Tiger Reserves in India
Tiger Reserves in India: Conservation Framework and Status
India, home to approximately 75% of the world’s wild tiger population, has emerged as a global leader in tiger conservation. As of 2025, the country boasts 58 designated tiger reserves spanning across 18 states, covering approximately 84,487.83 square kilometers (about 2.3% of India’s total land area). These reserves protect an estimated 3,682 tigers (ranging from 3,167 to 3,925 individuals), marking a remarkable success story in wildlife conservation.
Legal Framework: Acts, Laws, and Regulations
The legal architecture for tiger conservation in India is comprehensive and multilayered, centered primarily around the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and subsequent amendments.
Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
This landmark legislation forms the cornerstone of India’s wildlife conservation framework. The Act established the groundwork for tiger conservation by creating National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries, implementing six schedules that provide varying degrees of protection to flora and fauna, with tigers receiving maximum protection under Schedule I. Key provisions include strict penalties for poaching and habitat destruction, prohibition of hunting endangered species, and establishment of protected areas.
Project Tiger (1973)
Launched on April 1, 1973, Project Tiger was initiated as a centrally sponsored scheme under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Initially starting with just 9 tiger reserves, the project has expanded dramatically to encompass all 58 current reserves. The project operates on a core-buffer strategy where core areas have the legal status of national parks or sanctuaries with minimal human interference, while buffer zones are managed as multiple-use areas balancing conservation with community needs.
National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)
Established in December 2005 and granted statutory status through the 2006 amendment to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the NTCA serves as the apex body for tiger conservation in India. Operating under Section 38L(1) of the Act, the NTCA is headed by the Minister of Environment and Forests and is responsible for approving tiger conservation plans prepared by state governments, evaluating ecologically unsustainable land use within tiger reserves, laying down normative standards for tourism activities, providing guidelines for Project Tiger implementation, coordinating research and monitoring on tigers and their habitats, and ensuring tiger reserves remain protected from diversion for unsustainable uses.
Tiger Conservation Plan (Section 38V)
Under Section 38V of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, state governments are mandated to prepare comprehensive Tiger Conservation Plans for proper management of each tiger reserve. These plans must include staff development and deployment strategies, anti-poaching measures, habitat management protocols, provisions for managing surrounding land use patterns, and strategies for balancing conservation with local community needs.
Core and Buffer Zone Regulations
Tiger reserves are structured with distinct zones, each governed by specific regulations. The core zone (Critical Tiger Habitat) typically spans 800-1,000 sq km and must remain completely inviolate, free from human habitation and activities, with no roads, settlements, or extractive activities permitted. This area has the legal status of a national park or sanctuary. The buffer zone ideally covers 1,000-3,000 sq km surrounding the core and allows regulated human activities including ecotourism, research, sustainable resource use, and environmental education. The buffer provides habitat supplementation for wildlife spillover from core areas and reduces resource dependency of local communities on the core zone.
State-wise List of Tiger Reserves
Madhya Pradesh (9 Tiger Reserves)
Kanha, Pench, Bandhavgarh, Panna, Satpura, Sanjay Dubri, Veerangana Durgavati, Ratapani, Madhav
Maharashtra (6 Tiger Reserves)
Melghat, Tadoba-Andhari, Pench, Sahyadri, Nawegaon-Nagzira, Bor
Karnataka (5 Tiger Reserves)
Bandipur, Bhadra, Kali, Nagarhole, Biligiri Ranganatha Temple
Rajasthan (5 Tiger Reserves)
Ranthambore, Sariska, Mukundara Hills, Ramgarh Vishdhari, Dholpur-Karauli
Tamil Nadu (5 Tiger Reserves)
Kalakad-Mundanthurai, Anamalai, Mudumalai, Sathyamangalam, Srivilliputhur-Megamalai
Chhattisgarh (4 Tiger Reserves)
Indravati, Udanti-Sitanadi, Achanakmar, Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla
Assam (4 Tiger Reserves)
Manas, Nameri, Kaziranga, Orang
Arunachal Pradesh (3 Tiger Reserves)
Namdapha, Pakke, Kamlang
Uttar Pradesh (3 Tiger Reserves)
Dudhwa, Pilibhit, Ranipur
Telangana (2 Tiger Reserves)
Kawal, Amrabad
Kerala (2 Tiger Reserves)
Periyar, Parambikulam
Uttarakhand (2 Tiger Reserves)
Corbett, Rajaji
Odisha (2 Tiger Reserves)
Similipal, Satkosia
West Bengal (2 Tiger Reserves)
Sundarbans, Buxa
Andhra Pradesh (1 Tiger Reserve)
Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam
Bihar (1 Tiger Reserve)
Valmiki
Jharkhand (1 Tiger Reserve)
Palamau
Mizoram (1 Tiger Reserve)
Dampa
Newly Added Tiger Reserves (2023-2025)
India has added five new tiger reserves in the last three years, demonstrating continued commitment to tiger conservation:
2023 Additions
Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve (54th), Madhya Pradesh
Dholpur-Karauli Tiger Reserve (55th), Rajasthan
2024 Additions
Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve (56th), Chhattisgarh
Ratapani Tiger Reserve (57th), Madhya Pradesh
2025 Addition
Madhav Tiger Reserve (58th), Madhya Pradesh – Located in the Gwalior-Chambal region, spanning approximately 1,651 sq km, this became India’s newest tiger reserve in March 2025
Tiger Reserves by Population: Top 5
Based on the 2022 All India Tiger Estimation, the following reserves have the highest tiger populations:
1. Corbett Tiger Reserve, Uttarakhand – 260 tigers
India’s first tiger reserve and the oldest national park continues to lead with the highest tiger density (19.56 tigers per 100 sq km). The reserve’s diverse ecosystems including riverine belts, grasslands, and Himalayan foothills provide optimal habitat.
