Table of contents
UPSC has often asked questions about protected areas in the news and from static.
What is a Protected Area?
Protected areas or conservation areas are locations that receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological, or cultural values.
- Protected area is a generic term that includes National Parks, Biosphere Reserve, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Tiger Reserve, Community Reserve etc.
- In these areas, human occupation or at least the exploitation of resources is limited.
Bura Chapori Wildlife Sanctuary
Why in the news? After 40 years, rhinoceros have returned to this sanctuary.
About
- It is a notified buffer of the Kaziranga Tiger reserve located in Sonitpur district.
- It works as the traditional path for wild animals from Kaziranga to Orang National Park.
- Being situated on the south bank of the Brahmaputra River, it is an ideal habitat for the Bengal Florican.
- The Bengal Florican is also known as the Bengal bustard and is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
Flora & Fauna
- Flora includes wet alluvial grasslands and semi-evergreen forests with some wetlands.
- Fauna includes Great Indian one-horned rhinoceros, tiger, wild buffalo, wild pig, hog deer and elephants.
Bengal Florican, Wild pig, Hog deer
Kamlang Tiger Reserve
Why in the news? Kamlang Tiger Reserve conducted a butterfly walk and nature trail event.
About
- It is named after the Kamlang River flowing through it and is situated in the south-eastern part of the Lohit District.
- Namdapha National Park is situated on the Southern side and there are many elevated water bodies like the Glow Lake.
Flora & Fauna
- The upper parts of the reserve have Alpine vegetation, while the lower parts have tropical and evergreen forests.
- The reserve is home to four big cat species including tiger, leopard, snow leopard and clouded leopard.
- Other animals include elephants, leopards, Hollock gibbons, Capped Langur, Boar, Civets, Stump tailed macaques, hornbills, and flying squirrels.
Clouded leopard, Hollock gibbons, Stump tailed macaques
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Palamau Tiger Reserve
Why in the news? Here, four soft-release centers for Cheetals are under construction.
About
- It is a part of Betla National Park and located in Chotanagpur plateau.
- The Auranga River flows in the Northern part and Koel and Burha are the other rivers forming part of this landscape.
- It is the first reserve in the world in which a tiger census was carried out based on pugmark count.
- Other water bodies like aquifers locally called ‘Chuan’ and a hot sulfur spring named ‘Tatha’ are present.
Flora & Fauna
- Flora includes mixed deciduous forests, bamboo groves and Sal trees in abundance.
- Fauna includes tigers, leopards, gaur, sloth bear, etc.
Leopards, Gaur, Sloth bear
Kadalundi Vallikunnu Community Reserve
Why in the news? Shrinking mudflat ecosystem of Kadalundi river is keeping shorebirds away.
About
- It is a mudflat ecosystem in Kerala and it is India's first riverfront community reserve.
- The mudflat ecosystem of Kadalundi witnessed a decline in area which has kept the shorebirds away.
- The sediments in a mudflat are found in the intertidal zone, making it submerged and exposed approximately twice daily.
- This makes it a very rich foraging ground.
- A lot of sedimentation in recent years has deprived prey to migrant birds and increased mangrove expanse.
- Covering of sand in mudflats due to Kerala floods in 2018 and 2019 has further deprived the area of its richness.
Flora & Fauna
- Flora found in the region: Phytoplankton, zooplankton, seagrass, seven species of mangroves, ten species of mangrove associate flora were documented.
- Species of Jellyfish, 13 species of molluscs, 59 species of finfishes and crustacean resources, Egrets, Brahminy Kite, Bar-headed goose, Smooth-coated Otter etc.
Molluscs, Egrets, Smooth-coated Otter
Lemru Elephant Reserve
Why in the news? Request to de-notify coal mines under this reserve has been accepted.
About
- It is a part of the Hasdeo Aranya forests and known as the lungs of Chhattisgarh.
- The reserve has a very diverse biozone that is also rich in coal deposits.
- It aims to decrease man animal conflict as more than 150 elephants have died in Chattisgarh in the last 20 years.
- The reserve is part of an elephant corridor that connects Lemru in Korba, Badalkhol in Jashpur and Tamorpingla in Surguja.
Flora & Fauna
- North Chhattisgarh alone is home to over 240 elephants.
Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary
Why in the news? High prey density was recorded.
About
- Comprises dry deciduous forest on Mahanadi River in Odisha.
- It is located in the Bargarh district of Odisha near Hirakud dam.
- It became completely free of any human settlement due to a recent resettlement.
Flora & Fauna
- Fauna includes sambar, chital, four-horned antelope, gaur, elephant, dhole etc.
- Nearby Hirakud dam attracts numerous migratory waterfowl during winters into the sanctuary.
Chital, Four-horned antelope, Dhole
Anamalai Tiger Reserve
Why in the news? This reserve is carved out of the Tamil Nadu portion of the Anamalai hills.
About
- It is a CATS recognized reserve in TN with Shola forests.
- It is a protected area in the Anamalai Hills lying to the south of the Palakkad gap in the Southern Western Ghats.
- It is surrounded by Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, Eravikulam National Park and Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary.
Flora & Fauna
- Habitat types include almost all like the wet evergreen forests, semi-evergreen forests, moist deciduous, dry deciduous, dry thorn and shola forests.
- Fauna include Asiatic elephant, Sambar, Barking deer, Spotted deer, Jackal, Leopard, etc.
Sambar, Barking deer, Jackal
Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve
Why in the news?Petition filed in Madras high court to restrict entry of outsiders in the reserve.
About
- It is part of the interstate Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve in Kerala and TN.
- It is the first Tiger Reserve of Tamil Nadu and consists of the Kanyakumari Wildlife sanctuary and the Nellai Wildlife Sanctuary.
- It is also known as the river sanctuary with 14 rivers originating from it like Thamirabarani river.
Flora & Fauna
- Flora includes dry thorn forest, dry deciduous, moist deciduous and wet evergreen forests depending on the altitude.
- Fauna includes Nilgiri Tahr, Nilgiri Pipit, Lion Tailed Macaque, Blue Winged Parakeet etc.
Nilgiri Tahr, Lion Tailed Macaque, Blue Winged Parakeet
Dampa Tiger Reserve
Why in the news? - A new species of toad named Bufoides bhupathyi was found in Mizoram.
About
- The Dampa Tiger Reserve is located in Lushai Hills of Mizoram.
- It was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1994 under Project Tiger.
- Project Tiger was started on 1st April 1973 under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
- It is the only tiger reserve in India with zero tigers as per the 2018 and 2022 census.
- The 62 km fence and patrol road along the Bangladesh boundary near has hindered the free movement of Tigers.
Flora & Fauna
- Rare flora found include rare ginger species Globba spathulata.
- Fauna include sloth bear, barking deer, leopard, hoolock gibbon, rhesus macaque etc.
Bufoides Bhupathyi, Rhesus macaque, Globba spathulata