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The Palamau Tiger Reserve
The Palamau Tiger Reserve Introduction
The Palamau Tiger Reserve was one of the first 9 reserves to be
brought under the umbrella of the Project Tiger in 1973. Spread over 1,026 sq
km of untamed wilderness, the Palamau tiger reserve is famous for its magnificent
wildlife and scenic, undulating terrain. The tiger reserve encompasses the
Betla National Park (226 sq km), which makes the core area of the reserve, and
the Palamau Sanctuary (980 sq km). There are 107 villages in the buffer area and
3 in the core area. The core is distributed in 2 parts- the actual core and the
recently inducted 'Satellite core'. This core area was declared a National Park
in September, 1989. Wildlife in Palamau Tiger Reserve
The Palamau Tiger Reserve falls under the lndo-Malayan realm and is distinguished
for its flora and fauna. The predators that roam the forest grounds are tigers,
leopards, wolves, wild dogs and jungle cats. Among the heribivores, there are
sloth bear, four horned antelope and mouse dear. Interestingly the first ever
tiger census by way of pug mark count, was undertaken within these forests way
back in 1934. Since the first census, population of tigers showed a steady decline
till 1972, when their number dwindled down to 17. However, after the declaration
of the Sanctuary, it is stated, the number showed a rise reaching a figure of
55 in 1989. The 1991 census figure shows the tiger population as 54. This figure
quoted by the Palamau Tiger Reserve authorities is purely indicative and not absolute.
Beasts and Humans Inside the Reserve
The villagers who reside within the Palamau Tiger Reserve are predominantly tribal,
representing various ethnic groups like Munda, Kherwar, Chero, Birjia etc. These
tribes once led a nomadic pattern of life style till the early part of this century
and are extremely tolerant to wildlife and live in complete harmony with their
natural environs.
However, the enormous pressure put on the resource
base of Palamau Tiger Reserve is felt acutely with the passing of each day. Human
needs, excrutiating poverty, and scarcity of resources can be identified as the
prime factor responsible for man-animal confrontation, which is on the rise. Though
a declared Tiger Reserve, minor forest produces like bamboo and others were allowed
to be extracted from within the Buffer zones till the 1991 season.
Wildlife Population
The population of elephants in Palamau has increased
substantially during the past 50 years. Prior to 1920, this area had no elephant
population but the 20 odd elephants released by the Maharaja of Surguja turned
feral, subsequently increasing in number. The present elephant count exceeds 104
elephants which show addition of herds from the Singbhum district of Bihar.
How to Reach Palamau Tiger Reserve Jharkhand
By Air :- the airport nearest to Palamau is at Ranchi 161 km away from Betla.
By Rail :- The nearest railhead is at Daltonganj 25 km from Betla and the
second nearest railway station is Ranchi 161 kms from Betla.
By Road :-
Good motorable road connects Betla to nearby cities in Jharkhand.
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