Maharashtra is home to 5 tiger reserves that aimed at the conservation and protection of Bengal tigers.
Contents
1. Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve
- Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve is located in the Chandrapur district of the state of Maharashtra in India.
- In 1955, The forests of Tadoba was initially declared as a Tadoba National Park.
- In 1986, Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary was formed.
- In 1993, Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary, which adjoined the Tadoba National Park, was merged with it to form the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve.
- In 1995, Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve was officially notified as a tiger reserve under the Wildlife Protection Act of India.
- Area: Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve is spread across a total area of 1,727.17 square kilometers (667.97 square miles).
- Core/ Critical Tiger habitat : 625.40 sq.km.
- Buffer/ peripheral area : 1101.77 sq.km.
- Total : 1727.17 sq.km.
- Hills: Here is some notable hills within the reserve:
- Chimur Hills
- Moharli Hills
- Kolsa Hills
- River: Andhari River flows through the tiger reserve.
- Andhari River
- Lake: Some notable lake in reserve:
- Tadoba Lake
- Kolsa Lake
- Erai Reservoir
- Tribe: Some of the prominent tribes associated with the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve are:
- Gond Tribe
- Kolam Tribe
- Andh Tribe
- Flora: Teak, Ain, Bamboo, Bija, Dhaoda, Haldu, Salai, Semal etc.
- Fauna: Bengal Tiger, Indian leopards, Sloth Bears, Gaur, Dhole, Striped Hyena, Sambar, Barking Deer, Chital, Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Indian Pitta, Marsh Crocodile, Common Indian Monitor, Indian Star Tortoise etc.
2. Melghat Tiger Reserve
- The Melghat Tiger Reserve is located in the Amravati district of Maharashtra, India.
- It is situated in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra.
- The reserve is named after the Melghat Hills, which are part of the Satpura Mountain Range.
- In 1973, the Melghat Wildlife Sanctuary was established.
- In 1974, Melghat Wildlife Sanctuary was designated as a tiger reserve under the Project Tiger initiative.
- Area: The Melghat Tiger Reserve covers an area of approximately 2,768 square kilometers.
- Core/ Critical Tiger habitat : 1500.49 Sq.km
- Buffer/ Peripheral area : 1268.03 Sq.km.
- Total : 2768.52 Sq.km.
- Hills: Gawilgarh Hill forms a part of the reserve’s boundary . Gawilgarh Fort situated on this hill.
- Gawilgarh Hill
- River: The main rivers flowing through the Melghat Tiger Reserve include:
- Tapti River
- Sipna River
- Dolar River
- Khandu River
- Khapra River
- Gadga River
- Tribe: The major tribal communities found in and around the tiger reserve include:
- Korku Tribe
- Gond Tribe
- Bhil Tribe
- Flora: Bija, Haldu, Saja, Dhawda, Ain, Moha, Tendu, Achar, Amla, Behada, Bhilwa, Bor, Mango, Khair, Jamun, Apta, Bel, Kulu etc.
- Fauna: Tiger, Panther, Jungle Cat, Hyena, Wild Dog, Sloth Bear, Sambar, Chital, Gaur, Barking Deer, Blue Bull (Nilgai) Malabar Grey Hornbill, Paradise Flycatcher, Indian Rock Python, Russell’s Viper etc.
3. Sahyadri Tiger Reserve
- Sahyadri Tiger Reserve is located in Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur and Ratnagiri districts of Maharashtra, India.
- In 1985, the history of the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve begins with the establishment of Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary.
- In 2004, Chandoli National Park was created.
- In 2008, Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary and the Chandoli National Park were merged to form the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve.
- Area: The Sahyadri Tiger Reserve covers an approximate area of 1,165 square kilometers.
- Core Area : 600.12 sq.kms.
- Buffer Area : 565.45 sq.kms.
- Total : 1165.56 Sq.Kms
- Sadas: The most distinct feature of the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve is the presence of numerous barren rocky and lateritic plateaus, locally called “Sadas”.
- Hills: The tiger reserve is situated in the Sahyadri mountain range of the Western Ghats.
- River: Warna River flows through the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve.
- Warna River
- Lake: The Chandoli Dam is located near the tiger reserve.
- Chandoli Dam
- Flora: North Western Ghats Moist Deciduous Forests (Teak, Shisham, Ain, and Indian Rosewood), North Western Ghats Montane Rain Forests (Ironwood, Cullenia exarillata, and Hopea spp.), Western (Montane) Subtropical Hill Forests, West Coast Semi Evergreen Forests (Hopea parviflora, Terminalia spp., and Artocarpus spp.), Southern Moist Mixed Deciduous Forests (Lagerstroemia spp., Terminalia spp., and Pterocarpus marsupium) etc.
- Sahyadri Tiger Reserve is the only place where climax and near-climax vegetations are plentiful.
- Fauna: Tiger, Leopard, Sloth Bear, Wild Dog, Gaur, Sambar, Malabar Whistling Thrush, Indian Pitta, Indian Rock Python, Monitor Lizard etc.
- The Sahyadri Tiger Reserve is famous for the Monitor Lizard (Varanus bengalensis).
- Navegaon Nagzira Tiger Reserve is located in the Bhandara and Gondia districts of Maharashtra, India.
- In 1975, Navegaon Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary was established to protect the wildlife and the forested areas in the region. The sanctuary was formed by merging the Navegaon Wildlife Sanctuary and Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary.
- In 2013, Navegaon Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary was declared a tiger reserve.
- It is the 46th Tiger Reserve of India and 5th Tiger reserve of Maharashtra.
- Area: Navegaon Nagzira Tiger Reserve is approximately 653.67 square kilometers (252.42 square miles).
- Hills: The highest point in tiger reserve is known as ‘Zenda Pahad’, which has an elevation of approximately 702 meters (2,303 feet) above sea level.
- Lake: Two prominent lakes within the reserve are:
- Navegaon Lake
- Nagzira Lake
- Flora: Saja, Crepe Myrtle, Dhawada, Indian Kino Tree, Tendu, Amaltas, Teak, Silk Cotton Tree, Anjan, Salai, Haldu, Takhian, Arjuna Tree, Jamun, Kusum, Harad etc.
- Fauna: Tiger, Panther, Small Indian Civet, Wild Dog, Sloth Bear, Gaur, Sambar, Chital, Indian Grey Hornbill, Indian Pitta, Crested Serpent Eagle, Indian Rock Python, Indian Cobra, Indian Star Tortoise etc.
- Recently a Black Panther) was spotted in Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve.
5. Bor Tiger Reserve
- Bor Tiger Reserve is located in the Wardha district of Maharashtra, India.
- In 1970, Bor Wildlife Sanctuary was initially established Wildlife Protection Act of India.
- In 2014, the Bor Wildlife Sanctuary was upgraded to the status of a tiger reserve.
- It is the 6th tiger reserve in Maharashtra and the 47th in the country.
- Area: The Bor Tiger Reserve covers an approximate area of 138 square kilometers, which includes the Bor Wildlife Sanctuary, the New Bor Wildlife Sanctuary, and an additional 16 sq km area.
- It is the smallest tiger reserve in the country.
- River: Bor river flow through the park.
- Bor River
- Lake: Bor Dam or Bor Tiger Lake located within the reserve.
- Bor Dam
- Flora: Teak, Ain, Tendu, Bamboo etc.
- Fauna: Bengal Tiger, Indian leopard, Sloth Bear, Wild Dog, Indian Bison, Sambar Deer, White-rumped Vulture, Jungle Owlet, Indian Cobra, Monitor Lizard etc.