Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR)

About Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR):

• Location:
  • It is located in the western side of Latehar district on the Chhotanagpur plateau in Jharkhand.
  • The reserve forms a part of the Betla National Park. 
• It is one of the first 9 tiger reserves created in the country at the inception of ‘Project Tiger’.
• It is the first reserve in the world in which a tiger census was carried out as a pugmark count, as early as 1932 under the supervision of J.W. Nicholson
• Terrain: It is undulating with valleys, hills and plains.
• Rivers:
  • Three rivers namely North Koyal, Auranga and Burha flow through the valleys.
  • The area is draught drone with Burha being the only perennial river.
• The Reserve is very rich in minerals like Bauxite and Coal.
• Vegetation:
  • It is primarily dominated by Northern Tropical Dry Deciduous Sal forest and its associates.
  • Smaller patches of Northern tropical Moist Deciduous forests exist too in the Reserve.
• Flora: Shorearobusta, Acacia catechu, Madhucaindica, Terminaliatomentosa, Buteamonosperma, Pterocarpusmarsupium, Anogeisuslatifolia, Indigoferapulchela etc.
• Fauna: Some keystone and principal species found in the reserve include Tiger, Asiatic Elephant, Leopard, Grey wolf, Wild dog, Gaur, Sloth bear  and Four horned antelope.

 

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Q1) What is Project Tiger?

The Govt. of India had launched “Project Tiger” on 1st April 1973 to promote conservation of the tiger. Project Tiger has been the largest species conservation initiative of its kind in the world.

Source: Saving wildlife: Railways to relocate 11 km stretch running via Palamu tiger reserve