Tiger Reserves in India
India, home to approximately 75% of the world’s tiger population, is a global leader in biodiversity and wildlife conservation. Tiger reserves in India play a pivotal role in protecting the endangered Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) and preserving their habitats, while also maintaining ecological balance. Launched in 1973, Project Tiger has led to the establishment of 58 tiger reserves across the country, covering about 2.3% of India’s geographical area.
This post provides detailed information about all tiger reserves in India, including their locations, significance, area, and tiger populations.
Introduction to Project Tiger and Tiger Reserves in India
Project Tiger, initiated by the Government of India in 1973, is a landmark conservation program aimed at safeguarding tigers and their habitats. Managed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), it has been instrumental in increasing India’s tiger population. Tiger reserves are divided into two main zones:
- Core Zone: This comprises national parks or wildlife sanctuaries dedicated to tiger conservation.
- Buffer Zone: A mix of forest and non-forest areas, designed to balance human and wildlife coexistence.
As of 2023, India’s tiger population stands at 3,682, accounting for nearly 75% of the global wild tiger population, a testament to Project Tiger’s success. For more details, visit the National Tiger Conservation Authority’s official website.
List of Tiger Reserves in India (As of 2025)
Below is a comprehensive list of India’s 58 tiger reserves, organized by state. Each reserve includes brief details such as location, establishment year, area, and notable features.
1. Madhya Pradesh (9 Tiger Reserves)
Madhya Pradesh hosts the highest number of tiger reserves in India.
- Kanha Tiger Reserve
- Location: Mandla and Balaghat districts
- Established: 1973
- Area: 917 sq km (core), 1134 sq km (buffer)
- Features: Famous for barasingha (swamp deer) conservation and as the inspiration for The Jungle Book.
- Tiger Population: Approx. 100
- More Info: Kanha National Park
- Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve
- Location: Umaria district
- Established: 1973
- Area: 715 sq km (core), 820 sq km (buffer)
- Features: Known for high tiger density and the historic Bandhavgarh Fort.
- Tiger Population: Approx. 80-85
- More Info: Bandhavgarh National Park
- Pench Tiger Reserve
- Location: Seoni and Chhindwara districts
- Established: 1977
- Area: 411 sq km (core), 768 sq km (buffer)
- Features: Pench River and diverse flora.
- Tiger Population: Approx. 50
- Satpura Tiger Reserve
- Location: Hoshangabad district
- Established: 1981
- Area: 524 sq km (core), 794 sq km (buffer)
- Features: Satpura mountain range and Denwa River.
- Panna Tiger Reserve
- Location: Panna and Chhatarpur districts
- Established: 1981
- Area: 543 sq km (core), 1002 sq km (buffer)
- Features: Ken River and diamond mining region.
- Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserve
- Location: Sidhi district
- Established: 2008
- Area: 364 sq km (core), 448 sq km (buffer)
- Features: Part of Sanjay National Park.
- Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve
- Location: Sagar, Damoh, and Narsinghpur districts
- Established: 2023
- Area: 1414 sq km (core), 925 sq km (buffer)
- Features: One of the newest tiger reserves.
- Ratapani Tiger Reserve
- Location: Raisen district
- Established: 2024
- Area: 1277 sq km (total)
- Features: India’s 57th tiger reserve.
- Madhav Tiger Reserve
- Location: Shivpuri and Guna districts
- Established: 2025
- Area: 171 sq km (core), 704 sq km (buffer)
- Features: India’s 58th and latest tiger reserve.
2. Maharashtra (6 Tiger Reserves)
- Melghat Tiger Reserve
- Location: Amravati district
- Established: 1973
- Area: 1500 sq km (core), 1267 sq km (buffer)
- Features: Tapti River and dense forests.
- More Info: Melghat Tiger Reserve
- Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve
- Location: Chandrapur district
- Established: 1995
- Area: 625 sq km (core), 1102 sq km (buffer)
- Features: Popular for tiger sightings.
- Pench Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra side)
- Features: Shared with Madhya Pradesh.
- Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve
- Location: Gondia and Bhandara districts
- Established: 2013
- Area: 653 sq km (total)
- Sahyadri Tiger Reserve
- Location: Satara, Sangli, and Kolhapur districts
- Established: 2010
- Area: 600 sq km (total)
- Bor Tiger Reserve
- Location: Wardha district
- Established: 2014
- Area: 138 sq km (total)
- Features: India’s smallest tiger reserve.
3. Karnataka (5 Tiger Reserves)
- Bandipur Tiger Reserve
- Location: Chamarajanagar district
- Established: 1973
- Area: 870 sq km (total)
- Nagarhole Tiger Reserve
- Location: Mysore and Kodagu districts
- Established: 1999
- Area: 643 sq km (total)
- More Info: Nagarhole National Park
- Bhadra Tiger Reserve
- Location: Chikmagalur and Shimoga districts
- Established: 1998
- Area: 500 sq km (total)
- Dandeli-Anshi (Kali) Tiger Reserve
- Location: Uttara Kannada district
- Established: 2007
- Area: 1100 sq km (total)
- Biligiri Ranganatha Temple Tiger Reserve
- Location: Chamarajanagar district
- Established: 2011
- Area: 540 sq km (total)
4. Tamil Nadu (5 Tiger Reserves)
- Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
- Location: Nilgiri district
- Established: 2007
- Area: 688 sq km (total)
- Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve
- Location: Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts
- Established: 1988
- Area: 895 sq km (total)
- Anamalai Tiger Reserve
- Location: Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts
- Established: 2007
- Area: 958 sq km (total)
- Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve
- Location: Erode district
- Established: 2013
- Area: 1408 sq km (total)
- Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve
- Location: Virudhunagar and Theni districts
- Established: 2021
- Area: 1016 sq km (total)
5. Uttarakhand (2 Tiger Reserves)
- Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve
- Location: Nainital and Pauri Garhwal districts
- Established: 1936 (first national park), 1973 (tiger reserve)
- Area: 520 sq km (core), 768 sq km (buffer)
- Features: India’s first national park with a high tiger population (approx. 260).
- More Info: Jim Corbett National Park
- Rajaji Tiger Reserve
- Location: Haridwar, Dehradun, and Pauri Garhwal districts
- Established: 2015
- Area: 820 sq km (total)
6. Uttar Pradesh (4 Tiger Reserves)
- Dudhwa Tiger Reserve
- Location: Lakhimpur Kheri and Bahraich districts
- Established: 1977
- Area: 680 sq km (core), 610 sq km (buffer)
- Pilibhit Tiger Reserve
- Location: Pilibhit and Lakhimpur Kheri districts
- Established: 2014
- Area: 730 sq km (total)
- Amangarh Tiger Reserve
- Location: Bijnor district
- Established: 2012
- Area: 80.6 sq km (buffer only)
- Features: Buffer zone of Jim Corbett.
- Ranipur Tiger Reserve
- Location: Chitrakoot district
- Established: 2022
- Area: 530 sq km (total)
7. Rajasthan (5 Tiger Reserves)
- Ranthambore Tiger Reserve
- Location: Sawai Madhopur district
- Established: 1973
- Area: 392 sq km (core), 1019 sq km (buffer)
- Features: Famous for Ranthambore Fort and Machli, a legendary tigress.
- Tiger Population: Approx. 62
- More Info: Ranthambore National Park
- Sariska Tiger Reserve
- Location: Alwar district
- Established: 1978
- Area: 681 sq km (total)
- Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve
- Location: Kota, Chittorgarh, and Jhalawar districts
- Established: 2013
- Area: 759 sq km (total)
- Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve
- Location: Bundi district
- Established: 2022
- Area: 1500 sq km (total)
- Dholpur-Karauli Tiger Reserve
- Location: Dholpur and Karauli districts
- Established: 2023
- Area: 599.64 sq km (total)
8. Odisha (3 Tiger Reserves)
- Similipal Tiger Reserve
- Location: Mayurbhanj district
- Established: 1973
- Area: 2750 sq km (total)
- Features: Known for melanistic (black) tigers.
