Madhya Pradesh’s Pench sanctuary, Kerala’s Periyar sanctuary rated top tiger reserves

  1. The 4th National Tiger Estimation (Tiger census) has designated Madhya Pradesh’s Pench sanctuary and Kerala’s Periyar sanctuary as best managed Tiger Reserves in India.
  2. The Dampa Tiger Reserve in Mizoram and Rajaji Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand emerged as worst managed tiger reserves in the country.
  3. For the Census, the tiger bearing habitats were divided into five landscape regions—a) Shivalik-Gangetic plains, b) Central India and the Eastern Ghats, c) Western Ghats, d) North Eastern Hills and Brahmaputra Flood Plains and e) the Sundarbans.
  4. Highest number of tigers were found in Central India and Eastern Ghats followed by Western Ghats.
  5. In India, there are 50 tiger reserves spread over 18 states. Tiger Reserves are protected areas established under the Project Tiger.
  6. Project Tiger was launched by the Government of India in the year 1973 to save the endangered species of tiger in the country.  Jim Corbett in Uttarakhand is the first Tiger Reserve to be established under project Tiger.
  7. Tiger Reserve aims at conserving the habitat to ensure a viable population of the tigers along with their prey base in their habitat.