Apr 10, 2023
By: Srishti Magan
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On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Karnataka to mark 50 years of Project Tiger. At the event, he revealed the latest estimates of India’s Tiger population — which increased to 3,167 in 2022 from 2,967 in 2018.
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India started setting up tiger reserves in 1973, with nine reserves spanning 14,000 sq km. Today, India has 53 tiger reserves, covering an area of over 75,000 sq. km. Here are some of the best tiger reserves in the country.
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One of India’s original 9 tiger reserves, Bandipur Tiger Reserve is home to the Bengal tiger, along with the Indian leopard, Asiatic wild elephant, Sambar deer, etc. Surrounded by the picturesque Western Ghats, the reserve offers bus and jeep safaris, priced at ₹300 and ₹350 per person, respectively.
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The reserve is situated in Rajasthan’s Sawai Madhopur district. The scorching summer months of April-June are considered the best time to visit since the heat draws animals to the watering holes. The reserve offers multiple tours that combine safaris with other tourist attractions. Price is available on request.
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The only mangrove tiger habitat in the Indian subcontinent, the Sunderban Tiger Reserve is also home to saltwater crocodiles, estuarine and marine turtles, spotted deer, etc. A UNESCO world heritage site, the reserve can only be visited through waterways. The best time to travel is in October-March.
Credit: Sundarban Tiger Reserve
With a core area of 105 sq km, the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve states it has the world’s highest density of tiger population. The former hunting preserve of the Maharaja of Rewa, the reserve is also famous for white tigers and leopards. It’s open to visitors from mid-October to June.
Credit: Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve
Originally established in 1955, the state’s oldest national park was converted into a reserve in 1993 when it merged with the Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary. Today, the reserve is home to 115 tigers (2018 census) and offers wildlife safaris that can be booked three months in advance. Safari bookings for April are already sold out.
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The go-to choice for most nature and wildlife enthusiasts, Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve is India’s first national park, established during the British Raj in 1936. The first park under Project Tiger, it has the largest population of tigers in India — 216, as per the 2018 tiger census.
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One of the few reserves in India where the tiger population is above 100, the Kaziranga National Park is a UNESCO world heritage site, also famous for the Indian one-horned rhinoceros. It was declared a tiger reserve in 2006 due to the rising tiger population.
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It’s India’s largest tiger reserve in terms of area (3,728 sq. km). The reserve is famous not just for its flora and fauna, but also its scenic beauty and historical and religious attractions, like the temples of Srisailam, the ruins of the third-century BCE Indian ruler Ikshwaku Chandragupta’s fort, etc.
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From bamboo rafting to tiger trails and nature walks, Kerala’s Periyar Tiger Reserve offers it all — along with an option to stay in bamboo cottages (₹1,800 per person) or tented jungle camps (₹5,500 per person). Apart from the Bengal tiger, the reserve is known for its small population of white tigers.
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