BRT sanctuary to be tiger reserve soon

The Centre on Monday accorded “in-principle” approval to Karnataka’s proposal to convert Biligiri Ranganatha Temple (BRT) sanctuary into a tiger reserve.

The BRT is the fifth new tiger reserve to get approval after Sahyadri in Maharashtra, Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh, Ratapani in Madhya Pradesh and Sunabeda in Orissa. The approval is understood to have been given on the basis of the state’s identification of close to 580 sq km of critical tiger habitat or core areas. The State now has to identify the buffer area around the core among other things. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/98238/brt-sanctuary-tiger-reserve-soon.html