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Wildlife conservation and protection is a matter of worldwide as well as national importance as a part of biological and ecological diversity management and restoration. Wildlife conservation is the practice of protecting plant and animal species and their habitats. As part of the world's ecosystems, wildlife provides balance and stability to nature's processes. The study area, The Sariska Tiger Project was established in the year 1955-56. It is the national park in Rajasthan situated in the Alawar district. It was declared as the wildlife sanctuary in 1958. It was given the status of a tiger reserve making it a part of India’s Project Tiger in 1978 and declared a National Park in 1982.

The objectives of the study are: 1. To show the status of the Sariska Tiger project 2. To show the NDVI changes in the last 6 years 3. Try to correlate the forest resource conservation, wild life protection and tourism development as the instrument of sustainable development goal. Objectives have been set out keeping the view of the national importance of wildlife conservation and environmental sustainability of the Sariska Tiger project and the application of geospatial science and technology to correlate the spatial and aspatial data in a systematic way as it may be useful for the better understanding of the ongoing changes in the study area.

The study mainly focused on how the (re) negotiation between people and tigers is struggle rooted in place and a region, with boundaries co-constructed by human and non -human actors. The study has been shown the relation between human and environmental aspects. Rubino, E. C., & Stamp; Doubleday, K. F. (2021). This study has been shown human vs. wildlife Conflict over time. Bengal tiger, gender, environmental justice and reintroduction of tiger have been discussed in the study. The main objective of the project is to improve the project in harmony with the environment and without harming the people. Sankar, K., Qureshi, Q., Nigam, P., Malik, P. K., Sinha, P. R., Mehrotra, R. N., ... & Stamp; Gupta, S. (2010). The researchers focused on Monitoring of reintroduced tigers in Sariska tiger Reserve, Western India”. Re-introduction, home range and food habit of tiger have been analyzed in the paper. There is a gap in the area of tiger project according to the season. There are also legal measures to ensure that the project is not harmed by human.

Herrmann T.M. &Torri M.C. (2010) in his paper “Biodiversity Conservation versus Rural Development: What Kind of Possible Harmonization? The Case Study of Alwar District, Rajasthan, India” has shown concern regarding the creation of protected areas, which often generate people-park conflict. The researchers proposed that the conservation of natural resources should be brought with the integration of conservation objective with local community as the sustainable development of local communities are linked with it. As a result, the conservation of protected areas is not only crucial from an ecological aspect but it should also incorporate a dimension of equality and social justice.

Sekhar N.U. (1998) in his paper “Crop and livestock depredation caused by wild animals in protected areas: the case of Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan, India.” addressed the problem of crop and livestock depredation suffered by villagers living in and around STR. The crop damage by wild animals is considered problematic by villagers. Amongst other things, author also observed the variation in crop losses with distance of the village from the protected area border. The author suggested that resolution of problem could be achieved through co-management of conflicts at the local level.

The similar research work “Conservation, Relocation and Social Consequences of Conservation Policies in Protected Areas: Case Study of the Sariska Tiger Reserve, India” by Torri M.C. (2011) also envisages that there is need to rethink the conservation measures by adopting a new approach which integrate conservation and developmental needs. Since the coercive, top down, approach has created socio-cultural disruption and often failed to conserve biodiversity in protected areas. The article challenges the existing conservation paradigm practiced currently by the authorities in most protected areas in India.

Sekhar  N.U. (2003) also analyses in his paper “Local people’s attitudes towards conservation and wildlife tourism around Sariska Tiger Reserve, India” has shown the local people’s attitudes towards wildlife tourism and the impact of benefits from tourism on the local support for Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR), India. He examines that People who benefited from tourism showed a positive attitude and support for tourism development in STR. Overall locals have a positive attitude towards STR. The management should see this as opportunity to facilitate community participation in tourism. Such practical measures can be initiated at the PA level, which would contribute to sustainable development and help direct the local tourism growth for the benefit of locals, a goal envisaged by the Convention of Biological Diversity.

Shahabuddin G., Kumar R. and Shrivastava M.(2007) in their paper “Creation of ‘Inviolate Space’ Lives, Livelihoods and Conflict in Sariska Tiger Reserve” advocates the role of village relocation as a management tool for wildlife conservation in the reserve by documenting the forest dependency and livelihood conflicts faced by local residents who will be displaced and identifying the aspirations of the proposed oustees in relation to the proposed displacement. The paper also studies the process of relocation planning and the rehabilitation package. It also suggests more participatory and rational ways to deal with the issue.

