The rating of Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) in the latest tiger census report released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday plunged from very good to good category in management effectiveness evaluation (MEE) system.
VTR, the only tiger reserve inBihar, has scored 77.97% in the MEE, putting it at 38th position among the 51 assessed in the latest census report, titled Status of Tigers 2022.
The VTR is among only the three tiger reserves in the country whose performance has gone down. The other two tiger reserves include Nameri in Assam and Udanti-Sitanadi in Chhattisgarh. Altogether 14 tiger reserves have found place in good category under theMEE system.
Under the MEE system, all tiger reserves were assessed on a total 31 parameters, including integration of the tiger reserves in a larger landscape, compliance of statutory requirements, presence of a tiger conservation plan, mitigation of human-wildlife conflicts and assessment of threats.
This was the fifth cycle of MEE under the nationwide tiger estimation exercise in India. Altogether 28 tiger reserves were assessed in the first cycle in 2006, 39 in 2010, 43 in 2014, 50 in 2018 and 51 in 2022.