Rajasthan set to get its fourth tiger reserve

GS PAPER II: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

Context: Rajasthan is poised to get its fourth tiger reserve after Ramgarh Vishdhari wildlife sanctuary received a nod from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)’s technical committee.

• The tigers were believed to have disappeared from the sanctuary in 1999.
• The total area of 1,017 sq. km that has been identified as the reserve area falls under buffer zone of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve (RTR).
• The upgrade in the status is expected to strengthen the ongoing tiger conservation efforts in the state.
• In 2013, the Rajasthan government had upgraded Mukundra hills sanctuary as the third tiger reserve.
• Prior to the formation of the state of Rajasthan, these forests were a part of the erstwhile Bundi princely states and were managed as hunting reserves.
• After Independence, these forests came under the control of the government of Rajasthan.
• In 1982, a part of the forest was declared as Ramgarh Vishdhari Wildlife Sanctuary under Section 5 of the Rajasthan Wild Animals and Birds Protection Act, 1951.
• The core area of the Ramgarh Vishdhari has eight villages. The sanctuary currently has leopards, sambhars, chitals, wildboars, smaller cats, caracals, chinkaras and nilgai.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/rajasthan-set-to-get-its-fourth-tiger-reserve/articleshow/83766899.cms