Wildlife corridors, the lifelines of our diverse and beautiful animal kingdom, are crucial for the safe movement of animals. On International Tiger Day or Global Day, let us marvel at the importance of these corridors and the magnificent creatures they protect in India.
There are 32 major corridors mapped in India (Photo credit: James Warwick/The Image Bank/Getty Images)
New Delhi: Wildlife corridors, also known as animal corridors, play a crucial role in ensuring the safe movement of animals between two separate habitats. When human activities affect structural corridors, functional corridors widen due to increased animal use. In 2019, the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the Wildlife Institute of India identified 32 major corridors across the country. These corridors are managed through a comprehensive Tiger Conservation Plan, which includes measures for habitat protection, anti-poaching efforts, and community involvement. Each state must submit this plan under section 38V of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Let us look at some of the Tiger Corridors in India.
List of Important Tiger Corridors in India
| Wildlife Corridor | Location | Description |
| Corbett-Rajaji Corridor | Uttarakhand | Connects Corbett Tiger Reserve and Rajaji National Park, facilitating the movement of tigers, elephants, and other wildlife. |
| Kanha-Pench Corridor | Madhya Pradesh | Links Kanha Tiger Reserve and Pench Tiger Reserve, providing habitat connectivity for tigers and other wildlife species. |
| Bandipur-Nagarahole Corridor | Karnataka | Connects Bandipur and Nagarahole National Parks, facilitating the movement of tigers, elephants, and other wildlife. |
| Periyar-Agasthyamalai Corridor | Kerala-Tamil Nadu | Links Periyar Tiger Reserve and Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve, supporting the movement of elephants and other species. |
| Eastern Ghats Corridor | Eastern Ghats | Connects fragmented habitats in the Eastern Ghats, supporting the movement of species such as elephants and big cats. |
List of macro/landscape level tiger corridors
| Sl. No. | Landscape | Corridor | States/Country |
| 1 | Shivalik Hills & Gangetic Plains | Rajaji-Corbett | Uttarakhand |
| Corbett-Dudhwa | Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Nepal | ||
| Dudhwa-Kishanpur-Katerniaghat | Uttar Pradesh, Nepal | ||
| 2 | Central India & Eastern Ghats | Ranthambhore-Kuno-Madhav | Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan |
| Bandhavgarh-Achanakmar | Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh | ||
| Bandhavgarh-Sanjay Dubri-Guru Ghasidas | Madhya Pradesh | ||
| Guru Ghasidas-Palamau-Lawalong | Chhattisgarh & Jharkhand | ||
| Kanha-Achanakmar | Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh | ||
| Kanha-Pench | Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra | ||
| Pench-Satpura-Melghat | Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra | ||
| Kanha-Navegaon Nagzira-Tadoba-Indravati | Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh | ||
| Indravati-Udanti Sitanadi-Sunabeda | Chhattisgarh, Odisha | ||
| Similipal-Satkosia | Odisha | ||
| Nagarjunasagar-Sri Venkateshwara National Park | Andhra Pradesh | ||
| 3 | Western Ghats | Sahyadri-Radhanagari-Goa | Maharashtra, Goa |
| Dandeli Anshi-Shravathi Valley | Karnataka | ||
| Kudremukh-Bhadra | Karnataka | ||
| Nagarahole-Pusphagiri-Talakavery | Karnataka | ||
| Nagarahole-Bandipur-Mudumalai-Wayanad | Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu | ||
| Nagarahole-Mudumalai-Wayanad | Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu | ||
| Parambikulam-Eranikulam-Indira Gandhi | Kerala, Tamil Nadu | ||
| Kalakad Mundanthurai-Periyar | Kerala, Tamil Nadu | ||
| 4 | North East | Kaziranga-Itanagar WLS | Assam, Arunachal Pradesh |
| Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong | Assam | ||
| Kaziranga-Nameri | Assam | ||
| Kaziranga-Orang | Assam | ||
| Kaziranga-Papum Pane | Assam | ||
| Manas-Buxa | Assam, West Bengal, Bhutan | ||
| Pakke-Nameri-Sonai Rupai-Manas | Arunachal Pradesh, Assam | ||
| Dibru Saikhowa-D’Ering-Mehaong | Assam, Arunachal Pradesh | ||
| Kamlang-Kane-Tale Valley | Arunachal Pradesh | ||
| Buxa-Jaldapara | West Bengal |
Why is there a need for Tiger Corridors?
Conserving tiger corridors is not just important; it’s urgent. These corridors, crucial for tiger populations’ continued existence and health, are increasingly at risk due to various development projects. The most significant threat comes from expanding roads and railways, which can fragment the corridors, leading to increased tiger deaths and conflicts between humans and animals. The 2018 tiger estimation in India revealed a population of 2,967 tigers, highlighting the need for immediate and comprehensive corridor mapping to improve conservation efforts as tigers move beyond protected areas. It’s also important to urgently educate and raise awareness among villagers living along these corridors about the importance of wildlife conservation.
Wildlife corridors vary in width, with wider corridors generally attracting more wildlife. There are three categories based on corridor width: Regional Corridors (over 500 metres), Sub-regional Corridors (over 300 metres), and Local Corridors (less than 50 metres).
Map showing Tiger Reserves, Protected Areas and Tiger Corridors (Source: National Tiger Conservation Authority)
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