Review, Assessment and Mapping of probable Wildlife Corridors in Sarguja Forest Circle in Chhattisgarh for developing Long-Term Conservation Strategies

Tigers and Elephants are exclusively known to utilize wildlife corridors across protected areas, forest divisions and state administrative boundaries and occasionally non-forested landscapes irrespective of land-use. While corridors are more important for large and long-ranging mammals like the Elephant and the Tiger, they are used by smaller species too.  Conservation of corridors that are used by these animals automatically conserve the corridor requirements of other sympatric species. Our forests are now undergoing a faster rate of degradation than ever due to increased anthropogenic pressures resulting in the creation of isolated small island-like patches of forests. Thus, to ensure the long-term conservation of long-ranging wildlife species that require large forest tracks like the Tiger and the elephant, it is important to identify, map and manage the corridor connectivities within forest patches.