Sariska Tiger Reserve
### 📰 Latest Development:
Issue:
A new plan has been drawn to rationalise the boundary of the Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH) of Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan.
Why it matters:
This plan could reopen over 50 marble and dolomite mines that were closed by a Supreme Court order in 2023, due to their proximity to the tiger habitat.
Key Concern:
Environmentalists worry that changing the CTH boundary for economic reasons could undermine tiger conservation efforts.
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### 🐅 About Sariska Tiger Reserve:
* Location: Alwar district, Rajasthan
* Declared as:
* Wildlife Reserve: 1955
* National Park: 1979
* Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger: 1978 (first in Rajasthan)
* Landscape: Part of the Aravalli Hills — the world’s oldest mountain range.
* Topography: Rugged hills, valleys, cliffs, plateaus.
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### 🌳 Flora:
* Forest Type:
* Northern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests
* Northern Tropical Thorn Forests
* Major Trees:
* Dhok (Anogeissus pendula) – dominant species
* Others: Kadaya, Ber, Gugal, Bamboo, Kair
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### 🐘 Fauna:
* Flagship species: Bengal Tiger
* Other animals:
* Leopard, Caracal
* Sambar, Chital, Nilgai, Wild Boar
* Four-horned antelope (Chousingha)
* Birds and Reptiles: Rich avifauna including peafowl, partridges, and reptiles like monitor lizards.
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### 🏰 Tourist Attractions Nearby:
* Bhangarh Fort
* Siliserh Lake
* Pandu Pol (Hanuman temple in a cave)
* Kankwari Fort (inside the reserve)
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### ⚖️ Conservation vs Development – Ethical Dilemma:
* Mines vs Ecology: Rationalising the CTH boundary may boost the local economy and revive employment through mining, but may also lead to habitat fragmentation and disturbance to wildlife.
* Supreme Court’s View: In 2023, mines were shut as they violated wildlife protection norms under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
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