Sixth tiger reserve proposed for Karnataka: M M Hills wildlife sanctuary the latest abode of wild tigers

Chamarajanagar, Karnataka, Jan 13: The Karnataka State Wildlife Board has proposed to the Centre to notify Male Mahadeshwara Hills Wildlife Sanctuary (MM Hills) as a Tiger Reserve, and it will be the sixth in the state which has the highest population of tigers in the wild.
Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, had said that it was heartening that the confluence of the Western and Eastern Ghats that had been under the long terror reign of forest brigand Veerappan for decades, is today a haven for big carnivores with good prey availability. It is high time for the Government to declare MM Hills as a Tiger Reserve.
If M M Hills is declared as a Tiger Reserve, Chamarajanagar District will become the first district in India to have three Tiger Reserves -- Bandipur Tiger Reserve, Biligirirangana Betta Tiger Reserve (BRT) and now, Male Mahadeshwara Tiger Reserve.
Declaring a Tiger Reserve provides several benefits to a forest area as it can easily get funds from the Centre under Project Tiger. “In North India, even if there are two tigers in the forests, funds are procured in the name of Project Tiger. The Male Mahadeshwara Hills and the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary are spread over a total area of 1.93 lakh hectares in Chamarajanagar, Mandya, and Ramanagaram districts. These sanctuaries are home to mammals like Tigers, Leopards Wild Dogs, Hyenas, Sloth Bears, Elephants, Honey Badgers, Gaurs, Sambars and Chitals,” noted wildlife activist Sanjay Gubbi said.
A study conducted by Conservation Scientist Sanjay Gubbi, who is also a State Wildlife Board Member finds that Male Mahadeshwara Hills and Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary have more Tigers than some tiger reserves in India like Namdapha Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh, Kawal in Telangana and Buxa Tiger Reserve in West Bengal.
The study, carried out by Nature Conservation Foundation, points out that large presence of prey species seen in the camera trap also gives further credence to the viable tiger habitats of the parks. Conducted in 2011, it showed 1,933 sq-km covered with camera-trappings has found a healthy tiger population in the two protected areas. While at MM Hills, 12 Tigers were discovered, two were documented at Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary. There are more than 100 tigers in BRT and the study found out that several tigers had migrated from BRT to MM Hills forests.
The study took over 5 years and consolidation of nearly 10 lakh images from both the sanctuaries from which the actual figures of the number of tigers were arrived at
The study also saw the first-ever documentation of the Ratel, also called the Honey Badger, for Karnataka in Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary.
The study conducted by Nature Conservation Foundation was followed up in 2015 and 2016 by the Forest Department and officials recorded several sightings in camera traps. The migration of big cats from BRT to MM Hills was also established.
The findings clearly indicate that the two protected areas, located in the confluence of the Eastern and Western Ghats, have scope for adequate funding and more protection under the Project Tiger initiative.