A review of corridor conservation sections of the Tiger Conservation Plans (TCP)

Under a provision of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, tiger reserves in India are required to draft TCPs for management of tiger reserves, which includes dispersal habitats and corridors for connectivity with other protected areas. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has provided extensive guidelines for making corridor conservation plans as part of the TCPs. Corridor and connectivity planning is a rapidly developing field, and science-based inputs have been used in many Connectivity Conservation Plans (CCP) across the globe (Keeley et al. 2019). With an objective of analysing the corridor and connectivity sections of TCPs, we aim to identify opportunities for improvement, verify incorporation of NTCA recommendations, and align TCPs with current global standards. We also hope to develop a framework to increase the synergy between TCPs of reserves that share a corridor. We see this as a preliminary step to a proposed workshop with NTCA officials and Forest Department personnel whereby the recommendations can be thoroughly discussed in light of their applicability and feasibility.