NTCA recommendations on declaring Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary as core area of Bandipur yet to be implemented

The recommendations of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), made a year ago, to notify the entire Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary as core and critical area of Bandipur Tiger Reserve is yet to be implemented.

NTCA Assistant Inspector-General of Forests, Harini Venugopal, conducted a site visit and submitted a report on November 17, 2023.

The report stated that taking into consideration the ecological significance of Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary which is inviolate and an ideal habitat for tigers and elephants, the State government may consider to propose and notify the entire sanctuary as core and critical area of Bandipur Tiger Reserve in the long term conservation of wildlife, its habitat and ecological corridors.

The site visit followed a submission by wildlife conservationist Giridhar Kulkarni who had raised the issue, saying that it was imperative for providing inviolate space for wildlife.

At present the entire Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary forms the buffer of Bandipur besides coming under the Eco-Sensitive Zone. The ESC of Nugu also overlaps with that of Bandipur and is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.

Mr. Kulkarni had pointed out that the sanctuary supported a high density of elephants with a significant proportion of them being tuskers.

Apart from it, the Nugu also harboured a good number of tigers, leopards, wild dogs or dholes, spotted hyenas, sloth bear, gaur, sambar, chital and four-horned antelope.

It was argued that even the All India Tiger Estimation for 2022 showed the presence of tigers and elephants in the Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary and hence had suggested that it be notified as core and critical area of Bandipur.

Consequent to the NTCA’s site visit and submission of report, the Assistant Inspector General of Forests (NTCA) in the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, wrote to the Chief Wildlife Warden of Karnataka on December 4, 2024 that necessary action may be taken an ‘’action taken report’’ be submitted to the NTCA at the earliest. But it is almost an year and the Government was yet to act on it.

Mr. Kulkarni said although the area of Nugu Sanctuary was small — about 30.32 sq km, it was part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserec and part of the larger tiger landscape comprising Bandipur and Nagarahole in Karnataka, Mudumalai in Tamil Nadu and Wayanad in Kerala.

“It is high time to notify Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary as a core critical tiger habitat of Bandipur as it would help to keep the habitat inviolate and other activities that are detrimental to wildlife,” he added.

Published - November 17, 2024 10:45 pm IST