The Maharashtra Forest Department, in collaboration with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), has initiated the translocation of tigers from Tadoba–Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) and Pench Tiger Reserve to the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR) in the Western Ghats.
This initiative aims at reviving the dwindling tiger population in the northern Western Ghats.

Tadoba and Pench Tiger Reserves: Donor Landscapes

• Tadoba–Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR): Located in Chandrapur district, it is Maharashtra’s oldest and largest tiger reserve.

• Pench Tiger Reserve: Spanning Nagpur and adjoining Madhya Pradesh areas, it inspired Kipling’s Jungle Book and has a robust prey base and healthy tiger population.

Both reserves, due to their high tiger densities, have been identified as source landscapes for translocation to areas with low tiger presence.

Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR): Recipient Site

• Location & Coverage: STR covers parts of Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, and Ratnagiri districts in Maharashtra, spanning about 1,165 sq. km (Core ~600 sq. km, Buffer ~565 sq. km).

• Formation: Notified in 2010 under Project Tiger, STR was formed by merging:

  • Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary (Satara district, famous for Koyna Dam)

  • Chandoli National Park (Sangli, Kolhapur, Satara districts)

• Significance: The reserve was created to strengthen habitat protection for large carnivores and restore ecological balance in the Western Ghats.

Ecological Features of STR

• STR encompasses catchment areas of the Koyna and Warna rivers, originating in the Western Ghats.

• Despite ecologically rich forests, STR has remained virtually devoid of tigers due to:

  • Poaching

  • Poor prey density

  • Habitat fragmentation

Question for Reference

Consider the following statements regarding the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR) in Maharashtra:

1. STR was notified in 2010 and covers parts of Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, and Ratnagiri districts.

2. It was formed by merging Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary and Chandoli National Park to strengthen tiger habitat protection.

3. Despite being part of the ecologically rich Western Ghats, STR has historically had high tiger density.

4. STR encompasses parts of the catchment areas of the Koyna and Warna rivers.

5. Tiger translocation from Tadoba–Andhari and Pench Tiger Reserves aims to revive the dwindling tiger population in STR.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1, 2, 3 and 5 only
(b) 1, 2, 4 and 5 only
(c) 2, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 3, 4 and 5 only

Answer: (b)