List of Tiger Reserves in India

Check the list of Tiger Reserves in India here. We have provided the state-wise list of tiger reserves of India and PDF in Hindi & English that you can download at the end of this article. Tiger is apex predator at the top of the food chain and thus, its population is an indicator of health and survival of an ecosystem. Tiger reserves are the areas specifically notified by the government to protect the tiger and a wide range of its prey in situ. They are governed by ‘Project Tiger’.

Tiger Reserves in India

Tiger Reserves

Tiger reserves are administered by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
Initially, only 9 tiger reserves were covered under the project.
But today, this number has increased to 51 (list is given at the end of the article).
On the recommendation of NTCA, the state government has the power to notify a region as a tiger reserve.
There are 51 tiger reserves spreading across 17 states (tiger reserve states) of India which is home to nearly 70% of tiger population of the world.
From 1,411 tigers in 2006, this number has increased to 1,706 in 2010 and 2,226 in 2014.

Important Facts

Largest Tiger Reserve in India- Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana)
Smallest Tiger Reserve in India- Bor Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra)

STRUCTURE

A tiger reserve is demarcated on the basis of ‘core-buffer strategy’ which includes:
(i) Core zone
(ii) Buffer zone

PROJECT TIGER

It was launched in the country in the year 1973 in Palamau Tiger Reserve.
The first time project tiger was launched in 1973, at Jim Corbett National Park, Uttrakhand. (in some sources)
It was done with the help of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) on the basis of the recommendation of a special task-force of the Indian Board for Wildlife.

NATIONAL TIGER CONSERVATION AUTHORITY (NTCA)

It is a statutory body constituted under the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2006.
It was recommended by Tiger Task Force.
It is responsible for all the measures and actions taken under the project tiger for the conservation of the tiger.
Minister for Environment and Forests is its chairperson and Minister of State for Environment and Forests is the vice-chairperson.
The NTCA / Project Tiger also conducts the country level assessment of the status of tiger, co-predators, prey and habitat once in every four years. It is done using the refined methodology, as approved by the Tiger Task Force.

PHASE IV Programme

Through phase IV programme, NTCA has announced wide expansion of its tiger monitoring programme.
The methodology was developed by Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and NTCA. This would provide a yearly indication of tiger population around the country.

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIONS

MoU with Nepal to prevent trans-boundary illegal trade in wildlife.
A protocol on the conservation of tiger with China.
A Global Tiger Forum of Tiger Range Countries has been created.
‘New Delhi Resolution’ was passed in third Asian Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation.
Bhutan, Nepal, and Bangladesh joined hands with India to conclude ‘tiger census-2018’ in the subcontinent.

RECENT UPDATES

For 2018 census counting, NTCA has developed an android app named ‘M-STrIPES’.
Objective:
(i) for the proper location data feeding and filling the record more accurately.
(ii) to strengthen the patrolling and surveillance of tigers.
The primary focus of the tiger census 2018: to cover the northeast India that was not included in the previous census.
For the first time, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh have come together to count the tigers especially in the region with mutual borders.
In the previous census, only Nepal and Bangladesh were engaged in the counting.