Nawegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve:
A tiger has recently been found dead in Maharashtra’s Nawegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve (NNTR) in a suspected case of electrocution, prompting forest authorities to detain a farmer and seven other persons.
- Nawegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve is situated in the Gondia and Bhandara districts of Maharashtra.
- It lies in the heart of the central Indian tiger landscape, which contributes almost 1/6 of the total tiger population of the country.
- Officially notified as the 46th Tiger Reserve of India in 2013, it covers an area of approximately 1894.90 sq.km, out of which 656.36 sq.km. forms the core area.
- It comprises the notified areas of Nawegaon National Park, Nawegaon Wildlife Sanctuary, Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary, New Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary, and Koka Wildlife Sanctuary.
- It has linkages with Kanha, Pench, and Tadoba Tiger Reserves.
- The topography is undulating, and the highest point, viz., ‘Zenda Pahad’, is around 702 m above Mean Sea Level.
- It acts as a critical catchment area for the Vainganga, Chulbandh, and Gadvi rivers
- Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous
- The towering Teak (Tectona grandis) dominates the landscape, standing tall alongside Ain (Terminalia tomentosa), Haldu (Adina cordifolia), Dhaora (Anogeissus latifolia), and Bamboo (Dendrocalamus strictus).
- Tigers and leopards are the main predators, with sloth bear, dhole (wild dog), jackal, and hyena also recorded.
- Herbivores include gaur, sambar, chital, nilgai, barking deer, and wild boar.
- It is a good birding destination, with notable species like the Red-collared Dove, Spotted Dove, and Black-Winged Kite found in the reserve.
