Palamu Tiger Reserve

About Palamu Tiger Reserve:

• It is located in the Chhota Nagpur plateau region of Jharkhand.
• The reserve forms a part of the Betla National Park.
• It is one of the first 9 tiger reserves created in the country at the inception of ‘Project Tiger’.
• It is the first reserve in the world in which a tiger census was carried out as a pugmark count, as early as 1932 under the supervision of J.W. Nicholson
• Three rivers namely North Koyal, Auranga and Burha flow through the valleys.
• The area is draught drone with Burha being the only perennial river.
• The Reserve is very rich in minerals like Bauxite and Coal.
• Vegetation:
  • It is primarily dominated by Northern Tropical Dry Deciduous, Sal Forest and its associates.
  • Smaller patches of Northern tropical Moist Deciduous forests exist too in the Reserve.
• Flora: Shorea robusta, Acacia catechu, Madhuca indica, Terminalia tomentosa, Butea monosperma, Pterocarpus marsupium, Anogeisus latifolia, Indigofera pulchela etc.
• Fauna: Some keystone and principal species found in the reserve include Tiger, Asiatic Elephant, Leopard, Grey wolf, Wild dog, Gaur, Sloth bear and four horned antelope.

Key facts about Cheetal

• The spotted deer or chital is the most common deer species in Indian forests.
• They live in dense forests, forested valleys and also prefer open grasslands, savannas, and plantations.
• Conservation status
  • IUCN: Least concern