Maharashtra provides legal protection to itstiger population through six dedicatedtiger reserves under the precincts of theNational Tiger Conservation Authority.[1] under the initiativeProject Tiger. These reserves cumulatively cover an estimated area of 9,113 km2 which is about 3% of the total state area.
Citing the presence of tigers in two wild-life sanctuaries, environmentalists[who?] had put forth a proposal to declareUmred Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary and Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary as tiger reserves.[2] This would result in creation of a tiger corridor for migration of tigers between different reserves to encourage genetic dispersion. As of October 2016, this proposal has been rejected.[3]
Tiger reserves came to be created under the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's flagship programProject Tiger. It envisioned to create a safe heaven for tigers to flourish and receive legal protection against poachers. Melghat is among the first nine tiger reserves to be declared in 1973–74 withGugamal National Park as its core zone along with adjoining Melghat Wildlife Sanctuary and deciduous rich forest zones. Subsequently, over the years, five additional reserves were created. Tadoba National Park, formed in 1955, is one of the oldest national parks. In 1993 its merge with Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary led to the creation ofTadobo Andhari Tiger Reserve.
Tiger Census
As of 2022, Maharashtra has the fifth-largest tiger population among all Indian states.
The tiger population in the state has shown a consistent rise:
2006: 103 tigers
2010: 169 tigers
2015: 190 tigers (a 12% increase from 2010)
2018: 312 tigers
2022: 444 tigers
The latest census, conducted as part of the All India Tiger Estimation Report 2022, highlights the effectiveness of conservation efforts in the state. Maharashtra's tiger reserves, such as Tadoba-Andhari, Melghat, Pench, Bor, Navegaon-Nagzira, and Sahyadri, have played a crucial role in this growth.[4]
| Tiger Reserve | Year declared | Core Area (km2) | Buffer Area (km2) | Total Area (km2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melghat | 1974 | 1,500 | 1,268 | 2,768 |
| Tadoba | 1993 | 626 | 1,102 | 1,728 |
| Pench | 1999 | 257.23 | 483.96 | 741.19 |
| Sahyadri | 2007 | 600 | 565 | 1,166 |
| Nawegaon-Nagzira | 2013 | 654 | 1241 | 1895 |
| Bor | 2014 | 138 | 678 | 816 |
| Total | 3775 | 5338 | 9113 | |
The numbers of the tigers in each of the tiger reserves are not mentioned. These can be found atbigcatsindia.com.