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Veerangana Durgavati Reserve: Latest tiger reserve in India

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The Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve, the seventh of its kind in Madhya Pradesh, is spread across the Sagar, Damoh, and Narsinghpur districts. Covering an expansive area of 2,339 square kilometres, it encompasses areas within the Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary and Durgavati Wildlife Sanctuary.

A green corridor is being developed to link the Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR) with Durgavati, facilitating the natural movement of tigers to the new reserve. The reserve straddles parts of the Narmada and Yamuna River basins. An interesting feature of the reserve is the Singorgarh Fort, which is located within its boundaries. This reserve plays a crucial role in preserving biodiversity and currently houses approximately 15 tigers.

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History of Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve

In 1997, the Government of Madhya Pradesh declared as wildlife sanctuaries the Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary and the Durgavati Wildlife Sanctuary, which were previously protected forests.

The Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary was named after the Nauradehi plateau, which is located within its boundaries. The Durgavati Wildlife Sanctuary was named after the Queen of Gondwana, Durgavati, who ruled the region in the 16th century.

Latest Tiger Reserve in India

Recently It’s announced as the 7th tiger reserve by the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department. Previously, There were 6 tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh, namely Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Pench, Panna, Satpura, and Sanjay Dubri(Guru Ghasidash Tiger Reserve). The reserve is home to a rich variety of flora and fauna, including the endangered Bengal tiger, leopard, sloth bear, wild dog, gaur, sambar, chital, nilgai, and many more.

Park Bio-Diversity

The reserve also boasts of a diverse landscape, with hills, valleys, rivers, streams, waterfalls, and grasslands. The reserve is a part of the Satpura-Maikal landscape, which is one of the priority areas for tiger conservation in India.

The reserve offers many opportunities for wildlife enthusiasts, nature lovers, researchers, and photographers to explore and enjoy its beauty and biodiversity. The reserve has several eco-tourism zones, where visitors can stay in forest rest houses or cottages and go for safaris, nature walks, birdwatching, or camping. The reserve also has a museum, an interpretation center, and a souvenir shop for the visitors.

The reserve is managed by the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, with the support of various stakeholders, such as local communities, NGOs, researchers, and volunteers. The reserve faces many challenges and threats, such as poaching, habitat fragmentation, human-wildlife conflict, and climate change.

The reserve authorities are working hard to protect and conserve the wildlife and their habitat, by implementing various measures such as anti-poaching patrolling, habitat improvement, community participation, awareness generation, and scientific research. It is a place where one can witness the majesty and grace of the tiger, the symbol of India’s wildlife.

Conclusion

The new reserve is a welcome addition to the tiger reserves in India. It will help in the conservation of tigers and other wildlife species in the region. The reserve is also expected to boost tourism in the area, which will benefit the local communities and the state’s economy.