Rajaji Tiger Reserve

About Rajaji Tiger Reserve

• · Location:
  • Rajaji Tiger Reserve (earlier Rajaji National Park) is located in the Shivalik range of the Himalayas and spread over 820 kms.
  • It covers a part of over three districts of Uttarakhand: Haridwar, Dehradun, and Pauri Garhwal.
• It was named after the famous freedom fighter C. Rajgopalachari popularly known as "Rajaji".
• The park was created in 1983 by the amalgamation of three sanctuaries: Rajaji Sanctuary and National park (estd. 1948), Motichur Sanctuary (estd. 1964), and Chilla sanctuary (estd. 1977).
• On 20 April 2015, its name has been changed to Rajaji Tiger Reserve.
• It is famous as an elephant habitat, as there are around 600 elephants in Rajaji. 
• It's location in a transition zone between temperate western Himalaya and central Himalaya enhances the species diversity.
• Vegetation: The area is covered with diverse forest types ranging from semi-evergreen to deciduous and from mixed broad-leaved to Terai grassland and has been classified as Indus-Ganges Monsoon Forest type.
• Flora:
  • Lofty strands of Sal trees (Shorea Robusta) dominate most parts of the reserve.
  • Other popular flora found here include Rohini, Palash, Shisham, Sal, Sandan, Khair, Arjun, Baans, Semul, Chamaror, etc.
• Fauna: It has a sizeable population of Tiger and Asian Elephants. It is home to a variety of wild animals like Leopard, Jungle cat, Himalayan Black Bear, Sloth Bear, Striped Hyena, Goral, Sambar, Wild Pig, Spotted Deer, Barking Deer, etc.

Q1) What are the Shivalik Hills?

Shivalik Hills are a sub-Himalayan Mountain Range running 1,600 km long from the Teesta River, Sikkim, through Nepal and India, into northern Pakistan. The range runs parallel with the Himalayan system from Haridwar on the Ganges to the banks of the Beas River. The hills have an average height of 900 to 1,200 m. They are chiefly composed of low sandstone and conglomerate hills, the solidified and up-heaved detritus of the great range in their rear, the intermediate valley lying between the outer hills and the Mussoorie. 

Source: Uttarakhand Cabinet gives nod to set up Rajaji Tiger Reserve Conservation Foundation