New Delhi India’s forest cover has shrunk marginally, says the latest government report. The reduction of 367 sq km (about the size of the Ranthambore National Park) means that the total forested land in the country is 23.81% of the geographical area.

The reduction implies the ministry of environment and forests will be even more uncomfortable with industrial projects in green areas. The ‘India State of Forest Report, 2011’ shows that while 12 states registered a fall in forest and tree cover, 15 states — led by Punjab – showed an increase.

The Rajasthan state government’s determination to construct a canal which will slice through the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve (RTR) is going to take a heavy toll on the tiger population of this high-profile sanctuary.
The canal will severe the crucial corridor that links RTR to the Sawai Mansingh Sanctuary.

This time it is not merely crying wolf! The Indian Gray Wolf, inhabiting scrub lands and the ravines along the banks of the Central Indian rivers, needs protection. The immediate threat to the Indian wolf ( Canis lupus pallipes ), found along the banks of the Yamuna, Chambal, Banas and Mahi rivers, is the destruction of its habitat due to sand mining, cultivation and levelling of the ravines.

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Jaipur: The proposed Rajiv Gandhi Biosphere Reserve-an ambitious project connecting the major sanctuaries and national parks in the state through forest corridors-was approved by the state cabinet on Wednesday.

The Rajasthan Cabinet on Wednesday cleared the environmentally significant proposal to develop the Rajiv Gandhi Biosphere Reserve linking about a dozen wildlife sanctuaries and the prestigious Ranthambhore National Park. In what should be considered a milestone in environment protection, the biosphere would facilitate movement of tigers and other wildlife in a corridor and safeguard any species from becoming genetic pools.

To foster public awareness about the need to protect the country's diminishing tiger population, former MP Kamal Morarka is presenting a weeklong solo exhibition of pictures of the magnificent big cats captured by him during his trips to India's various sanctuaries.

The exhibition – first mounted at Mumbai's Jehangir Art Gallery in June this year -- will be held at Lalit Kala Akademi here beginning December 6

Jaipur: The state will shortly be requisitioning more trap cameras from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) as it embarks on Phase IV of the All India Tiger Estimation exercise along with other tiger reserves of the country. The Phase IV tiger estimation comprises intensive, annual monitoring of important 'source' populations of tigers through trap cameras.

The tiger population is facing a growing threat from heavy traffic with the ministry of surface transport demanding environmental clearances for 17 highways across tiger reserves from the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF).

The Rajaji National Park in Uttarakhand is facing a massive problem as over 50,000 vehicles ply through the highway (NH-58 and NH-72) on a daily basis thereby preventing animals from moving from one part of the reserve to another.