PALAMU TIGER RESERVE (PTR) (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: To retain the four tigers which have migrated to Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR), efforts are underway to relocate at least two tigresses and one tiger from another reserve.

Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR)

• Location: It is situated in the Chhota Nagpur plateau region of Jharkhand. It forms part of Betla National Park and Palamau Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Established in: 1974
• Historical Significance: PTR was among the first nine tiger reserves in India initiated under ‘Project Tiger’. The area was originally designated a protected zone in 1947.
• Topography and Geology: The terrain of PTR is characterized by undulating landscapes comprising valleys, hills, and plains. 

oIt features geological formations like gneiss, granite, and limestone, with rich mineral deposits including bauxite and coal.

• Rivers: North Koel, Auranga, and Burha—flow through PTR, enriching its valleys and supporting diverse ecosystems.
• Vegetation: The reserve primarily hosts Northern Tropical Dry Deciduous forests dominated by Sal (Shorea robusta) and associated species. Smaller patches of Northern Tropical Moist Deciduous forests also thrive here.
• 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 and Leopard, Grey wolf, Wild dog, Gaur, Sloth bear and four horned antelope etc.