Among the following Tiger Reserves, which one has the largest area under “Critical Tiger Habitat”?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2020 Prelims]
(a) Corbett
(b) Ranthambore
(c) Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam
(d) Sundarbans
Answer: (c)
Explanation:
- The Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve is indeed the largest tiger reserve in India, with the largest area under “Critical Tiger Habitat.”
- It is spread across five districts, namely Kurnool, Prakasam, Guntur, Nalgonda, and Mahbubnagar, with a total area of 3,728 km2 (1,439 sq mi).
- As per the Wild Life Protection Act (WLPA) of 1972, critical ‘tiger’ habitats (CTHs) are identified as core areas of tiger reserves, which are required to be kept safe for tiger conservation based on scientific evidence without affecting the rights of Scheduled Tribes or other forest dwellers.
- The notification of CTHs is done by the state government in consultation with an expert committee formed for this purpose.
