State

Jharkhand

History

Altitude (above M.S.L.)

300 - 1140 m

Palamau was one of the initial nine Tiger Reserves launched in 1973. Prior to this the management of these forests was highly commercialised, with extensive grazing and frequent fires.

Area

Total

1026 km²

Core

213 km²

Buffer

813 km²

Flora and Fauna

The lush landscape consists of stately Sal in the valley and lower slopes, and dry deciduous forests on the upper slopes. There is also abundant bamboo and scattered open grassy patches are common too. An estimated 44 tigers inhabit this reserve.

Temperature

1°C - 50°C

Rainfall (per annum)

1036 mm

Seasons

Winter

Nov - Feb

Summer

Feb - Jun

Monsoon

Jun - Sep

Autumn

Sep - Nov

Forest Types

Moist Peninsular Sal, Dry Peninsular Sal, Dry Bamboo Brakes, Northern Dry Mixed Deciduous, Moist Peninsular Low Level Sal, Northern Secondary Moist Deciduous, Aegle Forest

Fauna

Tiger, leopard, spotted deer, sambar, barking deer, wolf, wild dog, elephant, mouse deer, pangolin, four-horned antilope, ratel etc.

Funds

Insufficient & delayed

Management Objectives

Staff

Untrained & understaffed

Priorities are combating extremists and the training of reserve staff. A scheme is also being developed to compensate villagers for damaged crops.

Problems

Poaching is a problem in Palamau. Extremists are active in the reserve. They fell valuable trees and kill a large number of animals including tigers and elephants. Fires affect approximately 5% of the reserve annually and outbreaks of Foot and Mouth disease as well as Anthrax have occurred.

External Influences (1991 census)

Villages

188

Human population

117,100

Livestock numbers

85,000