Home / Environment / Palamau Tiger Reserve Plans Major Wildlife Relocation
Palamau Tiger Reserve Plans Major Wildlife Relocation
7 Mar
Summary
- Palamau Tiger Reserve plans to bring tigers and bison from Madhya Pradesh.
- The reserve aims to increase its tiger population, which has significantly declined.
- Relocation efforts are awaiting approval from the National Tiger Conservation Authority.
Palamau Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Latehar district is embarking on an ambitious plan to reintroduce tigers and bison, species that were once abundant in the area. The initiative seeks to bolster the dwindling big cat population, which saw only one tiger according to a 2023 estimation report.
The proposal to bring two tigresses and one tiger from Madhya Pradesh's reserves is currently awaiting approval from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). This move is crucial as PTR currently has only male tigers, hindering natural reproduction.
In addition to tigers, bison and sambar deer are also slated for relocation from Madhya Pradesh over the next two years. An acclimatization enclosure is being prepared to help the animals adjust to Jharkhand's climate before their release.
Historical records indicate a significant decline in tiger numbers at PTR, from 71 in 1995 to as few as three in 2014. Similarly, the bison population has also faced a sharp decline from an estimated 1,500 in 1974 to 68 in a recent survey, attributed to factors like poaching and habitat disturbance.
