TN’s 5th tiger reserve - Meghamalai-Srivilliputhur

    • Tamil Nadu is set to get its fifth tiger reserve spread over one lakh hectares land under the Meghamalai Wildlife Sanctuary and Srivilliputhur Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary.

    • This will be the 51st tiger reserve in the country.

    • The Centre approved the creation of the tiger reserve after receiving a letter from the Tamil Nadu government on January 7 and the state is expected to notify the same soon.

    • A new tiger reserve has been a long-time demand of the environmentalists with an eye to improve water management and tiger population in the area.

    • Besides, it will also be buffer for the tigers in Periyar reserve in Kerala.

    • Further, according to conservationists, the declaration of the new tiger reserve may also help rejuvenation of the Vaigai river.

    • Fourteen tigers have so far been identified in Meghamalai and Srivilliputhur sanctuaries following scat analysis between 2017 and 2018.

    • Meghamalai is home to a large population of hoofed animals, spotted deers, Indian gaurs, etc.

    • While Srivilliputhur has Nilgiri tahrs, Sambars, elephants, and bird species among others.

    • The first tiger reserve in Tamil Nadu – Kalakkad Mundanthurai – was formed around 1988-89, which was followed by Anamalai and Mudumalai in 2008 and 2009.

    • The fourth reserve – Sathyamangalam – was created around 2013-14.

Tiger reserves in India

    • India is home to 80 percent of tigers in the world.

    • In 2006, there were 1,411 tigers which increased to 1,706 in 2010, 2,226 in 2014 and 2967 in 2018.

    • The Indian increase played a big role in driving up global populations as well; the number of wild tigers globally rose from 3,159 in 2010 to 3,890 in 2016 according to World Wildlife Fund and Global Tiger Forum.

    • There are 51 tiger reserves in India which are governed by Project Tiger which is administrated by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

    • The tigers are maintained for their scientific, economic, aesthetic, cultural and ecological values and to preserve for all time areas of biological importance as a national heritage for the benefit, education and enjoyment of the people.

    • Project Tiger was launched by the Government of India in the year 1973 to save the endangered species of tiger in the country.  - Starting from nine (9) reserves in 1973-2016 the number is grown up to fifty (50).

    • A total area of 71027.10 km2 is covered by these project tiger areas.

    • Tigers feed on mammalian herbivores such as chinkara, chital and sambar in the reserve areas, thus keeping their population in check and helping to preserve the forests.

    • Tiger habitats also provide critical ecosystem services such as flood control and hydrological services/securing watersheds.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants. The views expressed here are personal.)