Current Context: The Supreme Court ordered the Rajasthan Government to immediately ban all mining in the core zone of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve to protect its critical habitat.

ABOUT RANTHAMBORE TIGER RESERVE:

• Location & Size: Sawai Madhopur district, southeastern Rajasthan; spans 1,411 sq km.
• Key Features:
  • Named after Ranthambore Fort (UNESCO World Heritage Site).
  • Bounded by Banas River (north) and Chambal River (south).
• Landscape & Vegetation:
  • Dry deciduous forests, grassy meadows, and rocky plateaus.
  • Dominant flora: Anogeissus pendula (dhok), Acacia, Prosopis.
• Fauna: Royal Bengal tiger, leopard, sambar, chital, caracal, wild boar.
• Historical Significance: Former hunting grounds of Jaipur’s Maharajas; now a flagship Project Tiger reserve.