for an oversight by Parliament.
  • Addressing livelihood interests of local people in areas surrounding Tiger Reserves.

Map showing locations of Tiger Reserves in India

Source: DownToEarth

 Previous Year Question

Q.1) Among the following Tiger Reserves, which one has the largest area under “Critical Tiger Habitat”?                                       (2020)

1. Corbett
2. Ranthambore
3. Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam
4. Sundarbans

Q.2) The term M-STrIPES’ is sometimes seen in news in the context of    (2017)

1. Captive breeding of Wild Fauna
2. Maintenance of Tiger Reservoirs
3. Indigenous Satellite Navigation System
4. Security of National Highways

Q.3) Consider the following statements :

1. Animal Welfare Board of India is established under the Environments (Protection) Act, 1986
2. National Tiger Conservation Authority is a statutory body
3. National Ganga River Basin Authority is chaired by the Prime Minister

Which if the statements given above is/are correct?  (2014)

1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 2 only
4. 1, 2 and 3