Though Madhya Pradesh claimed to have dense population of cat species like tiger and leopard in Census 2022, it has presented a long term plan to provide adequate space to the wildlife. It is commonly known in Madhya Pradesh that insufficient space for the tigers and leopards is giving tough time to the wildlife as well as forest officials. Like Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, now Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary is also facing space crunch for the tigers. The recent territorial fight among tigers, in which a male tiger died in first week of June, is the result of space crunch in the sanctuary. Proposal to declare the wildlife sanctuary as ‘tiger reserve’ is pending for more than ten years. Forest officials and wildlife experts have raised voice many times to make the sanctuary as tiger reserve for safe and secure habitat to the wildlife. After the recent territorial fight among tigers, once again experts and wildlife enthusiasts have raised their voice to notify Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary as Tiger Reserve.

 

They said that about 15 years back, in-principal approval to declare the sanctuary as Tiger Reserve was given by the Government. At the time, there were only 7 tigers in the sanctuary. Now their population increased to over 60. In past 15 years, tiger population increased by 8 fold but the area is same. The sanctuary is spread over 925 sqkm of area and around 60 tigers, 150 leopards and many other species are residing in the jungle. Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary’s former superintendent Ramakant Dixit said that in year 2010 there were only 11 tigers and four cubs and at the time space was not enough for them. To make separate territory, tigers were moving towards Bhopal.

 

Pushpendra Nath Dwivedi, working with an NGO for wildlife conservation in Bandhavgarh, said that a tiger forms territory in 20 to 30 sqkm of area and 2 to 3 females can stay in his territory. But a male tiger never allows other male in his territory. This is the main reason of territorial fight among them. Talking to ‘The Hitavada’ Pushpendra Dwivedi said that after forming the sanctuary as tiger reserve, safe and secure habitat with adequate space would be provided to the big cats. He said that after formation of tiger reserve, Supreme Court of India and NTCA would directly monitor the area and sufficient budget and resources will be allocated from centre. “Green land and herbivore will be increasing and special efforts will be made for tiger conservation and their safety after formation of the tiger reserve,” added Pushpendra Dwivedi. He said that a tiger reserve does not include human being and political interference. Ajay Dubey, an RTI Activists and runs an NGO Prayatana, said, “We are boasting off cheetah conservation but this is pitiable that we are unable to provide space to our tigers. Population of tigers are surpassing in Ratapani. We are fighting to declare the sanctuary as Tiger Reserve in court since year 2008 but there are many barriers”.