Tal Chhapar Wildlife Sanctuary

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About Tal Chhapar Sanctuary:

Tal Chhapar Wildlife Santuary is located in Sujangarh tehsil of Rajasthan’s Churu district and spanning 7.1977 square Km.
It is situated on the border of the Great Indian Thar Desert.
It was established as a “Reserved area” in 1962 and was given the status of a sanctuary in 1966.
Topography: This Sanctuary has nearly flat territory and combined thin low lying region.
Fauna:
- The sanctuary is home to over 4,500 Blackbucks, Chinkara, and more than 250 species of birds, including migratory raptors.
- It is a distinctive shelter of the most graceful Antelope seen in India, “the Blackbuck”.
- It is one of the top halting places for migratory birds such as harriers. The migratory birds come from Central Asia and Europe.
Flora: It has got open and wide grasslands with spread Acacia and Prosopis plants that offer it a look of a characteristic Savanna.

What is Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ)

In order to manage and conserve biodiversity across the Protected Areas MoEF Change notifies Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) around the Protected Areas.
In the year 2002, it was decided that an area around each Protected Areas, requires to be notified as Eco-Sensitive Zone for creating a buffer as further protection around Protected Areas (PAs) under Environment protection act, 1986.
Eco-sensitive Zone could go upto 10 Kms around a Protected Areas.
The Supreme Court on 3 June 2022, modified its previous order mandating a minimum 1-km eco-sensitive zone around national parks or wildlife sanctuaries.

Q1) Why blackbuck is hunted?

These animals are hunted for their skin. Poachers have made this species of animal a main target from the 20^th century. Conservation: The IUCN List has declared this species as Nearly Threatened. Hunting of blackbuck is prohibited under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.

Source: MoEF proposes to designate Tal Chhapar Sanctuary as Eco-Sensitive Zone.