Consider the following protected areas:
- 1.Bandipur
- 2.Bhitarkanika
- 3.Manas
- 4.Sunderbans
Which of the above are declared Tiger Reserves?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) 1, 3 and 4 only
Bandipur (Karnataka), Manas (Assam) and Sundarban (West Bengal) are tiger reserves; all three were among the original reserves set up under Project Tiger in 1973. Bhitarkanika in Odisha is a wildlife sanctuary and national park, not a tiger reserve. Odisha's tiger reserves are Similipal and Satkosia, so the answer is (b).
- ✓ 1. Bandipur in Karnataka is a tiger reserve. It was one of the original reserves under Project Tiger in 1973.
- ✗ 2. Bhitarkanika is a mangrove wildlife sanctuary and national park in Odisha, known for its saltwater crocodiles. It is not a tiger reserve: the NTCA lists only Satkosia and Similipal as Odisha's tiger reserves.
- ✓ 3. Manas in Assam is a tiger reserve and was one of the original Project Tiger reserves of 1973. The NTCA lists it among Assam's tiger reserves, along with Kaziranga.
- ✓ 4. Sundarban in West Bengal is a tiger reserve, one of the original Project Tiger reserves of 1973. It is the mangrove tiger reserve of the Ganga–Brahmaputra delta.
Remember · Bhitarkanika (Odisha) is a crocodile and mangrove sanctuary/national park, not a tiger reserve. Odisha's tiger reserves are Similipal and Satkosia.
Sources
- National Tiger Conservation Authority – Tiger Reserves ↗ “Odisha (2) Sl No Tiger Reserve Website 20 Satkosia http://www.satkosia.org 21 Similipal https://www.similipal.org/pages/book-tickets-online … Assam (4) Sl No Tiger Reserve Website 50 Kaziranga https://kazirangasafari.in/ 51 Manas http://www.manasnptr.in/user/index”
- Odisha Tourism – Bhitarkanika ↗ “Type National Park / Wildlife Sanctuary / Crocodile Conservation Centre / Birding / Eco-Tourism”
Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2012, General Studies Paper I. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 25 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·