Relation to the SDG

It is an important part of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). It directly falls in the SDG: 15 i.e., related to protect restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystem.  Target 15.1 and indicator: 15.1.1 clearly stated that – terrestrial diversity and ecosystem conservation under International Agreement.  Indicator: 15.2.–Progress towards sustainable forest management, indicator: 15.7.1. Proportion of traded wildlife that has poached and illicitly trafficked, indicator:15.9.1(a) Official development assistance on conservation and sustainable use of bio-diversity and (b) Reserve generated and finance mobilized from bio-diversity as a relevant economic instrument (National Indicator Framework:2015).

Key Map of Sariska

MAP-1

Statement of the problem

Wildlife conservation and sustainability is intimately related of the environmental sustainability and bio-diversity management and become a programme of national importance and prestige. The study area, The Sariska Tiger Project was established in the year 1955-56. It is the national park in Rajasthan situated in the Alwar district. It was declared as the wildlife sanctuary in 1958. It was given the status of  a tiger reserve making it a part of India’s Project Tiger in 1978 and declared a National Park in 1982 (enm.wikipedia.org). The study area Sariska Tiger Project is situated in Alwar district between parallel of 27⁰ 14^/5 ^//and 27⁰ 52^/ 12^// N latitude and 76⁰ 14^/ 20^// and 76⁰ 32^/ 12^// E longitude and roughly shaped like jumping Frog.This area bears The Indian biogeographic definition of 4 B-Semi-Arid Gujarat-Rajwada ( Rodger and Panwar, 1988).

It was a hunting preserve of the Alwar state.[1] The wildlife of this sanctuary become endangered due to the poaching, overgrazing and illegal felling of trees local people. The location of the reserve forest is important in all respects. It is situated in semi-arid part of the Rajasthan. [2]Therefore, have immense importance from the economic and environmental perspectives. The livelihood of the tribes like Gurjar, Meena are highly dependent on the forest (Field survey-2021). It covers a total area of about 881 km² (of which 273.8 km² is the National Park). It is an important bio-diversity area of Northern Aravalli leopard and wildlife corridor and Khatiar-Gir dry deciduous forest.[3] The utility of forests are enormous it becomes the integrated part of the sustainable development goal (SDG).It was reported that, in 2003, 16 tigers lived in the reserve. In 2004, it was reported that no tigers were sighted in the reserve, and that no indirect evidence of tiger presence was found such as pug marks, scratch marks on trees, scats. [4] The Rajasthan Forest Department explained that "the tigers had temporarily migrated outside the reserve and would be back after monsoon season". Project Tiger staff backed this assumption. In January 2005, it was reported that there were no tigers left in Sariska. [5] [6]

In July 2008, two tigers from Ranthambhore National Park were relocated to Sariska Tiger Reserve. Another female tiger was relocated in February 2009. [7]

In 2012, two tiger cubs and their mother were spotted in the reserve bringing the total number of tigers to seven with five adults. [8] In July 2014, two more cubs were spotted, so that there were 11 tigers in total. [9]As of October 2018, there were 18 tigers including five cubs. [10] By 2020, the tiger population in the reserve has risen to 20. [11]. Most recently, the Chief Minister of Rajasthan have declared that the tiger population have risen to 27 (June, 2022).

Apart from the Bengal tiger, the reserve harbors many wildlife species including Indian leopard, jungle cat, caracal, monkey, langur,striped hyena, golden jackal, chital, sambar deer, nilgai, wild boar, small Indian civet, Javan mongoose, ruddy mongoose, honey badger, Rhesus macaque and Northern plains gray langur and Indian hare,stag, python, water hens.[5] Bird species present include grey partridge, white-throated kingfisher, Indian peafowl, bush quail, sand grouse, tree pie, golden-backed woodpecker, crested serpent eagle and the Indian eagle-owl, green pigeon, peacock. Another important thing is that it is the.

 

The main idea have derived from the study of literature and subsequent information have been derived from Rajasthan raj forest portal , the data for NDVI mapping have collected from LANDSAT-8 images of USGS-EARTH EXPLORER PORTAL. The DEM data have also derived and subsequently map generated from the same.  The whole data have been processed in QGIS and SAGA software. The formula of NDVI for the estimation and map generation has been adopted after Weiser and Herring (2000). It is a dimensional index that describes the difference between visible and infra-red reflectance of vegetation cover and can be used to density estimation on a land area.

