Why in News? 

The Telangana Government has declared the Tiger Corridor Area linking Kawal Tiger Reserve (Telangana) and Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra) as the ‘Kumram Bheem Conservation Reserve’. 

About Kawal Tiger Reserve  

• Location: Situated in the Sahyadri Mountain Ranges along the banks of the Godavari River in Telangana. 
• Geographical Importance: Lies at the southern-most tip of the Central Indian Tiger Landscape, providing corridor connectivity with Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra) and Indravati Tiger Reserve (Chhattisgarh). 
• Flora 
  • Dominated by Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests 
  • Also includes Southern Dry Mixed Deciduous Forests 
• Fauna 
  • Home to Tiger, Leopard, Nilgai, Chinkara, Fox, Jackal, and other wildlife species.

Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve 

• Location: Chandrapur district, Maharashtra; state’s largest and oldest tiger reserve. 
• Name Origin: Named after tribal deity Tadoba and the Andhari River. 
• Area: 625.4 sq. km – includes Tadoba National Park (116.55 sq. km) and Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary (508.85 sq. km). 
• Corridors: Connected to Nagzira-Navegaon and Pench Tiger Reserves. 
• Habitat: Central Plateau of Deccan Peninsula; Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest with undulating terrain. 
• Water Bodies: Tadoba Lake, Kolsa Lake, and Tadoba River. 
• Flora: Dense teak forests with salai, tendu, mahua, karaya gum, and bamboo. 
• Fauna: Tigers, leopards, sloth bears, wild dogs, gaurs, chitals, sambars; 280 bird species, 54 reptiles, 11 amphibians, 84 fish species.