International Tiger Day: The Animal Care Organisation Bolsters Anti‑Poaching Efforts

BUNDI (RAJASTHAN):
Marking the occasion of International Tiger Day on July 29, 2025, The Animal Care Organization (TACO) inaugurates a set of critical conservation infrastructure developments at the Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan. Operating under the aegis of the Anil Agarwal Foundation (AAF), the social impact arm of Vedanta Ltd., TACO reinforces its commitment to wildlife protection and ecological sustainability.

TACO has undertaken the construction of five double‑storey anti‑poaching camps at the Tiger Reserve. Each camp spans approximately 762 sq ft and is entirely solar‑powered to support sustainable, round‑the‑clock surveillance. These state-of- the-art camps significantly strengthen patrolling efforts and ensure a sustained presence of forest staff, acting as critical sentinels in the fight against poaching. Complementing this infrastructure, TACO has also deployed dedicated surveillance vehicles to forest department authorities, ensuring enhanced rapid response and mobility across the reserve’s challenging terrain.

Located in Bundi district, Ramgarh Vishdhari is Rajasthan’s newest tiger reserve and the 52nd in India. Spanning over 1,500 sq. km across core and buffer zones, the reserve plays a vital role as a corridor linking the Ranthambhore and Mukundra Tiger Reserves. It facilitates tiger movement, enabling genetic diversity, strengthening regional biodiversity and conserving a wide range of species including leopards, sloth bears, hyenas, jackals, chinkaras, and diverse avian populations.

TACO’s interventions are designed to improve protection infrastructure, support forest staff, and reduce threats such as poaching, illegal encroachment, and habitat disturbance. The support is aligned with Rajasthan’s broader conservation efforts, which include the formulation of an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) around the reserve and active consideration of tiger translocation programs to strengthen the population base.

Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Anchor, TACO and Non-Executive Director, Vedanta Ltd, said, “At TACO, our vision of conservation is rooted in action and accountability. With the inauguration of anti-poaching camps and surveillance vehicles at Ramgarh Vishdhari, we are strengthening the protection network of one of Rajasthan’s most vital tiger corridors. These steps support 24×7 vigilance and create safer spaces for both wildlife and forest staff. We’re proud to have partnered with the Government of Rajasthan to build infrastructure that helps protect wildlife and strengthens ecosystems for generations to come.”

Highlighting the significance of this partnership, Shikha Mehra, IFS, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, Government of Rajasthan said, “Strengthening Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve’s protection mechanisms is key to ensuring a long-term survival of endangered species like the tiger. TACO brings critical infrastructure and technology into the reserve, aligned with our vision of proactive and sustainable wildlife management. We welcome such collaborations in future to safeguard our bio-ecosystem.”

Tiger conservation is critical to India’s ecological and biodiversity goals, as tigers are an umbrella species whose protection supports entire ecosystems. With over 70% of the world’s wild tiger population, India plays a central role in their global survival. Ramgarh Vishdhari is among the reserves covered under Project Tiger, the Government of India’s flagship conservation programme launched in 1973 to protect tigers and their habitats. The reserve became part of the Project Tiger network in 2022, joining over 50 protected areas under this initiative.

The inauguration ceremony on International Tiger Day will mark a significant milestone in collaborative conservation efforts between the state forest department and non-government partners. TACO’s intervention in Ramgarh Vishdhari follows its work across other tiger-bearing areas, including Ranthambhore and Kaziranga, under the broader umbrella of ecosystem restoration and animal welfare.