Study Notes · Environment & Ecology · General Studies · Geography · GS III · Indian Geography
Why in news:
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma released the report on the status of tigers in the Kaziranga Tiger Reserve (KTR), online to mark Global Tiger Day on 29 July.
UPSC CSE Relevance:
UPSC CSE in prelims examination has focused on Species in news every year UPSC asked at least one question related to species. A case in point is a following PYQ.
UPSC CSE PYQ 2019:
Q: Consider the following statements: 1.Some species of turtles are herbivores. 2.Some species of fish are herbivores. 3.Some species of marine mammals are herbivores. 4.Some species of snakes are viviparous. Which of the statements given above are correct? A) 1 and 3 only B) 2, 3 and 4 only C) 2 and 4 only D) 1, 2, 3 and 4
The Report:
Assam’s Kaziranga Tiger Reserve (KTR) has recorded the third-highest tiger density in India.
Officials said key factors behind the population increase included habitat expansion and protection.
Note: Orang(Area:492.46) is the smallest tiger reserve not Bor(Area: 816.27)
NOTE : The highest population of Tigers is found in Jim Corbett. While the highest density of tigers per unit area is in Bandipur Tiger Reserve.
Tiger Reserves:
Notified by State Govt. on the advice of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
58 Tiger Reserves declared so far.
The State govt. can not change the boundary or denotify the Reserve except on the recommendation of NTCA.
A Tiger Reserve can be denotified only in public interest.
Largest Tiger Reserve – Nagrajunasagar Srisailam TR in Andhra Pradesh
Smallest Tiger Reserve – Orang TR in Assam
Tiger Reserve with Maximum Tigers – Jim Corbett
Highest Density of Tiger – Bandipur TR
Kaziranga National Park or Tiger Reserve:
Kaziranga National Park, located in Assam, is renowned for its conservation of the great one-horned rhinoceros and rich biodiversity.
Contains about two-thirds of the world’s great one-horned rhinoceros population—over 2,400 individuals as of recent counts.
Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 due to its unique natural environment and successful wildlife conservation.
Declared a tiger reserve in 2006 and has one of the highest densities of tigers in the world, alongside elephants, wild water buffalo, and swamp deer.
Established as a reserve forest in 1905 and became a national park officially in 1974; it has expanded from its original area of 232 sq km to about 430 sq km.
The terrain includes marshes, tall elephant grass, tropical forests, and riverine habitats formed by major rivers like the Brahmaputra.
Recognized as an Important Bird Area, hosting migratory birdslike lesser white-fronted goose, ferruginous duck, and various stork species.
Home to 35+ mammal species, including endangered and threatened species like Bengal tigers, elephants, leopards, and eastern swamp deer.
Seven Major Cats:
Cat
Scientific Name
Max Weight
Range
Habitat
Coat & Appearance
Unique Features
IUCN Status
Tiger
Panthera tigris
300Kg
Asia
Forests, grassland
Orange with black stripes
Largest cat, strong swimmer, solitary
Endangered
Lion
Panthera leo
250 Kg
Africa, small pop. India
Savanna, grassland
Tawny, males with shaggy manes
Only truly social big cat, iconic roar
Vulnerable
Jaguar
Panthera onca
150 Kg
Central & South America
Forests, wetlands
Rosetted spots, stocky build
Strongest bite, swims well, hunts caimans
Near Threatened
Leopard
Panthera pardus
90kg
Africa, Asia
Forests, savanna
Rosettes, slender build
Highly adaptable, climbs trees, stashes prey in trees
Vulnerable
Snow Leopard
Panthera uncia
50kg
Central Asia mountains
Alpine, rocky
Smoky-grey, spots/rosettes, long tail
Thick fur for cold, elusive, can’t roar
Vulnerable
Cheetah
Acinonyx jubatus
70kg
Africa, Iran (few remain)
Open plains
Slim, deep-chested, black “tear marks” on face
Fastest land mammal, non-retractable claws
Vulnerable
Cougar (Puma)
Puma concolor
80kg
North & South America
Mountains, forests
Tawny, no spots, long slender body
Largest small cat group, purrs not roars, excellent leaper
Least Concern
Size: Tiger is largest; snow leopard is smallest among these seven.
Range: Africa (lion, leopard, cheetah); Asia (tiger, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah reintroduction); Americas (jaguar, cougar).
Social behavior: Only lions form prides; others are solitary.
Adaptations: Cheetahs are built for speed; jaguars for power; snow leopards for cold/altitude
All of them use scent marking to mark their territories.
The IBCA was launched by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 9th April,2023, during the event ‘Commemorating 50 years of Project Tiger’.
IBCA headquarters in India
It was launched with the aim of conservation of seven big cats – Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar and Puma – with membership of all UN countries/the range countries harbouring the said species and non-range countries where historically these species are not found but interested to support big cat conservation.
The IBCA was established by Government of India, through the nodal organisation viz., National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC).
About TX2:
It was clear that business-as-usual approaches were not working when wild tiger populations did not stop declining despite conservation efforts.
The global tiger population hit an all-time low; there were only around 3,200 left in the wild by 2010.
In light of this critical situation, the governments of all 13 tiger range countries came together for the first time at the St Petersburg Tiger Summit during the same year.
There, they committed to the most ambitious conservation goal ever set for a single species – to double the number of wild tigers by 2022, the next Chinese Year of the Tiger.
