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DAILY NEWS ANALYSIS

  • 24 December, 2022

  • 5 Min Read

Tal Chhapar Sanctuary: Rajasthan

Tal Chhapar Sanctuary: Rajasthan

  • A defence has been provided for the Tal Chhapar blackbuck sanctuary in Rajasthan against a state proposal to shrink the area of its eco-sensitive zone.
  • The sanctuary, which spans a 7.19 sq. km. area, has a major initiative underway by the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) to save raptors.
  • The wildlife sanctuary's area cannot be decreased, according to a recent court judgment.

About Tal Chhapar blackbuck sanctuary:

  • It is situated in the Churu district of Rajasthan
  • The Jaswantgarh forest block in the Nagaur district is located not far from Tal Chhapar and is traversed by the Nokha-Sikar highway.
  • On the edge of the Great Indian Thar Desert is where you'll find the Tal Chhapar Sanctuary.
  • The Rajasthani term "Tal" means "plane land."
  • This sanctuary has a large level landscape with a thin, low-lying area combined.
  • It has broad, vast grasslands with dispersed Acacia and Prosopis plants that give it the appearance of a typical Savanna.

Species diversity:

  • 4,000 blackbucks, more than 40 different raptor species, and over 300 different permanent and migratory bird species.
  • The top of the food chain and population controllers of tiny mammals, birds, and reptiles as well as insects are the raptors, which include predators and scavengers.
  • Earlier, there were many desert foxes and other burrowing species in the refuge, and now raptors use the enormous populations of spiny-tailed lizards, the only herbivorous lizard, as a base of operations for hunting.
  • For their stay over the winter, migratory birds come here.

Probable Threat to the Sanctuary:

  • Increase in the number of people living in the area around the sanctuary as well as sporadic and widespread construction work.
  • Hyperaridity, grazing pressure,
  • Prosopis juliflora, an invasive weed, and nearby salt mines.
  • For the enormous number of blackbucks in the sanctuary, the available space is insufficient.

About Blackbucks:

  • Blackbucks, commonly referred to as Indian antelopes, are antelopes that can be found in Pakistan, Nepal, and India.
  • The only living member of the genus Antilope is the blackbuck.
  • The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972's Schedule I forbids hunting of blackbuck in India.
  • The IUCN Red List categorises the blackbuck as having least concern.
  • After cheetah, blackbuck is thought to be the second-fastest animal.
  • Blackbuck, the state animal of Punjab
  • Hindu mythology accords blackbucks a sacred value, and the Rajasthani Bishnoi tribe is well known for its blackbuck conservation efforts.

Protection Status:

  • Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule I
  • IUCN Status: Least Concern
  • CITES: Appendix III

Threat:

  • Habitat Fragmentation, Deforestation, Natural Calamities and Illegal Hunting.

Source: The Hindu


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