Bring back the tigers that once roamed Mewar, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• A proposal to establish a tiger reserve in Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan, is facing opposition from a local Member of Parliament who claims the area was never a traditional tiger habitat.
• Historical records, including Haqikat Bahidas (Mewar rulers' shikar diaries) from 1838-39 and Rajputana Gazetteers, indicate the historical presence of tigers in the Mewar region, including the Aravallis around Kumbhalgarh.
• The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) granted in-principle approval for the Kumbhalgarh Tiger Project on August 22, 2023.
• The proposed reserve, encompassing Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary and Todgarh-Raoli Wildlife Sanctuary, aims to cover approximately 1280.49 sq km.
• Concerns from the Raika pastoral community regarding traditional grazing rights are being raised, emphasizing the need for consultation and co-existence provisions.

Detailed Insights:

• The Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, established in 1971, is located in the Rajsamand, Udaipur, and Pali districts of Rajasthan, covering about 610 sq km.
• Eyewitness accounts from former forest officers and local residents confirm tiger sightings in the Kumbhalgarh-Raoli Tatgarh sanctuary as recently as the 1950s and 1960s.
• Historically, the right to hunt tigers in Mewar was exclusively reserved for the Maharana, indicating their significant presence and status.
• The reintroduction of tigers is ecologically beneficial as they are considered a keystone species, influencing the entire ecosystem by regulating herbivore populations and promoting biodiversity.
• The proposed Kumbhalgarh Tiger Reserve is designed with a core area of 355.25 sq km and a buffer area of 925 sq km, with no revenue villages planned within the core zone.
• Addressing the concerns of the Raika pastoral community is crucial, with provisions for consultation, buffer zones, and co-existence mechanisms available under existing wildlife protection frameworks.
• Camels, primarily browsers, are noted to have a minimal impact on forest vegetation compared to grazers, suggesting that their traditional presence might not be detrimental to the ecosystem.
• The region's terrain, cover, and prey base are considered suitable for tiger reintroduction, and it has historically served as a tiger migration corridor.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Keystone Species: An organism that has a disproportionately large effect on its natural environment relative to its abundance, crucial for maintaining ecosystem structure and diversity.
• National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA): A statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, established in 2005 under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, responsible for managing Project Tiger and tiger reserves.
• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Indian legislation providing a legal framework for the protection of wild animals, birds, and plants, and for the establishment and management of protected areas like tiger reserves.