Tiger Reserves in India

Tiger reserves are protected areas across the bio geographical regions in India, aimed at protecting the Bangal Tigers. This is part of the Project Tiger, initiated in 1972 to maintain the tiger population in their natural habitat.

During 19th century and estimated number of 45000 tigers were present in India, but a survey conducted in 1972 revealed that only 1800 tigers left in the wild of India. This alarmed the authorities in India and globally for an initiative to protect the big cats from extinction, in 1973 the project tiger launched in Corbett national park and other tiger reserves started across the country.

The tiger reserves follow the Core-Buffer strategy where the core area will be free from all human activities and biotic disturbances.

Initially, 9 tiger reserves were established in different States during the period 1973-74, by pooling the resources available with the Central and State Governments. These nine reserves covered an area of about 13,017 km² -- viz Manas (Assam), Palamau (Bihar), Similipal (Orissa), Corbett (U.P.), Kanha (M.P.), Melghat (Maharashtra), Bandipur (Karnataka), Ranthambhore (Rajasthan) and Sunderbans (West Bengal).

The World Wildlife Fund For Nature has given Project Tiger assistance in the form of equipment, expertise and literature worth US $ 1 million. There are 28 tiger reserves in India. The main achievements of this project are excellent recovery of the habitat and consequent increase in the tiger population in the reserve areas, from a mere 268 in 9 reserves in 1972 to above one thousand in 28 reserves in 2006. Tigers, being at the apex of the food chain, can be considered as the indicator of the integrity of the ecosystem. Thus, 'Project Tiger' is basically the conservation of the entire ecosystem and apart from tigers, all other wild animals' population have also increased in the project areas.

List of Tiger Reserves

Assam

• Kaziranga Tiger Reserve
• Manas Tiger Reserve
• Nameri Tiger Reserve

Arunachal Pradesh

• Namdapha Tiger Reserve
• Pakhui Tiger Reserve

Andhra Pradesh

• Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve

Bihar

• Valmiki Tiger Reserve

Chhattishgarh

• Indravati Tiger Reserve

Jharkhand

• Palamau Tiger Reserve

Karnataka

• Bandipur Tiger Reserve
• Nagarhole (extension) Tiger Reserve
• Bhadra Tiger Reserve

Kerala

• Periyar Tiger Reserve

Madhya Pradesh

• Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve
• Bori-Satpura Tiger Reserve
• Kanha Tiger Reserve
• Panna Tiger Reserve
• Pench Tiger Reserve
• Ratapani Tiger Reserve

Maharashtra

• Melghat Tiger Reserve
• Pench Tiger Reserve
• Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve
• Shahayadri Tiger Reserve

Mizoram

• Dampa Tiger Reserve