Why in news?
A video filmed by forest guards at Satpura Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh went viral after it showed a tigress swimming across the Denwa River. The rare sight prompted discussions about the health of tiger corridors and the importance of riverine habitats within protected areas.
Background
Satpura Tiger Reserve lies south of the Narmada River in the Satpura range of central India. Established as a tiger reserve in 2000, it covers about 2,133 square kilometres and comprises three contiguous protected areas: Satpura National Park, Bori Wildlife Sanctuary and Pachmarhi Sanctuary. The landscape features rugged sandstone peaks, narrow gorges and dense mixed deciduous forests, interspersed with patches of bamboo and moist valleys. Over fifty rock shelters with prehistoric paintings—some dating back 10,000 years—highlight the area’s archaeological importance.
Wildlife and the Denwa River
- Biodiversity: The reserve is home to around 50 mammal species and more than 250 bird species, including tigers, leopards, sloth bears, Indian gaur, sambar deer, barasingha, dholes and giant squirrels.
- River lifeline: The Denwa River originates in Hoshangabad district and flows westward through the park before joining the Tawa River. Its backwaters create wetlands and grasslands that support herbivores and offer swimming corridors for big cats.
- Recent sighting: During a routine patrol, a forest team observed a tigress swimming about 200 metres across the river to reach the Madai core area. Officials noted that tigers are strong swimmers and often cross rivers when exploring new territory, especially in cooler months when water levels are stable.
Significance
The video of the swimming tigress underscores the importance of maintaining contiguous habitats and functional corridors within tiger reserves. Free movement across rivers ensures genetic diversity and helps big cats access prey in different parts of the forest. It also serves as a reminder that wildlife often exhibits behaviours that may seem unusual to humans but are normal in intact ecosystems.
Sources: The Times of India
