Madhav National Park, located in Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh, has been officially declared India’s 58th and Madhya Pradesh’s 9th Tiger Reserve. This recognition makes Madhya Pradesh as the state with highest number of tiger reserves in India, followed by Maharashtra with six, while Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka each having five Tiger Reserve.
Madhav National Park
Background
Notified as a National Park in 1956 under the MP National Parks Act, 1955, with an initial area of 165.32 sq km. Expanded to 355 sq km core area, with a buffer zone of 4-6 sq km. Historically, Madhav National Park had no resident tigers. However, in 2023, three tigers (one male and two females) were relocated to the park.
Recent Developments in Tiger Population:
- One tigress gave birth to two cubs, increasing the total tiger count to five.
- On March 10, 2024, another tigress from Panna National Park was introduced.
- An additional male tiger will be introduced soon, bringing the total source population to seven.
Ecological & Strategic Importance
Wildlife Corridor Connectivity:
- Acts as a key corridor linking Ranthambore Tiger Reserve (Rajasthan) and Kuno National Park (Madhya Pradesh).
- Tigers from Ranthambore are known to cross the Chambal River and visit Madhav National Park.
Conflict with Kuno National Park:
- Kuno hosts a captive cheetah population, raising concerns about prey competition between tigers and cheetahs.
- Reports suggest Kuno already faces a shortage of prey, which could lead to ecological imbalances.
Challenges in Conservation
- Prey Base Pressure: Madhav National Park and Kuno National Park are ecologically connected, leading to potential competition for prey between cheetahs and tigers.
- Man-Animal Conflict Risk: Madhav National Park is the first tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh that is close to human habitation (Shivpuri town). Authorities need to implement strict monitoring and conflict mitigation strategies.
Madhya Pradesh: India’s Tiger Conservation Leader
- The state houses the highest number of tigers in India (785 as per the last census).
- However, the Kuno-Madhav region had been historically neglected in tiger conservation efforts.
Integrated Wildlife Management Approach:
- Authorities are now focusing on the balanced conservation of both tigers and cheetahs in the region.
Why India Needs More Tiger Reserves?
Decline in Tiger Population
In the early 20th century, India had an estimated 40,000 tigers.
Due to hunting, poaching, deforestation, and colonial timber exploitation, their population plummeted.
By the 1960s, tiger numbers declined to 2,000-4,000, further threatened by:
- Unregulated gun licenses
- Expanded human access to forests
- International fur trade
Major Conservation Efforts
- Ban on Tiger Skin Exports (1969): Indian Board for Wild Life (IBWL) recommended banning the export of wild cat skins. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classified tigers as an endangered species in its Red Data Book.
- Launch of Project Tiger (1973): With tiger numbers dropping to 1,863, PM Indira Gandhi launched Project Tiger on April 1, 1973 at Corbett Tiger Reserve.
- First Nine Tiger Reserves in India: Corbett (Uttarakhand); Palamau (Jharkhand); Simlipal (Odisha); Sundarbans (West Bengal); Manas (Assam); Ranthambore (Rajasthan); Kanha (Madhya Pradesh); Melghat (Maharashtra); Bandipur (Karnataka)
All About Tiger Reserve
Scientific Management Approach
- Project Tiger was later replaced by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in 2006.
- Every reserve follows a site-specific management plan for scientific conservation.
Core and Buffer Zones
- Core Zone: A strictly protected habitat for tigers and other wildlife.
- Buffer Zone: Surrounding area with regulated human activities for conservation support.
Tiger Conservation Plans (TCPs)
NTCA Guidelines Ensure:
- Protection and habitat management for tigers, prey species, and co-predators.
- Ecologically compatible land use for corridor connectivity.
- Maintenance of genetic diversity by linking tiger populations.
Process of Declaring a Tiger Reserve
- State Government submits a proposal to the Central Government.
- NTCA evaluates the proposal and gives recommendations.
- State Government officially notifies the area as a tiger reserve.
This structured process ensures the long-term sustainability of tiger conservation in India.
Funding Mechanism for Tiger Reserves: Centre-State Cost Sharing Model-
- General States: 60% funding by Central Government, 40% by State Government.
- Northeastern & Himalayan States: 90% funding by Central Government, 10% by State Government.