GoI maps Tiger Corridors in the country

On December 2, 2019, the Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change provided the details of tiger corridor mapping in Rajya Sabha. The corridors were mapped by the National Tiger Conservation Authority and Wildlife Institute of India. The institutes have mapped 32 corridors in all.

Tiger Corridors

The Corridors grouped under 4 major categories were listed state-wise. The corridors are located in the Shivalik hills and Gangetic plains, central India and Eastern Ghats, Western Ghats and the North Eastern hills. The corridors are operated under Tiger Conservation Plan. The plan is protected and implemented under section 38V of the Wildlife(Protection) act, 1972.

Shivalik hills and Gangetic Plains

In this region, there are 3 corridors. It includes Rajaji-Corbett in Uttarakhand; Corbett-Dudhwa in Uttarakhand, Nepal and UP; Dudhwa-Kishanpur-Katerniaghat in UP, Nepal.

Central India and Eastern Ghats

There are around 11 corridors in the region. It includes Ranthambhore-Kuno-Madhav in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan; Bandhavgarh-Achanakmar in MP, Chattisgarh; Bandhavgarh-Sanjay Dubri-Guru Ghasidas in MP; Guru Gahsidas-Palamau-Lawalong in Chattisgarh, Jharkhand; Kanha-Achanakmar in MP, Chattisgarh; Kanha-Pench in MP, Maharashtra, Pench-Satpura-Melghat in MP, Maharashtra.

The corridors in Eastern Ghats include Kanha-Navegaon Nagzira-Tadoba-Indravati in MP, Maharashtra, Chattisgarh, AP, Indravati-Sunabeda in Chattisgarh, Odisha, Similipal-Satkosia in Odisha and Nagarjunasagar-Sri Venkateshwara National Park in Andhra Pradesh.

Similarly, there are around 8 corridors in Western Ghats and 10 corridors in North Eastern India.

Significance

India is home to 70% of wild tigers in the world. The Central India is currently home to highest genetic diversity of tiger in the world. Tiger Corridors are highly important for their diversity. The tiger corridors are stretch of land that links two different tiger habitats. Without these corridors the habitats will become fragmented and tiger population will become isolated leading to local extinction.

Month: Current Affairs - December, 2019