Delve into the world of tiger conservation, where the urgent need to protect these majestic creatures at a global level is emphasized. The iconic tigers, once revered across continents as symbols of power and grace, now face the imminent threat of extinction due to habitat loss, poaching, and environmental degradation.
Amidst these challenges, India emerges as a beacon of hope, showcasing a remarkable success story in tiger conservation. Over the past five decades, effective efforts have been made to save the endangered Indian Tiger from the brink of extinction. This awe- inspiring journey reveals how relentless dedication and strategic conservation initiatives have led to the revival of tiger populations within the country.
Tiger reserves like Ranthambore, Corbett, Kanha, and Bandhavgarh have played a pivotal role in fostering a harmonious coexistence between humans and wildlife, reflecting India's commitment to preserving its natural heritage.
Through captivating narratives and mesmerizing imagery, this story narrated through " LONG LIVE THE TIGER" by Mr Sunil Gadhoke sheds light on the pressing challenges and the hope that collective efforts can ensure a thriving tiger population for generations to come. As we witness the success of tiger conservation in India, it serves as a poignant reminder of our responsibility as global citizens to protect these magnificent creatures and secure a future where tigers continue to roam freely in the wild.
The fortress passed to the Kachwaha, Maharajah of Jaipur, in the 17th century. The lands surrounding the fort became the royal hunting grounds of the Maharajas of Jaipur and the nobles of the Raj. It remained part of Jaipur State until Indian Independence, becoming part of the State of Rajasthan.
Nestled at the junction of Aravali hills the Vindhya ranges, Ranthambore has played a pivotal role in tiger conservation strategy from inception being an important part of the first set of nine forests that were developed under the Project Tiger initiative, launched in 1973, later, in 1980 it was accorded the status of National Park. Today, the reserve covers about 1,334 km2 and hosts an estimated 80 tigers and cubs.
Passing through the rules of successive dynasties till the 17th Century, the last Maharajah, abandoned the fort,
to shift his court to Rewa. Over the next several decades, nature reclaimed the landscape and tigers made it their shrine.
Providing the perfect habitat for a variety of animals and birds, Bandhavgarh comprises tropical moist, deciduous, dense sal forests, interspersed with tall grasslands and perennial streams. The fauna and flora are typical for a central Indian forest, with plantations of bamboo, sal and mahua trees, to name a few, and teaming with thirty-five species of mammals including leopards, wild dogs (dhole), wolf, Indian fox, jungle cats, langur, hyenas, wild boars, elephants, spotted deer, barking deer, nilgai, chousingha, chinkara, rhesus macaque, porcupine and gaur. With over two hundred and forty avian species, reptiles and amphibians.
The captivating beauty of the central Indian forests, in particular Kanha and Pench, was the inspiration which
set the stage for the creative imagination of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. One of the most mystical and
mesmerising forests of India, located in Central India’s Mandla and Balaghat districts of Madhya Pradesh, in
the Maikal ranges of Satpura, the Kanha National Park is surrounded primarily by forested shallow undulations,
rolling hills with varying degrees of slopes, plateaus and valleys where towering, centuries-old and hundred
feet tall, mesmerising sal trees grow.
The Tiger Reserve comprises two major sanctuaries, the Hallon and the Banjar Sanctuaries and the Kanha National Park,
together they occupy an area of 2,074 km2 which includes 940 km2of Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH) and the balance is
national park and buffer zone.
Historically, the area has a rich heritage having been ruled by the Gond Dynasty for several centuries
\and was originally a part of the Gondwanas or the “land of the Gonds”. The forest of the Kanha Tiger
Reserve is inhabited by two indigenous tribes of Central India, the Gonds and the Baigas and the tribes continue to occupy this region to this day. They were primarily hunters but also carried out shifting cultivation using slash and burn techniques. Gathering wood was another aspect of their daily lives.