Why in the news?

  • The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) clarified that, limiting the number of such corridors, primarily, to only 32 “least cost pathways” identified in 2014.

Tiger Corridors in India

  • Definition: Strips of forested or natural habitat that connect two or more tiger reserves, enabling safe movement of tigers and other wildlife between them.
  • Purpose: Prevents genetic isolation, reduces inbreeding, and ensures long-term survival of tiger populations.
  • Legal Backing: Protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (especially eco-sensitive zones and wildlife corridors), and considered in National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) guidelines.
  • Significance:
    • Genetic Diversity: Maintains gene flow across tiger populations.
    • Reducing Conflict: Provides safe passages, preventing tigers from straying into human habitations.
    • Ecosystem Health: Corridors support other species (elephants, leopards, prey animals).
    • Conservation Targets: Helps India achieve Project Tiger and Global Tiger Recovery Programme goals.
  • Major Tiger Corridors in India:
    • Central India Landscape (Satpura–Maikal–Kanha–Pench belt)
      • Connects Kanha, Pench, Bandhavgarh, Satpura.
      • One of the most crucial for gene flow.
    • Terai Arc Landscape (Uttarakhand–Uttar Pradesh–Bihar–Nepal border)
      • Links Corbett, Rajaji, Dudhwa, Valmiki.
      • Also crucial for elephant movement.
    • Sundarbans Landscape (West Bengal–Bangladesh)
      • Natural mangrove corridors for tigers in the delta.
    • Western Ghats Corridor
      • Connects Nagarhole- Bandipur- Wayanad- Mudumalai- Sathyamangalam
      • Supports tiger–elephant co-movement.
    • North East–Kaziranga–Pakke–Namdapha belt
      • Links tiger habitats in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
  • Threats to Tiger Corridors:
    • Infrastructure Projects: Highways, railways, canals cutting through forests.
    • Deforestation & Mining: Fragmentation of habitat.
    • Urban Expansion & Agriculture: Shrinking of buffer zones.
    • Poaching & Human–Wildlife Conflict: Due to reduced safe passage.