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Tiger Reserves and Biosphere Reserves List
A compact, tabular revision of India's notable tiger reserves and biosphere reserves by State, with the protective framework, for CAPF Paper I geography and environment
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At a glance
SubjectGeography
RevisionGeographyEnvironmentTiger ReservesBiosphere ReservesPaper 1
Cover the right column and recall the State. CAPF tests reserve-to-State matching and the legal framework behind protected areas. Tiger numbers and the count of reserves rise with each survey, so verify the latest totals. For parks and sanctuaries see national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.
| Designation |
Authority / basis |
| Project Tiger |
Launched 1973; run under the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 |
| Tiger reserve |
Notified core (critical tiger habitat) plus buffer, under the Wildlife (Protection) Act |
| Biosphere reserve |
Designated under the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme; India's own scheme since 1986 |
| Protected area types |
National park, wildlife sanctuary, conservation reserve, community reserve |
| Tiger reserve |
State |
| Jim Corbett |
Uttarakhand (India's first, 1973) |
| Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Pench, Panna, Satpura |
Madhya Pradesh |
| Ranthambore, Sariska |
Rajasthan |
| Sundarbans, Buxa |
West Bengal |
| Kaziranga, Manas |
Assam |
| Periyar |
Kerala |
| Bandipur, Nagarhole (Rajiv Gandhi), Bhadra |
Karnataka |
| Tadoba-Andhari, Melghat |
Maharashtra |
| Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam |
Andhra Pradesh / Telangana (one of the largest) |
| Simlipal |
Odisha |
| Mudumalai, Kalakkad-Mundanthurai |
Tamil Nadu |
| Biosphere reserve |
State / region |
| Nilgiri |
Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka (India's first, 1986) |
| Nanda Devi |
Uttarakhand |
| Sundarbans |
West Bengal |
| Gulf of Mannar |
Tamil Nadu |
| Nokrek |
Meghalaya |
| Pachmarhi |
Madhya Pradesh |
| Simlipal |
Odisha |
| Achanakmar-Amarkantak |
Chhattisgarh / Madhya Pradesh |
| Great Nicobar |
Andaman and Nicobar |
| Agasthyamala |
Kerala / Tamil Nadu |
| Khangchendzonga |
Sikkim |
| Panna |
Madhya Pradesh |
| Fact |
Answer |
| India's first tiger reserve |
Jim Corbett (1973) |
| Year Project Tiger launched |
1973 |
| Body that manages tiger reserves |
National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) |
| India's first biosphere reserve |
Nilgiri (1986) |
| Biosphere programme parent body |
UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) |
| State with the most tiger reserves |
Madhya Pradesh (verify the latest) |