The Ranipur Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh has become the 53rd tiger reserve of India, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said on Monday.
The Ranipur Tiger Reserve in the Chitrakoot district of UP is the fourth in the state after Dudhwa, Pilibhit and Amangarh.
Yadav in a tweet said, "Congratulations all! Happy to inform that Ranipur Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh has become the 53rd tiger reserve of India.”
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"Spread over 529.36 sq km (core area 230.32 sq km & buffer area 299.05 sq km), the new tiger reserve will strengthen our tiger conservation efforts," he said.
The Ranipur Tiger reserve in the Bundelkhand region of UP is just 150 km from the Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh and is home to tigers, leopards, sloth bears, sambar, spotter deer, chinkara and several birds are reptiles.
According to the latest tiger census conducted in 2018, India has 2,967 tigers, including 173 in UP.