8 more tiger reserves to come up in the country: Ramesh

The eight reserves will be in addition to the existing 39 tiger sanctuaries.New tiger reserves, include Satyamangalam Tiger Reserve which used to be a hideout of sandalwood smuggler Veerappan, Environment and Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh said today.

The other new reserves include B.R. Hills in Karnataka, two in Maharashtra, two tiger reserves in UP, including Pilibhit tiger reserve, and one each in Madhya Pradesh and Orissa, he said at a function here.

While talking about efforts to conserve the endangered species, Ramesh said "I hope tiger census will be released in two weeks. I am keeping my fingers crossed. I hope, we will have good news".

Claiming that he didn't have "inside information" about the tiger census, he said "good news" about the tiger population is expected from the tiger reserves, including Kaziranga in Assam and Parambikkulam bordering Tamil Nadu and Kerala.Ramesh said three tigers were lost ---two in Kaziranga and one in Pilibhit in UP--- in the last two days because of fighting .
Two of them were lost because of fighting between tigers and one tiger in Kaziranga died in a "rare fight" with a buffalo, the minister said.

The minister contended that tiger conservation in the country is "most extensive and most intensive" than any other nations in the world.