2. Bandipur Tiger Reserve, Karnataka – 150 tigers
Part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Bandipur has the highest tiger density in India at 19.83 tigers per 100 sq km. Its sal forests and open grasslands support a thriving prey base.
3. Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, Karnataka – 141 tigers
Adjacent to Bandipur, Nagarhole’s dense forests and water bodies create ideal tiger habitat. The reserve is recognized as one of the best-managed in India.
4. Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh – 135 tigers
Known for its high tiger density, Bandhavgarh’s Vindhya hills and Tala zone offer excellent tiger sighting opportunities due to the mix of grasslands and forests supporting diverse prey species.
5. Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, Uttar Pradesh – 135 tigers
Located in the Terai region along the Indo-Nepal border, Dudhwa’s swamp-dominated ecosystem provides unique habitat for tigers.
Tiger Reserves by Population: Least 5
Several tiger reserves face significant challenges with minimal or zero tiger populations, requiring urgent conservation intervention:
1. Buxa Tiger Reserve, West Bengal – 0 tigers
Despite being notified in 1982-83, the reserve recorded no tigers in the 2022 census, facing challenges from habitat fragmentation and proximity to international borders.
2. Dampa Tiger Reserve, Mizoram – 0 tigers
Notified in 1994, Dampa has struggled with tiger conservation due to challenging terrain and limited connectivity with other tiger populations.
3. Palamau Tiger Reserve, Jharkhand – 0 tigers
One of the original nine tiger reserves from 1973, Palamau has experienced local extinction of tigers due to intense anthropogenic pressure and habitat degradation.
4. Kawal Tiger Reserve, Telangana – 3-5 tigers
With critically low numbers, Kawal requires enhanced protection measures and habitat restoration.
5. Indravati Tiger Reserve, Chhattisgarh – Few/Not evaluated
The reserve faces severe challenges from left-wing extremism affecting monitoring and protection efforts.
According to the NTCA, approximately 35% of tiger reserves urgently require enhanced protection measures, habitat restoration, and ungulate augmentation. Twenty-two reserves host fewer than 10 tigers or none at all, highlighting the uneven distribution of conservation success.
Top 5 States by Tiger Population
Based on the 2022 tiger census, these states lead in tiger conservation:
1. Madhya Pradesh – 785 tigers
Leading the nation with both the highest tiger population and most tiger reserves (9), Madhya Pradesh has shown substantial growth in tiger numbers through effective conservation strategies.
2. Karnataka – 563 tigers
With five tiger reserves including high-performing Bandipur and Nagarhole, Karnataka ranks second and continues to show strong conservation results.
3. Uttarakhand – 560 tigers
Home to Corbett Tiger Reserve with the highest single-reserve population, Uttarakhand’s two reserves contribute significantly to India’s tiger count.
4. Maharashtra – 444 tigers
Six tiger reserves across diverse landscapes from Western Ghats to Central Indian forests support Maharashtra’s substantial tiger population.
5. Tamil Nadu – 306 tigers
Five reserves spanning the Western Ghats ecological corridor support Tamil Nadu’s growing tiger population.
Conservation Challenges and Future Outlook
Despite remarkable progress, Indian tiger conservation faces ongoing challenges including poaching threats from illegal wildlife trade, habitat loss and fragmentation from development projects, human-wildlife conflict in buffer zones and corridors, insufficient protection in underperforming reserves, and climate change impacts on prey species and habitat quality.
The NTCA continues to strengthen conservation through enhanced monitoring using wireless communication and infrared thermal cameras, community participation in eco-development initiatives, corridor conservation to maintain genetic connectivity, voluntary relocation from core areas with enhanced compensation (Rs. 10 lakhs per family), and integration of Forest Rights Act provisions with conservation goals.
India’s success in more than doubling its tiger population from 1,827 in 1973 to 3,682 in 2022 represents a growth rate of 6.1% per year. This achievement provides valuable lessons for global wildlife conservation, demonstrating that effective legal frameworks, dedicated protected areas, community involvement, and sustained political commitment can reverse the decline of endangered species even in densely populated landscapes.
