BANDIPUR TIGER RESERVE
Relevance in UPSC:
GS Paper 3: Environment
Important For
Prelims: About Bandipur Tiger Reserve
Mains: Conservation Efforts
Why in News?
Bandipur completed 50 years as a Project Tiger Reserve.
Key Highlights
- There were 12 tigers in Bandipur when Project Tiger was launched
- The number of tigers utilising the park is 173 while the number of tigers within the reserve has been pegged at 126 as per the Status of Tigers Co-predators and Prey in India, 2018, published by the National Tiger Conservation Authority,
- In 1941, the Venugopal Wildlife Park was constituted extending over 800 sq km of which 82 sq miles was known as Bandipur Sanctuary within the park.
About Bandipur Tiger Reserve
- It was created in 1973 as part of \”Project Tiger\”.
- In 1985 it was enlarged and named Bandipur National Park including the adjoining area of Venugopala Safari Park.
- It is located in two adjacent districts of Karnataka (Mysore and Chamarajanagarh), on the border of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
- It is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
- It is located in one of the most biodiverse regions of the country.
- It is surrounded by Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (Tamil Nadu) to the south, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala) to the southwest and Kabini Reservoir separating Bandipur and Nagarahole Tiger Reserves to the northwest.
- It is rich in floral and faunal diversity and is recognized as one of the largest biodiversity areas in the country.
- Bandipur along with Nagarahole, Mudumalai, Sathyamangalam and Wayanad form the largest population of wild tigers in the world.
- This land is also home to the largest population of Asian elephants in the world and is part of the Mysore Elephant Reserve (MER).
- The park is located between the Cabinier River to the north and the Moyal River to the south.
- The Nugu River runs through the park. The highest point of the park is on a hill called Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta.
About Project tiger
- A Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Ministry of Environment, and Climate Change, the Forests launched in 1973.
- Initially launched in 9 Tiger reserves (TRs) in different states of India.
- Provide central assistance to tiger range countries for in situ tiger conservation in designated tiger reserves.
- Implementing Agency: Statutory body National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), established under the Wildlife Conservation Amendment Act 2006.
- Overall oversight/coordination of role and approval of tiger conservation plans developed by state governments.
- Funding Model: The Center provides 60% and 50% of financial assistance to the States for all non-recurring expenses and recurring expenses, respectively.
- In both cases, the North Eastern and Himalayan states received 90% of central aid.
Fernarium
GS Paper 3: Environment
Important For
Prelims: Fernarium , Eravikulam National Park (ENP),
Mains: Conservation Efforts
Why in News?
Eravikulam National Park (ENP), the natural habitat of Nilgiri tahr in Munnar, has a new attraction a Fernarium set up inside the park. According to officials, this is the first time such a fern collection has been established in the hill station.
Key highlights
- 52 varieties of ferns have already been planted in the new Fernarium.
- As per data, ENP has 104 varieties of ferns
About Fern
- Ferns are part of the Epiphytic family.
- They grow naturally in a soilless condition.
- The plants obtain water and nutrients through leaching from trees.
- A large number of ferns are on the trees inside the park
About Eravikulam National Park (ENP)
- It is located in the High Range (Kannan Devan Hills) in the southern part of Western Ghats at Devikulam Taluk, Idukki district, Kerala state.
- It spans an area of 97 square kilometers and has the highest peak in South India, Anamudi (2695 m) in its southern region.
- The Rajamalai area of Park remains open for public tours.
Topography:
- The main body of the park is a plateau with ups and downs (plateaus of different heights or different altitudes), and the base altitude is about 2,000 meters above mean sea level.
- Three main types of flora found in Park are: Grassland, Scrub, and Shola Forest (a mosaic of evergreen forest and montane grassland).
- The park is the largest and least disturbed area of unique Shola-Grassveld montane vegetation in the Western Ghats.
Flora
- It special Neelakurinji flowers (Strobilanthes kunthianam) which bloom every 12 years and the next bloom is expected in 2030.
- In addition, there are rare terrestrial and epiphytic orchids, wild balsam, etc.
- Epiphytes are organisms that grow on the surface of plants and get their moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water, or debris that accumulates around them.
Fauna
- The park has the largest viable population of the endangered Nilgiri Tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius).
- It is also home to other lesser known fauna such as the Nilgiri marten, red mongoose, small-clawed otter, dark-striped squirrel, etc.
Gamma-ray burst
GS Paper 3: Science and Technology
Important For
Prelims: About Gamma-ray burst
Mains: Effects of scientific developments in everyday life
Why in News?
A gamma-ray burst that recently hit our solar system was so bright, it temporarily blinded gamma-ray instruments in space, according to a NASA release.
About gamma-ray burst
- GRBs are brief bursts of gamma rays, the most energetic form of light.
- GRB emits more energy in seconds than our Sun emits in its lifetime, and has two distinct emission phases:
- Short Immediate Emission (initial burst phase of gamma ray emission), followed by a long duration multiple emission wavelength afterglow phase.
- The shortest GRBs of likely mark the collision of two dense stellar remnants called neutron stars, while the longest bursts occur when a rapidly rotating massive star collapses to form a black hole.
- When a GRB explodes, it is the brightest source of cosmic gamma photons in the observable universe.
What are gamma rays?
- Gamma rays have the shortest wavelength and highest energy in the electromagnetic spectrum.
- They are produced by the hottest and most energetic objects in the universe, such as neutron stars and pulsars, supernova explosions, and the region around black holes.
- On Earth, gamma waves are produced by nuclear explosions, lightning, and less violent radioactive decay activity.