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Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve (MHTR) includes several different legal and planning layers, including the notified tiger reserve area, Core/Critical Tiger Habitat, Buffer Zone, Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ), and proposed future expansion areas.
These areas are governed by different notifications and planning instruments. To avoid confusion, it is important to understand their legal status, notification dates and respective areas.
Primary Government Sources
Sources checked: 13 August 2026
This page discusses official boundaries and notifications only and does not provide sensitive wildlife locations.
Important Reading Rule
A Planning Map Does Not Change a Legal Boundary
A legal boundary can only be established or amended through an official notification issued under the applicable laws, including the Wild Life (Protection) Act.
An Eco-Sensitive Zone notification regulates a separate area surrounding a protected landscape. Similarly, KML files and planning maps may be useful spatial references, while proposals or in-principle approvals represent intended future actions.
These records should not be treated as interchangeable.
Current Legal Baseline
The 2023 Notification Revised MHTR to 1,135.787 Sq. Km.
Rajasthan Forest Department Notification F.3(22)Forest/2023, dated 5 October 2023, amended the earlier 2013 tiger reserve notification.
The amendment revised the Core and Buffer schedules and included additional forest and revenue areas associated with the Bhainsrodgarh landscape in the Critical Tiger Habitat schedule.
690.71178 Sq. Km.
Core / Critical Tiger Habitat
The amended Schedule I(A) identifies 69,071.178 hectares, equivalent to 690.71178 sq. km, as the Core or Critical Tiger Habitat.
445.07522 Sq. Km.
Buffer Area
The amended Schedule I(B) identifies 44,507.522 hectares, equivalent to 445.07522 sq. km, as the Buffer Area.
1,135.787 Sq. Km.
Total Notified Tiger Reserve
The combined Core and Buffer area brings the currently notified Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve area to 1,135.787 sq. km, as published in the Rajasthan protected-area register.
Area Comparison
Why Official Sources May Show Different MHTR Area Figures
Different official documents may display different figures because they refer to different notification dates or legal and planning layers.
Older records and national profiles may refer to the original 2013 tiger reserve notification, while the current Rajasthan protected-area register reflects the 2023 amendment.
| Record | Core Area | Buffer Area | Total / Extent | Legal Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 Tiger Reserve Notification | 417.17188 sq. km | 342.82274 sq. km | 759.99462 sq. km | Historical baseline, amended in 2023 |
| 2023 Amending Notification | 690.71178 sq. km | 445.07522 sq. km | 1,135.787 sq. km | Current notified tiger reserve area |
| 2020 Eco-Sensitive Zone | Separate from Core & Buffer | — | 248.70 sq. km | Separate notified ESZ |
| Rajasthan Long Term Action Plan | 201.40 sq. km proposed | 990.13 sq. km proposed | 1,191.53 sq. km proposed expansion | Proposal / planning stage |
Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ)
A Separate Regulatory Zone Around the Reserve
The 2020 Eco-Sensitive Zone notification covers approximately 248.70 sq. km surrounding the then-notified Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve boundary.
The ESZ generally extends from 0 to 1 kilometre around the protected area, depending on the notified boundary and location.
It is important to note that the Eco-Sensitive Zone is not part of the Core and Buffer calculation of the tiger reserve.
The ESZ should therefore be used for environmental regulation, land-use planning and surrounding landscape management, rather than being added to the total notified tiger reserve area.
Proposed Expansion Under the Long Term Action Plan
Proposed Areas Are Not Yet Part of the Notified Tiger Reserve
The Rajasthan Long Term Action Plan (LTAP) identifies additional areas proposed for future inclusion.
The proposal includes approximately:
- 201.40 sq. km proposed Core addition
- 990.13 sq. km proposed Buffer addition
- 1,191.53 sq. km total proposed expansion
However, these proposed additions should not be added to the current notified area of 1,135.787 sq. km.
A planning proposal or in-principle technical approval does not automatically alter the legal boundary of Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve.
The LTAP indicates that further notification depends on required processes, including local-community consent, State administrative approval and statutory permissions.
Understanding the Difference
For clarity, the different layers should be understood separately:
Notified Tiger Reserve
The legally notified Core and Buffer area established through official government notifications.
Core / Critical Tiger Habitat
The protected ecological core of the tiger reserve, designated under the applicable wildlife conservation framework.
Buffer Area
The surrounding landscape managed to support wildlife conservation while recognising compatible human activities and land-use requirements.
Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ)
A separately notified regulatory area surrounding the protected area and intended to manage environmentally sensitive development.
Proposed Expansion
Areas identified in planning documents for potential future inclusion, subject to approvals and formal statutory notification.
Key Takeaway
The current legal baseline for Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve is 1,135.787 sq. km, based on the Rajasthan Forest Department’s 5 October 2023 amendment.
The Eco-Sensitive Zone is a separate regulatory area, while proposed additions under the Long Term Action Plan remain proposals until they complete the required approval and notification process.
For accurate interpretation of Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve boundaries, official notifications should always take precedence over planning maps, KML files, proposals or older area figures.
