In the heart of India, Bengal tiger numbers are increasing. But, as populations rise, tigers need to move between habitats to find their new homes.
(c) Mike Vickers
There are six tiger reserves in the Satpuda landscape alone and many more across Central India. These reserves and protected areas offer a safe haven for tigers, and other wildlife. But as the tiger population increases, so does the need for connectivity between reserves to allow tigers to migrate, mate and maintain a strong genetic pool.
The Satpuda Landscape Tiger Partnership (SLTP) came together over 20 years ago, brought together by Born Free and Oxford University’s Wildlife Conservation & Research Unit (WildCRU), to connect the different organisations working to conserve tigers in the Satpuda area of Central India. Today, 11 organisations make up the partnership, each with different strengths that, together, make Central India a tiger haven.
Many of Central India’s tigers live in the tiger reserves or protected areas, but these are limited in size, and tigers need to explore large territories to find enough food and maintain a solitary lifestyle. Therefore, they need to be able to move safely between reserves.
Luckily, there are solutions to this. Between reserves, ‘wildlife corridors’ are being created. Corridors are strips of natural or restored habitat, wildlife-friendly infrastructure such as highway underpasses and sensitised communities, allowing safe passage for tigers and other wildlife between two reserves.
Our partners, the Network for Conserving Central India, along with the Biodiversity Collective and their partners, have created a beautiful animation to explain how wildlife corridors work.
Wildlife corridors, especially those used by big cats, also protect people and livestock. In areas without connection, tigers may be forced to navigate through villages and farms, over roads or along train tracks in search of a new home. This increased proximity between people and tigers raises the risk faced by both.
Tigers crossing through areas occupied by humans may prey on livestock, or on occasion may even attack people. By reducing the need for tigers to enter human-dominated landscapes, this risk can be lowered.
We’re proud to partner with organisations such as the Network for Conserving Central India and continue to protect tigers, people and their homes. You can find out more about the SLTP here.
