Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary spread over 900 sqkm of Sehore and Raisen jungle is now careworn to be notified as Tiger Reserve with rising population of stripped cat. As per Census 2022 there 785 tigers in State and this includes 335 tigers active in wildlife sanctuaries and open jungle. All India Tiger Estimation 2022 reports that there are 88 tigers in Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary and this figure is more than stripped cat of many tiger reserves and National Parks of country. Ratapani has tiger abundance more than Satpura Tiger Reserve, Panna and Sanjay Dubri Tiger Reserve of Madhya Pradesh. Census report revealed that population of big cat rising out of tiger reserves as well. While there are 450 tigers in six tiger reserves of state, 335 tripped cat are out of tiger reserves.

 

There are 125 tigers active around jungle adjacent to Tiger Reserves and their movement remain in all around the jungle. Highest 88 tigers are there around Bhopal jungle including Sehore (Ratapani) and Obedullaganj (Raisen) jungle. District Forest Officer (DFO) Alok Pathak says, “22 tiger are residing around Bhopal urban area and very close to Ratapani and this includes 9 adult and 13 sub adult.” Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary is struggling for notifying as Tiger Reserve for past 15 years. In year 2008, former PCCF Wildlife Dr P B Gangopadhyay sent the proposal to the Centre for notifying Ratapani as tiger reserve. Though Centre has given its in-principal approval and State wildlife Board received the proposal for 3 to 4 times but no final decision could be taken.

 

R K Dixit, former Superintendent of Ratapani, said that there are 32 villages in Sanctuary area and proposal was there to shift the 9 villages. Two villages are also relocated and remaining all villages given their consent to get relocated. There are 30 species of tiger, leopard and other wildlife, 112 species of birds, 15 species of fish and 8 Sarisrip species in Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary. Suhas Kumar, former PCCF Wildlife, says, “Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary is wonderful habitat for tigers. NTCA has already given its consent to notify it as tiger reserve but matter is pending in state wildlife board since 2008.”