MEE TR Web Portal

Introduction

Bor Tiger Reserve of Maharashtra was notified on 16 August 2014, with an area of 138.12 km² as the core comprising Bor Sanctuary (61.10 km²), New Bor Sanctuary (60.70 km²) and the extended New Bor Sanctuary (16.32 km²). It became the 47th tiger reserve in India and the sixth tiger reserve in Maharashtra State. A total adjoining area of 678.15 km² (355.83 km² of forest area and 322.32 km² of non-forest area) was declared the buffer area of Bor Tiger Reserve on 4 December 2015. It is located in Seloo Tahsil of Wardha District and Hingana Tahsil of Nagpur District in Maharashtra.

The tiger reserve represents a typical assemblage of the Central Indian flora and fauna. Though smaller in size, this tiger reserve is a stepping stone within a larger landscape comprising several important tiger reserves and protected areas in the Central India landscape. It is well connected through corridors with Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, Pench Tiger Reserve, Melghat Tiger Reserve and Umred–Paoni–Karhandala WLS.

The core area of Bor Tiger Reserve is under the administrative control of the Field Director, Pench Tiger Reserve. Bor (Wildlife) Division is headed by the Division Forest Officer (Wildlife), Bor Sanctuary, Nagpur. At present the buffer area of the tiger reserve is under the administrative control of the Wardha and Nagpur territorial forest divisions. During the MEE it was been suggested that the buffer areas too be brought under the unified control of the Field Director . The core area of the tiger reserve is divided into two ranges, namely Bor (wildlife, with an extent of 61.10 km², having two round offices, eight beats and 38 camps) and New Bor (wildlife, with an extent of 77.02 km², comprising two round offices, 10 beats and 32 camps headed by the DFO/DD, Bor Wildlife Division and supported by the SDO WL, Seloo.

There is a proposal submitted for reorganisation of administrative units in buffer area ( 355.82 km²) under the unified control of the Field Director with three ranges (1) Kawadas Range (88.43 km²), with two rounds and nine beats, (2) Hingani Range (133.55 km²), with three rounds and 13 beats and (3) Bangdapur Range (133.84 km²), with three rounds and 13 beats. BTR has no STPF; however it has all sanctioned posts filled except six posts of FGD. Besides the sanctioned posts, 60 labourers are deployed and posted at different protection camps and check posts on a temporary basis to assist the Forest Guards for protection.

The MEE was conducted from 30 August to 2 September 2022 by the team comprising (1) Sh. Bishan Singh Bonal, IFS Rtd. PCCF & HOFF Assam and former MS NTCA ADG PT, (2) Dr. Sandeep Tripathi, IFS Rtd. PCCF & CWLW, Odisha and (3) Sh. Shailesh Prasad, IFS Rtd. Sh. Pawan Kumar, IFS Rtd. could not join the team. The MEE team was accompanied by five officers: (1) Ms Sreelakshmi IFS CF & FD, Pench Tiger Reserve, (2) Pramod kumar Panchbhai DFO (Wildlife), Bor Sanctuary, Nagpur, (3) Mangesh Thengadi ACF (Wildlife), Seloo Unit, Nagpur, (4) Nilesh Gawande RFO, Bor (Wildlife) Range and (5) Punam Bramhane RFO, New Bor (Wildlife) Range.

Management Strengths:

Bor Tiger reserve is an active “stepping stone corridor” for tigers moving within the Vidarbha landscape. As such it has the potential for fostering tiger meta-population dynamics through tiger gene flows between small populations and between tiger source areas (Pench, Melghat).
BTR is an important catchment for several rivers and rivulets in the region.
BTR has the potential to be a model for eco-tourism to benefit local communities by providing livelihood opportunities in the buffer.
BTR has the opportunity to undertake the relocation of five adjoining villages that are willing to move out. And notifying the area as a wildlife sanctuary would lead an increased inviolate space in BTR.
There are no cases in the last three years as per MODIS fire data of FSI and very few in earlier years in BTR.
The tiger population of the TR is nine (two males, seven females), which is optimal, considering the estimated tiger carrying capacity of 8–14 of BTR.
A number of innovative measures have been taken by BTR to retain water for the pinch period, by the construction of Gabion bandhara and Hybrid culvert with an elevated wall on one side, which helps in retaining water.

