Jaipur: Rajsamand MP Mahima Kumari Mewar has urged the Union govt to scrap the proposed Kumbhalgarh Tiger Reserve, saying the landscape neither has the ecological capacity nor the historical association to sustain a viable tiger population.In a representation to Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav, Mewar, a member of the erstwhile Udaipur royal family, cited a National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) expert committee report which said the isolated Kumbhalgarh-Todgarh landscape alone could not support a self-sustaining tiger population in the long term.“Kumbhalgarh has never been a traditional tiger habitat. The existing ecosystem supports a rich diversity of wildlife, and any conservation strategy must take into account the unique ecological character of the region,” Mewar said in her letter.She warned that introducing tigers could disturb the existing ecological balance and affect species already thriving in the sanctuary, including leopards, sloth bears, hyenas, wolves, jungle cats, golden jackals, caracals and honey badgers.Mewar also flagged the possible impact on local communities and traditional livelihoods. She said restrictions linked to a tiger reserve could hit the Raika pastoral community and the Kumbhalgarh Camel Dairy, with an estimated 15,000-20,000 camels dependent on forest access.Mewar’s representation included a March 2024 memorandum by conservationists Sarita Kumari Ghanerao and Hanwant Singh Rathore, who questioned the scientific basis of the project.Conservationists opposing the proposal said Kumbhalgarh is Rajasthan’s most important protected habitat for the Indian wolf and the only sanctuary known to sustain breeding wolf populations, warning that disruption could damage both wildlife and local communities.The proposed Kumbhalgarh Tiger Reserve has become one of Rajasthan’s most contested wildlife projects. Supporters say it could strengthen tiger conservation, while opponents argue the landscape is better suited to conserving species such as the Indian wolf, striped hyena and caracal.
