Proposed Kumbhalgarh reserve’s herbivore enclosure still neglected

Jaipur: The 211-hectare enclosure constructed for herbivore enrichment at the proposed Kumbhalgarh Tiger Reserve remains unattended as the forest department appears reluctant to move the project forward.
An expert committee inspected the sanctuary in 2021 and recommended augmenting the prey base to support the tiger reserve proposal.
Acting on this suggestion, the enclosure was built to accommodate herbivores and strengthen the ecosystem. However, four years have passed and no further action was taken.
Advocate and conservationist, Rituraj Singh Rathore, said, "Progress at the Modiya Herbivore Enrichment Enclosure with regard to spotted deer is highly disappointing as the department never made a serious attempt to tap the full potential of the enclosure. Currently, it is housing ungulates far below its carrying capacity."
Anil Rodgers, member of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), said, "In the past, forest officials did not act on the recommendations of the 2021 Expert Committee Report. No work was carried out to bring the spotted deer. Hopefully, the DCF will now take action."
Previously, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) conducted a prey base estimation in two ranges of the proposed reserve. An official source said, "In the last meeting to review the project, it was decided to extend this study to the entire proposed reserve area. However, neither did this commence, nor was any action taken to introduce the spotted deer."
Sources indicated that the establishment of Rajasthan's sixth tiger reserve faces potential delays due to a lack of political will. This flagship initiative, spearheaded by deputy chief minister and former Rajsamand MP Diya Kumari, is progressing at a sluggish pace, appearing to have been deprioritised.
"In Aug 2023, following approval from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), a 10-member expert committee was formed to advance the project. The committee submitted its report to the state govt, proposing a reserve area of approximately 1,397 square kilometre spanning five districts. However, progress has since stalled," the source added.