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Introduction

Achanakmar Tiger Reserve was notified in the year 2009 with a total area of 914.017 km² consisting of a 626.195 km² core and a 287.822 km² buffer as defined in the Wild Life Protection Act and is located between latitudes 22° 24′ and 22° 35′ N and longitudes 81° 34′ and 81° 85′ E. Achanakmar is part of Achanakmar–Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve and the Central Indian Satpura–Maikal Landscape. The tiger reserve is an important unit of a larger landscape in central India, having a variety of habitats suitable for many threatened species of plant and animals as well as significant tiger occupancy in many protected areas and tiger reserves. The tiger population in the TR is very low and the numbers are declining over successive All India Tiger Estimation exercises. The state government has initiated an ambitious programme for enhancing tiger-centric management with support from Global Tiger Forum and WWF. Many of the actionable points of the earlier MEE are yet to be complied. A detailed SWOT analysis was done in the approved Tiger Conservation Plan compiled for the period from 2013–14 to 2023–24. The present management needs to update the current status of the SWOT analysis. Indicative lists of strengths, weaknesses and immediate actionable points are listed below.

Management Strengths:

The forests of ATR are part of a very large landscape in central India having a variety of habitats suitable for many threatened species of plant and animal and contributing to the population of tigers in the country.
The WII report “Connecting Tiger Populations for Long-Term Conservation” has identified Kanha–Achanakmar and Bandhavgarh–Achanakmar as important landscapes connected through identified corridors.
Achanakmar is part of Achanakmar–Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve and has cultural, spiritual and religious values, making it an important ecotourism destination.
The ITR has approved Tiger Conservation Plan (2013–14 to 2023–24), and the entire reserve (core and buffer) is under the unified control of the Field Director and his team. However, immediate revision based on NTCA guidelines and current priorities is required.
Amarkantak, which is in the close vicinity, is the source of the River Narmada, the only west-flowing river. It is a place acclaimed as a national pilgrimage destination.
The ATR management has been able to complete and update the mapping of incidences of fire, the number and locations of water bodies and the locations of villages, grasslands and infrastructure.
Public facilities for tourism have been developed in one complex at Shiv Tarai, outside the core and buffer areas.

Management Weaknesses:

The presence of 19 villages in the core zone of the TR adversely impacts the habitat of wild animals in the TR. Though a relocation plan was stated to have been prepared, no action in this direction in the field was visible. The All India Tiger Estimation 2018 recorded very high numbers of livestock, viz., 33.70 photos per 100 trap nights. No other animal, mainly of wild prey species for tigers, is close to this number.
There appears a tendency amongst villagers to expand village boundaries by way of tree cutting and girdling of valuable trees as well as encroachments.
Management infrastructure including protection and communication is inadequate.
The estimated numbers of wild prey species are too low to support any sizeable population of tigers in the TR.
The existing number of individual tigers (5) captured after an extensive Phase-IV exercise is very low as well as highly skewed in terms of the male:female ratio.
The current status of the habitat suitability and security in the TR has not been fully explored.
Invasive species like Parthenium hysterophorus are threatening natural regeneration and the quality of the habitat for wildlife.
There is no perennial river inside the tiger reserve, but there are a number of seasonal streams and rivulets. However, these are not well distributed in time and space, sometimes posing problems in the dry season.
The Kota–Keonchi road, passing through the core area, has been opened to the public with an intervention through the High Court that can increase disturbances inside the TR.

Immediate Actionable Points:

Although a security plan is detailed in the TCP, an immediate security audit as per the standard protocol needs to be done to identify gaps and take appropriate measures to minimize threats in the tiger reserve.
An annual land use land cover mapping based on high resolution satellite data procured from NRSA will help monitor the forest cover and other attributes remotely.
The actionable points of the previous MEE, mainly relocation of villages, training of officers and the staff in wildlife management, grassland management, interpretation facilities, inter-state coordination and rescue and rehabilitation with development of veterinary facilities, may be pursued sincerely.
Small research projects/inventories/surveys may be undertaken by local college and university students in addition to the major projects proposed by research institutes, departments and universities. The state biodiversity board may take appropriate initiatives in this regard.
The management of ATR should effectively control the movements of public vehicles on the Kota–Keonchi road in the interest of wildlife conservation.
The water conservation and percolation programme initiated by the TR management may be further extended to address the issue of water deficiency in various locations identified in the TR.
Pending the relocation of villages for creation of an inviolate space, the TR management has to bring in an inclusive approach involving local communities for effective execution of planned activities of the TCP. The local officials may incorporate innovative methods including a mass awareness programme, in addition to the present approach of participation through EDCs and the schemes of the forest department.
The critically low densities/numbers of the tiger and its wild prey species are a great concern for effective tiger reserve management. The TCP includes and recommends prey augmentation activities in the TR, but no such action has been initiated by the tiger reserve. ATR should therefore undertake active management of the tiger population and the prey based on tested methodology and protocols. However, no such introduction plan should be initiated till a proper security assessment and habitat assessment is done and the TR management is ready with the full control over the area required for intensive management of the tiger population. Interventions by GTF and WWF through their recently initiated project/programme may address the above concerns.
The NTCA and state government need to review the status of the fund deficit and consider meeting additional justified requirements of funds. Funds may be released in time for proper utilization in development activities.

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Achanakmar Tiger Reserve

Introduction

Management Strengths:

Management Weaknesses:

Immediate Actionable Points:

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