Udaipur, February 14, 2025 - The development of the Kumbhalgarh Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan is facing delays as the forest department has not taken further steps to move the project forward. A special 211-hectare enclosure built to support herbivores remains underutilized.

In 2021, an expert committee suggested increasing the prey base to support the tiger reserve. Based on this, a herbivore enrichment enclosure was built in Modiya to house spotted deer and other animals. However, despite four years passing, no major action has been taken.

Experts Express Concern

Advocate and conservationist Rituraj Singh Rathore criticized the slow progress, stating that the enclosure is far below its capacity and has not been properly used. Wildlife Crime Control Bureau member Anil Rodgers also pointed out that forest officials have not acted on expert recommendations.

Prey Base Estimation Study 

The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) had earlier conducted a prey base estimation in parts of the proposed reserve. A decision was made to extend this study to the entire area, but no action has been taken.

Project Facing Delays Due to Political Will

The tiger reserve proposal, led by Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari, received approval from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in August 2023. A 10-member expert committee was also formed to finalize the reserve, which would cover 1,397 sq km across five districts. However, progress has stalled, reportedly due to a lack of political urgency.

If the situation does not improve, the establishment of Rajasthan’s sixth tiger reserve could be further delayed.

Source: Media Reports