Achanakmar Tiger Reserve

About Achanakmar Tiger Reserve:

• Location: It is situated in Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh. 
• Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1975 and was declared a tiger reserve in 2009. 
• It covers an area of 553.286 sq. km.
• It is part of the huge Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve.
• It has a corridor connecting to Kanha and Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve and plays a critical role in the dispersal of tigers among these reserves.
• River: The Maniyari River flows right from the centre of this reserve, which is the forest's lifeline.
• Tribe:
  • It is home to the Baigas, a forest-dwelling tribal community classified as a “Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG)”.
  • In 626 hectares of the core area of the reserve, there are 25 forest villages, with approximately 75 percent of the population belonging to the Baiga tribe and the remaining consisting of the Gond and Yadav communities. 
• Vegetation: Tropical moist deciduous vegetation covers the majority of the area.
• Flora: Sal, bija, saja, haldu, teak, tinsa, dhawara, lendia, khamar, and bamboo bloom here, along with over 600 species of medicinal plants.
• Fauna: It includes the tiger, leopard, bison, flying squirrel, Indian giant squirrel, chinkara, wild dog, hyena, sambar, chital, and over 150 species of birds.

Q1: What is a Tiger Reserve?

Tiger Reserve is a legally declared protected area dedicated to the conservation of striped big cats in its natural environment. A tiger reserve could be a national park or wildlife sanctuary. The Sariska Tiger Reserve, for example, is also a national park.

Source: Tiger count jumps from 5 to 10 in Chhattisgarh’s Achanakmar reserve