Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary Expansion Strengthens Tiger Corridors
Source:drishtiias ↗
Why It Matters
Crucial for RPSC RAS aspirants tracking state-specific environmental developments, protected areas, tiger reserves, and wildlife conservation updates in Rajasthan.
Summary
The article discusses the expansion of the Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary, focusing on habitat conservation, tiger corridor management, and ecological security within Rajasthan's protected areas.
Key Points
- The Rajasthan government or concerned authorities are expanding the Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary to enhance tiger corridors and wildlife habitat protection.
- Sariska Tiger Reserve is located in the Alwar district of Rajasthan and is known for its dry deciduous forests and historical monuments like Bhangarh Fort and Kankwari Fort.
- Expansion initiatives aim to reduce human-wildlife conflict and provide a larger contiguous area for the growing tiger population in Rajasthan.
Important Terms
National Tiger Conservation Authority
A statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change established in 2006 to strengthen tiger conservation, oversee tiger reserves, and implement Project Tiger recommendations across India.
UPSC context
Important for RPSC and UPSC Paper III (Environment & Biodiversity); tests governance, statutory bodies, and wildlife administration frameworks.
Project Tiger
A centrally sponsored scheme launched in 1973 by the Government of India to promote tiger conservation, maintain viable populations of tigers in their natural habitats, and protect tiger reserves.
UPSC context
Essential for RPSC Rajasthan Geography and Environment syllabus; tests knowledge of landmark wildlife schemes and national conservation milestones.
Rajasthan Forest Department
The state government agency responsible for the protection, conservation, and management of forests, wildlife sanctuaries, and tiger reserves across Rajasthan.
UPSC context
Crucial for RPSC Rajasthan Administration and Environment topics; tests administrative machinery governing state protected areas and wildlife policies.
Static Concepts Connected
What are the key ecological and historical features of the Sariska Tiger Reserve?
- Location & Status: Located in Alwar district within the Aravalli range, notified as a tiger reserve in 1978 under Project Tiger.
- Flora & Canopy: Dominated by dry deciduous forests where the Dhok tree (Anogeissus pendula) forms over 90% of the canopy.
- Historical Landmarks: Houses historical sites including Kankwari Fort (imprisonment of Dara Shikoh) and the ruins of Bhangarh Fort.
Cross-Topic Patterns
Aravalli Ecology vs. Mining & Land Use
Sariska's expansion ties biodiversity protection in the Aravalli range with regional developmental pressures and mining bans under Supreme Court directives.
Eco-Tourism and Heritage Conservation in Protected Areas
The integration of historical monuments like Kankwari and Bhangarh within the tiger reserve links eco-tourism policies with heritage conservation frameworks.
Expect a match-the-following or statement-based question on Rajasthan's tiger reserves, their core/buffer areas, and key flora like Dhok.
Linked PYQs · 2
Linked PYQs · 2
- 2023RPSC_PRELIMSGS1
The National Tiger Conservation Authority has conferred the status of the fifth tiger sanctuary in Rajasthan, to which of the following sanctuaries?
- 2018RPSC_PRELIMSGS1
Which of the following hills are the extensions of the Vindhyan mountain ranges in Rajasthan?
