NTCA approves 5th Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra

National Tiger Conservation Authority has given is nod to 5th Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra :- Nagzira-Navegaon Tiger Reserve. The state government had recommended to notify Nagzira sanctuary as the tiger reserve to accomodate surplus tiger from Tadoba national Park. The tiger numbers in Tadoba is near about 100 while in Nagzira area it is only 20.

• Tigers from  Tadoba often wandered into Nagzira area. With protected area notification, territories and habitats of these wandering tigers will also get the protection of this legislation.  
• The area of Nagzira tiger reserve (an expanded area of 700 square km) will comrise of present Nagzira sanctuary (150 sq km) and Navegaon National Park (130 sq km) which is located between Bhandara and Gondia districts of Maharashtra.
• Present Tiger Reserves in Maharashtra : Tadoba, Pench*, Sahyadri and Melghat

*Pench : area extends into Madhya Pradesh which has also notified it as a National Park and a Tiger Reserve.

• Total Tiger Reserve in India : 42 (Nagzira-Navegaon will be 43rd)
• Maximum number of Tiger Reserve : 6 in Madhya Pradesh

National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)

• Following the experience of officials in managing Project Tiger, need for strenghtening the conservation efforts and reorganizing management of Project Tiger and Tiger Reserves in India, was felt.
• Therefore National Board for Wild Life chaired by the Prime Minister recommended constitution of a Tiger Task Force whose recommendation included establishment of NTCA as " a statutory authority with legal backing and administrative power" and a Wildlife Crime Control Bureau.
• this led to establishment of NTCA as a statutory body through an amendment Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2006 under Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
• It came into force with effect from the 4th of September, 2006 constituting NTCA.

Role in conservation of Tiger

• as a statutory body it addresses ecological as well as administrative concerns pertaining to Tiger conservation.
• strengthened institutional mechanisms for the protection of ecologically sensitive areas and endangered species
• ensures enforcing of guidelines for tiger conservation and monitoring compliance of the same
• placement of motivated and trained officers having good track record as Field Directors of tiger reserves.
• facilitates capacity building of officers and staff posted in tiger reserves, apart from a time bound staff development plan.

Project Tiger

• launched by the Government of India on 1st April 1973 with the aim of checking falling number of Tigers in the country by ensuring protected habitat.
• One of the largest species conservation initiative of its kind in the world
• The Central government through its Project Tiger Directorate (in Ministry of Environment and Forests) is responsible for technical guidance and funding support.
• State Governments of respective projects are responsible for : protection , management, field implementation, deployment of requisite field staff/officers (and their salaries), matching grant to recurring items of expenditure.

Other Recommendations of Tiger Task Force 

• an annual report to Central Government which will be laid in in Parliament review progress of conservation efforts
• Strengthening efforts towards Tiger protection , checking poaching, convicting wildlife criminals and breaking the international trade network in wildlife body parts and derivatives.
• Managing Human-animal conflict/ Strategies for coexistence : Expanding the undisturbed/ protected areas for tiger by reducing human pressure but at the same time strive to repair the relationship with local populations sharing the tiger habitat.
• Regeneration of the habitat i.e forests in the fringes of the tigers protective enclaves by investing in forest, water and grassland economies of the people.

List of Tiger Reserves (till Dec 2013)

Andhra Pradesh
1. NAGARJUNASAGAR
2. KAWAL
Arunachal Pradesh
3. NAMDAPHA
4. PAKKE
Assam
5. MANAS
6. NAMERI
7. KAZIRANGA
Bihar
8.VALMIKI
Chhatisgarh
9. INDRAWATI
10.ACHANAKMAR
11.UDANTI-SITANADI
Jharkhand
12.PALAMAU
Karnataka
13.BHADRA
14.BANDIPUR
15.DANDELI-ANSHI
16.NAGARHOLE
17.BILIGIRI RANGANTH TEMPLE
Kerala
18.PERIYAR
19.PARAMBI KULAM
Madhya Pradesh
20.PENCH
21.KANHA
22.SATPURA
23.BANDHAVGARH
24.PANNA
25.SANJAY DUBRI
Maharashtra
26.PENCH
27.MELGHAT
28.TADOBA-ANDHARI
29.SAHYADRI
Mizoram
30.DAMPHA
Orissa
31.SIMLIPAL
32.SATKOSIA
Rajasthan
33.SARISKA
34.RANTHAMBHORE
Tamil Nadu
35.KALAKAD-MUNDANTHURAI
36.MUDUMALAI
37.ANAMALAI (Part)
38.SATHYAMANGALAM
Uttar Pradesh
39.DUDHWA
Uttranchal
40.CORBETT
West Bengal
41.BUXA
42.SUNDARBANS