Rajasthan: Kumbhalgarh to Get Tiger Reserve Status, What is Special?
Alwar: The Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, spread across the Rajsamand, Udaipur, and Pali districts of Rajasthan, has been granted the status of a tiger reserve following approval from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
With this, Kumbhalgarh has become the sixth tiger reserve in Rajasthan and the 59th in the country. State Forest and Environment Minister Sanjay Sharma stated that this matter was discussed in detail during a recent meeting. He noted that as the tiger population continues to rise in Sariska and Ranthambore, tigers will be relocated from there to the Kumbhalgarh Tiger Reserve. Following the NTCA's approval, the Government of India will formally declare it a protected area, after which the full process will commence.
The Kumbhalgarh region had long been awaiting designation as a tiger reserve. The path was cleared after the NTCA's technical committee approved the proposal. This move will provide fresh momentum to tiger conservation, rehabilitation, and wildlife tourism in the forests of the Mewar and Marwar regions.
Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary is already renowned for its population of leopards, bears, wolves, chinkaras, and other wildlife. Upon becoming a tiger reserve, efforts will be strengthened to develop better habitats for tigers, increase the population of prey species, and enhance conservation activities.
The state government is also planning to develop new safari routes to promote eco-tourism within the tiger reserve area. This initiative will create employment opportunities for local residents and expand tourism activities in the region.
Wildlife experts believe that granting tiger reserve status to Kumbhalgarh will bolster tiger conservation efforts in the Aravalli region and establish a new identity for the area on Rajasthan's wildlife map.