Melghat Tiger Reserve

State

Maharashtra

History

Altitude (above M.S.L.)

350 - 1178 m

Melghat was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1974 and notified as a sanctuary in 1985. The core of Melgat was established as Gugarnal National Park in 1987. A large part of the reserve is currently managed as a multiple-use area.

Area

Total

1676.5 km²

Core

361.3 km²

Buffer

1315.2 km²

Flora and Fauna

Nature has offered protection to Melghat in the form of a rugged topography with only a few entry points. It is the prime biodiversity repository of the state. More than 700 plant species have been listed in this reserve repository. An estimated 73 tigers are found in Melghat.

Temperature

6°C - 43°C

Rainfall (per annum)

1500 - 2200 mm

Seasons

Winter

Dec - Feb

Summer

Mar - Jun

Monsoon

Jun - Sep

Fauna

Tiger, leopard, sloth bear, wild dog, jackal, sambar, gaur, barking deer, mouse deer, blue bull, spotted deer, four-horned antelope, ratel, flying squirrel, wild boar, langur, rhesus monkey, porcupine, pangolin, caracal, etc.

Forest Types

Southern Tropical Dry Mixed Forest, dominated by teak

Funds

Insufficient & delayed

Management Objectives

Staff

Untrained & understaffed

Protection and habitat management, in terms of biodiversity conservation and ecological sustainable community development, is the main concern. Issues related to man–animal conflict are also tackled on a priority basis.

Problems

Tigers and leopards kill 400-500 cattle annually and frequently injure or kill people. The rugged terrain makes fire protection difficult so that approximately 30% of the reserve is effected by fires every year. Weeds are a further problem where constant grazing takes place. More that one third of the reserve is infested by Lantana and Hyptis.

External Influences (1991 census)

Villages

61

Human population

24,700

Livestock numbers

30,000