Context: The Supreme Court has ordered the Rajasthan government to shutter 68 mines operating within a 1-kilometre periphery of the critical tiger habitat (CTH) of the Sariska reserve.
About Sariska tiger reserve
- Location - Sharp cliffs of hills and narrow valleys of the Aravallis.
- History - It was once a hunting ground of the Maharaja of Alwar before being proclaimed a natural reserve in 1955 & national park in 1979.
- Success - Has unique distinction of succesfully reintroducing tiger after its local extinction.
- Natural Vegetation - Characterised by Dry Deciduous Forests and Tropical Thorn Forest. Anogeissus pendula (also known as Dhok tree or Button tree) is the dominant tree species in the region.
- Fauna - The main tourist attraction of the Sariska Tiger Reserve is the Royal Bengal Tiger. Apart from the tiger, other wild animals are Chital, Leopard, Sambhar, Nilgai, Four Horned Antelope, Rhesus Macaque, Langur & Wild Boar.
- Other important features - Kankarwadi fort is located in the center of the Reserve and it is said that Mughal emperor Aurangzeb had imprisoned his brother Dara Shikoh at this fort in struggle for succession to the throne. It also has Siliserh Lake, which is home to a large number of crocodiles.
Note – Core/critical tiger habitat (CTH) vs Critical wildlife habitat (CWH)
- “Section 38V of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (as amended in 2006) explains the core or critical tiger habitat as well as the buffer or peripheral area of a tiger reserve.
- A tiger reserve includes two parts:
- Core or critical tiger habitat (National Park or Sanctuary status).
- Buffer or peripheral area.
- The phrase ‘core or critical tiger habitat’ is mentioned only in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as a sequel to amendment made to the said Act in 2006. It is NOT defined in the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
- The phrase ‘critical wildlife habitat’ is defined only in the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, and NOT in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
- 'Core or critical tiger habitat’ is different from the ‘critical wildlife habitat’. Since tigers are territorial big cats, hence considering their social land tenure dynamics, the ‘core / critical tiger habitat’ has been viewed separately from the ‘critical wildlife habitat’, which is applicable to other wild animal species.
Dhok Trees
- They are also known as Button tree
- They can be grown on hard, rocky surfaces and difficult terrain.
- They can be grown in arid and semi-arid areas but the unique point is It has no succulent parts or deep roots that can bore into fine rock fissures seeking dampness.
- Then how does it survive?
- button tree is “more like a banyan. Instead of sending aerial roots down, the dhok sends subterranean shoots up.
- It has the ability to bind itself well on the mountainous surface without getting extremely deep for strength. Moreover, the roots possess a subterranean system that allows the tree to spread well over an extensive area.
- Then how does it survive?
- The tribal and rural folks have been using Anogeissus Pendula for many medicinal uses for ailments like dysentery or for its anti-oxidant properties.