Formula for Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) =NDVI = (NIR-RED)/(NIR+RED)

For the calculation of NDVI preprocessing technique has applied to eradicate atmospheric errors.

Digital elevation models have used as a way of representing surfaces of the study area. A DEM is a quantitative model of a topographic surface in digital form. It becomes helpful to understand the relationship between the elevation and vegetal cover of the study area. According to the locale people the numbers of tourists have increased a lot after the lockdown.The main idea have derived from the study of literature and subsequent information have been derived from Rajasthan raj forest portal , the data for NDVI mapping have collected from LANDSAT-8 images of USGS-EARTH EXPLORER PORTAL. The DEM data have also derived and subsequently map generated from the same.  The whole data have been processed in QGIS and SAGA software. The formula of NDVI for the estimation and map generation has been adopted after Weiser and Herring (2000). It is a dimensional index that describes the difference between visible and infra-red reflectance of vegetation cover and can be used to density estimation on a land area.

Formula for Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) =NDVI = (NIR-RED)/(NIR+RED)

For the calculation of NDVI preprocessing technique has applied to eradicate atmospheric errors.

Digital elevation models have used as a way of representing surfaces of the study area. A DEM is a quantitative model of a topographic surface in digital form. It becomes helpful to understand the relationship between the elevation and vegetal cover of the study area. According to the locale people the numbers of tourists have increased a lot after the lockdown.

5.0. Data Sets

Data has been taken from Google search engine, USGS, BHUVAN,LANDSAT8 IMAGES, [https://forest.rajasthan.gov.in/content/dam/raj/forest/ForestDepartment/PDFs/news/RAJASTHAN%20ECOTOURISM%20POLICY%202021.pdf.https://forest.rajasthan.gov.in/content/raj/forest/en/home.html]. Data of the tourists visit have been collected from the Department of Tourism, Rajasthan, and the data regarding the number of tigers retrieved from the newspaper reports.

Form the map that have been derived in QGIS and SAGA software  that vegetal cover of the area have improved a lot after ex-situ conservation of tigers in that area. The relocation of the people form the core area have worked well as the man-animal conflicts have been averted in such way. The NDVI of the monsoon season of 2015 and 2021 have taken into considerations. The problem of data availability has prevented the academics for going back further. Vegetal covers of the study area have improved significantly. In 2015 NDVI of the area was 0.653 and it becomes 0.71 that expresses a really remarkable positive change. Tiger populations also have increased. In 2008, the number of tiger was only 07(seven) now it has risen to 27 according to the latest announcement comes from the chief Minister of Rajasthan (June, 2022).As per the records of the Tourism Department of Rajasthan Govt, tourists are again coming to this spot with higher enthusiasm. It is generally observed that the quality and quantity of vegetation are increasing with elevation of the area.

Comparative NDVI Map of 2015 and 2021

This is a potential area of immense biomass value and faunal diversity. It is the place of historical and religious importance. It is a place of eco-tourism development that is beneficial for the people and adminitation also. Ecotourism is one of the most viable and non-polluting economic instruments which contributes to the livelihood for the local communities by providing immense opportunities for employment. This policy will address the aspiration of the people by making ecotourism a vibrant sector contributing towards the livelihood enhancement of the forest dependent and communities. Some of the historical, religious, tourist places and outside the forest different hotels and recreation spots have also been growing up as informed by the locales. According Times of India Report in 2016, the
number of tourists have increased more than that of earlier decades.

 

Source: Report Of Department Of Tourism, Rajasthan, 2021-2022

The study was targeted to establish a relationship between the Sustainable Development Goals and the forestry and bio-diversity of the study area. Sariska Tiger Reserve is the focal point of the study. So far it has been established from the spatial data and primary information from the academic fraternity and the locals (sons of the soil) that after relocation of the people from the core forest area the man-animal conflicts have been minimized. Number of tourists have been increased in the area as the consequence nearer hotels and recreation centers have grown along with other general stores. Moreover, the incident of crop yield losses due to invasion of animal like wild boars, bisons, deers, nilgai etc have been also checked. It is the direct result of food chain restoration (i.e. producer-consumer relationship like herbivores-carnivores-omnivores food chain) after the ex-situ conservation of tigers of Ranthambhore and the most significant results derived from then NDVI of 2015 and 2021 continuing the positive trends and correlation between the ecosystem development and sustainable growth.

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