- Satkosia Tiger Reserve
- Location: Angul, Cuttack, Nayagarh, and Boudh districts
- Established: 2007
- Area: 963 sq km (total)
- Sunabeda Tiger Reserve
- Location: Nuapada district
- Established: Proposed
9. Assam (4 Tiger Reserves)
- Manas Tiger Reserve
- Location: Chirang and Baksa districts
- Established: 1973
- Area: 3150.92 sq km (total)
- Nameri Tiger Reserve
- Location: Sonitpur district
- Established: 1998
- Area: 200 sq km (total)
- Kaziranga Tiger Reserve
- Location: Golaghat and Nagaon districts
- Established: 2006
- Area: 1030 sq km (total)
- Orang Tiger Reserve
- Location: Udalguri and Sonitpur districts
- Established: 2016
- Area: 78.82 sq km (total)
10. Chhattisgarh (3 Tiger Reserves)
- Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve
- Location: Gariaband district
- Established: 2008
- Area: 1843 sq km (total)
- Achanakmar Tiger Reserve
- Location: Mungeli and Bilaspur districts
- Established: 2009
- Area: 914 sq km (total)
- GuruGhasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve
- Location: Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur and Korea districts
- Established: 2023
- Area: 2040 sq km (total)
11. Andhra Pradesh (1 Tiger Reserve)
- Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve
- Location: Kurnool, Prakasam, and Guntur districts
- Established: 1983
- Area: 3296.31 sq km (core), 3728 sq km (total)
- Features: India’s largest tiger reserve.
12. Telangana (1 Tiger Reserve)
- Amrabad Tiger Reserve
- Location: Nagarkurnool and Nalgonda districts
- Established: 2014
- Area: 2611.39 sq km (total)
13. Jharkhand (1 Tiger Reserve)
- Palamau Tiger Reserve
- Location: Latehar and Garhwa districts
- Established: 1973
- Area: 1129 sq km (total)
- Features: One of the first reserves under Project Tiger.
14. West Bengal (2 Tiger Reserves)
- Sundarbans Tiger Reserve
- Location: South 24 Parganas and North 24 Parganas districts
- Established: 1973
- Area: 2585 sq km (total)
- Buxa Tiger Reserve
- Location: Alipurduar district
- Established: 1983
- Area: 760 sq km (total)
15. Arunachal Pradesh (2 Tiger Reserves)
- Namdapha Tiger Reserve
- Location: Changlang district
- Established: 1983
- Area: 1985 sq km (total)
- Pakke Tiger Reserve
- Location: East Kameng and Pakke-Kessang districts
- Established: 2002
- Area: 862 sq km (total)
16. Bihar (1 Tiger Reserve)
- Valmiki Tiger Reserve
- Location: West Champaran district
- Established: 1994
- Area: 899 sq km (total)
17. Goa (1 Tiger Reserve)
- Mhadei Tiger Reserve
- Location: North Goa and South Goa districts
- Established: Proposed
18. Mizoram (1 Tiger Reserve)
- Dampa Tiger Reserve
- Location: Mamit district
- Established: 1994
- Area: 500 sq km (total)
Significance of Tiger Reserves in India
- Biodiversity Conservation: Tigers, as apex predators, maintain ecological balance.
- Environmental Benefits: Reserves contribute to soil conservation, water resource management, and carbon sequestration.
- Economic Benefits: Tourism and local livelihoods are boosted. For instance, reserves like Corbett, Ranthambore, and Bandhavgarh attract millions of tourists annually.
Challenges
- Poaching and Illegal Trade: Demand for tiger parts remains a significant threat.
- Human-Wildlife Conflict: Encroachment and growing human populations.
- Climate Change: Impacts on tiger habitats.
Conclusion
India’s tiger reserves are not only critical for tiger conservation but also for biodiversity, environmental sustainability, and economic growth. The success of Project Tiger has positioned India as a global leader in tiger conservation. By visiting these reserves and raising awareness, we can all contribute to preserving this invaluable natural heritage.
For more information Tiger Reserve in India, visit the Government of India’s official website and NTCA.
Note: This Tiger Reserve in India post is based on the latest information available as of 2025. The number and details of tiger reserves may change in the future.