The Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change has accorded the final approval to Rajasthan’s fifth Tiger Reserve in Dholpur-Karauli. It is the country’s 53rd tiger reserve. The ministry also gave in-principle approval to declare Kumbhalgarh as a tiger reserve in Rajasthan. Dholpur-Karauli will be the country’s 53rd tiger reserve. (Representative Image)

Announcing the approval on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Tuesday, Union minister of environment, forest and climate change, Bhupender Yadav said, “Giant leap for wildlife conservation in Rajasthan. Happy to announce that the state has got yet another Tiger Reserve. The Dholpur-Karauli Tiger Reserve has been accorded the final approval by NTCA (the National Tiger Conservation Authority). Let’s pledge to safeguard this precious ecosystem and its majestic tigers.”

In another tweet, he also announced the decision about Kumbhalgarh. “Glad to share that in-principle approval has been granted to declare Kumbhalgarh as a Tiger Reserve! This significant step towards wildlife conservation promises a brighter future for tigers and biodiversity in Rajasthan. The move will boost employment opportunities for the people of the region through ecotourism,” the minister tweeted.

With increasing big cat population in RTR, the Rajasthan state forest department had moved the proposal to develop Dholpur-Karauli the fifth tiger reserve in Rajasthan. NTCA gave its approval in February tis year.

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 May 2022.

Member of Parliament (MP) from Rajsamand and member of NTCA, Diya Kumari said, “Today is a historic day for Mewar and I express my immense gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union minister Bhupender Yadav for giving a green signal to this project.”

She said, “I have dedicated my full efforts to bring it on ground despite many impediments. Now we can hope that Kumbhalgarh will soon become a tiger reserve. Tiger roaming once again in Mewar was a dream for most of the people and now we are just one step away from realising that dream.”

A senior forest official welcomed the move and said that it will increase the survival and propagation percentage of the tigers.

He said, currently around 8-10 tigers are moving in Dholpur-Karauli forest area. “The protected natural tiger corridor will increase from Ramgarh Vishdhari- RTR-Dholpur to Mukundra – the stretch would be around 4,000sq km,” he said.

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