Union Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, announced the notification of the Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh as India’s 56th tiger reserve. Spread across 2,829 sq km, it is now the third-largest tiger reserve in the country, following Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve in Andhra Pradesh and Manas Tiger Reserve in Assam. The reserve includes a core area of 2,049.2 sq km, comprising the Guru Ghasidas National Park and Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary, along with a buffer zone of 780.15 sq km.
Located within the Chota Nagpur and Baghelkhand plateaus, the reserve features diverse terrains, dense forests, and streams that support rich biodiversity, including 753 documented species. This includes 230 bird species and 55 mammal species, some of which are threatened. The reserve is also strategically connected to neighboring tiger habitats, forming a significant conservation landscape with Sanjay Dubri, Bandhavgarh, and Palamau tiger reserves.
The notification reinforces India’s commitment to tiger conservation under Project Tiger, with Chhattisgarh now hosting four tiger reserves. This move is expected to bolster efforts in safeguarding tigers and their habitats, supported by technical and financial assistance from the National Tiger Conservation Authority.