Why in news? Centre approves Rajasthan’s fifth tiger reserve in Dholpur-Karauli

Highlights:

• It is the country’s 54th tiger reserve accorded the final approval by NTCA (the National Tiger Conservation Authority).
• The ministry also gave in-principle approval to declare Kumbhalgarh as a tiger reserve in Rajasthan.
• The other four tiger reserves in Rajasthan are – Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in Sawai Madhopur, Sariska Tiger Reserve in Alwar, Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve in Kota and Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve in Bundi, which was added in 2022.

Tiger reserves of India

• They were set up in 1973 and are governed under Project Tiger under Wild Life Protection Act of 1972
• It is administrated by the National Tiger Conservation Authority
• India is home to 80 percent of tigers in the world, that doubled to 3167 in 2022
• Tiger Reserve shall be notified by state government based on the suggestion of the tiger conservation authority
• National Board for Wild Life’s approval and the National Tiger Conservation Authority’s suggestion will be mandatory for change in the limits of reserve
• To de-notify a tiger reserve the consent of National Board for wildlife and national tiger conservation authority consent is required based on the public interest
• Core of tiger reserves are designated under the Wild Life Protection Act and notified by state government after consulting with the committee of experts it formed specifically for the purpose
• Madhya Pradesh has the most number of tiger reserves in the country