In a momentous development for wildlife conservation, India has unveiled its 54th tiger reserve, this time in the picturesque Dholpur-Karauli districts of Rajasthan.
The decision came on Tuesday following the approval of the proposal by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). Rajasthan, already home to the famed Ranthambore, Sariska, Mukundra Hills, and Ramgarh Vishdhari tiger reserves.
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav expressed his enthusiasm for this achievement, hailing it as a “giant leap for wildlife conservation in Rajasthan.” On the microblogging site X, he tweeted, “The Dholpur-Karauli Tiger Reserve has been accorded the final approval by @ntca_india. Let’s pledge to safeguard this precious ecosystem and its majestic tigers.”
Moreover, Union environment Minister Yadav said in another post on X revealed that in-principle approval has also been granted for declaring Kumbhalgarh, situated in Rajasthan, as a Tiger Reserve. He noted, “This significant step towards wildlife conservation promises a brighter future for tigers and biodiversity in Rajasthan.”
These initiatives are expected to not only fortify the conservation of tigers and their habitats but also contribute to the economic well-being of the local people, he added.
The official approval from the NTCA was granted on August 4, with the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change subsequently clearing the in-principle approval on the highlighted Tuesday. The proposed Kumbhalgarh reserve is set to cover an extensive area of approximately 2800 square kilometers.
Speaking on this historic moment, Rajsamand MP and NTCA member Diya Kumari expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Bhupender Yadav for their support. She said, “Today is a historic day for Mewar, and I express my immense gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji and Union Minister Bhupender Yadav ji for giving a green signal for this project. I have dedicated my full efforts to bring the project on the ground despite many impediments.”
Kumari emphasized her dedication and optimism, stating, “I am happy that the Union Government today has given in-principle approval and now we can hope that Kumbhalgarh will soon become a tiger reserve.”
The strides in tiger conservation have been showing encouraging results in recent years. According to government data, the number of tigers in India surged from 2,967 in 2018 to an impressive 3,682 in 2022, reflecting an annual growth rate of 6 percent. This increase has also been witnessed at the regional level, with Madhya Pradesh emerging as the leader, housing the highest number of tigers (785), followed by Karnataka (563), Uttarakhand (560), and Maharashtra (444).
In Rajasthan, the tiger population has shown remarkable progress, climbing from 32 in 2006 to 88 in 2022.