Management Weaknesses:

The core and buffer of BTR are not under a unified control. Moreover, the size of the core is small, compared with the larger peripheral buffer.
Proximity to a large number of human settlements in the periphery, with resource dependence leading to biotic interference, including vulnerability to man-made fires and poaching. In the absence of land use guidelines, mushrooming of resorts in the adjoining areas is likely.
Varied land uses in the buffer landscape increase the chances of a human–tiger interface.
Lack of water retention in the substratum aggravates water scarcity during the summer months.
Fishing in late hours in the Bor backwaters still continues, which disturbs the wildlife.
As there are fewer registered Gypsy vehicles under MoUs with private operators, private vehicles of tourists are also allowed, which is not ideal as per protection security protocols.
There is inadequate CSS funding to the TR in the last two years, which is putting a strain on the smooth management of the TR.
The TR is highly vulnerable to weed infestation, particularly Hyptis and Lantana.
The habitat is primarily teak along with Butea and associates. There is very little grasslands but for areas of the relocated Navargaon village, which has good fodder growth.

Immediate Actionable Points:

The core, with only two ranges, and the buffer area, proposed to have three ranges, should be brought under the unified control of the Field Director, PTR to facilitate tiger-focused protection and management strategy in the buffer area. As the issue is pending with the state for long, NTCA may issue a suitable reminder to the state government.
Expeditious action needs to be initiated to relocate the five willing villages by declaring the area a sanctuary in the Bor buffer area to make the buffer area more suitable for tiger habitation and dispersal.
The new draft TCP for the period 2021–22 to 2031–32 has been submitted to CWLW. It is therefore incumbent on the part of PTR/CWLW to move to the NTCA for its expeditious approval.
Since 2019, a meeting of the steering committee has not been convened. The meeting should be convened as per the provisions of WPA, 1972.
The importance of Bor as a stepping stone corridor has been established. With the protection now afforded by its current status as a TR, notifying the buffer as a wildlife sanctuary and reorganizing will potentially create a viable tiger population. The presence of breeding tigresses strengthens this view.
The shape and design of BTR (a small core surrounded by a human-dominated large buffer) make it vulnerable to negative interactions between humans and wildlife, especially between humans and tigers, as evident from six human kills by tigers in the last 2 years. Thus flexible management strategies should be adopted to cope with HWC in the future.
The huge reservoir of the dam on the Bor River under the control of the irrigation department, located in the centre of the CTH, causes disturbances to wildlife. At the same time, in some way it is an advantage for the wildlife. Therefore, for its protection, it is advised that a proposal be initiated for declaring it a “conservation reserve” by bringing the matter to the Steering Committee.
An appropriate protocol should be developed by BTR for preventing fishing in the late hours in the Bor reservoir, which causes disturbances to the wildlife.
The poor water retention potential of the substratum aggravates the water scarcity during the summer months. Large-scale water conservation measures should be adopted.
There are only two tourist check gates, i.e., Bordharan and Adegaon. The Adegaon route remains submerged in the water for a long period, thus necessitating a Tourist Tract Rationalization Plan to augment the diminishing tourism revenue.
The BTR management should expeditiously take steps for availing CSS funding, which has been zero in the last two years.
The BTR management should make appropriate measures to attract more CSR involvement in different management and protection activities of BTR.
To prevent the haphazard mushrooming of resorts around the BTR, the Tourist Carrying Capacity must be worked out and a proposal brought to the Local Advisory Committee for the revenuesdept to issue appropriate instructions restricting resort construction as per the carrying capacity of the TR.
Though the staff vacancy positions are very few, there are only 54 sanctioned staff positions to manage the core area, which needs to be augmented pending the merging of the buffer and core and brought under unified control.
Expeditious steps to be taken for placement of a full-time permanent veterinarian to cater to the pending wildlife health and mitigation issues.
As there is very little grassland in the TR, except in the relocated Nawargaon village, with no assessment of the grassland area percentage, there is a need to create grasslands in open spaces to cater to herbivores’ needs by consciously removing undergrowth.

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Bor Tiger Reserve

Introduction

Management Strengths:

Management Weaknesses:

Immediate Actionable Points:

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