India Expands Tiger Conservation: Ratapani Declared 57th Tiger Reserve
| Key Points | Details |
|---|---|
| Why in News? | Madhya Pradesh's Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary was declared India's 57th tiger reserve. |
| State | Madhya Pradesh |
| Tiger Reserve Declaration | Declared under Section 38V of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. |
| Total Tiger Reserves | 57 tiger reserves across India, spanning approximately 82,000 sq. km, covering 2.3% of the country's geographical area. |
| Project Tiger Launch | April 1, 1973, at Corbett Tiger Reserve. |
| Initial Tiger Reserves | Nine reserves, including Corbett (Uttarakhand), Kanha (Madhya Pradesh), Ranthambhore (Rajasthan), and Sundarbans (West Bengal). |
| India's Tiger Population (2022) | 3,167 tigers, constituting 70% of the global wild tiger population. |
| Ratapani Sanctuary | Located in Madhya Pradesh, now part of the Project Tiger initiative. |
| Notification Process | Initiated by the state, with final notification issued under Section 38V, ensuring legal protection and central funding for conservation activities. |
| NTCA Role | Monitors tiger populations through the All India Tiger Estimation, conducted every four years. |