In a first, Corbett plans stargazing site in Dhikala

Dehradun: Corbett Tiger Reserve is set to introduce a dedicated stargazing facility in Dhikala zone, which officials said has dark skies and minimal light pollution, as part of a wider plan to expand eco-tourism offerings for visitors. The decision was taken at the 11th governing body meeting of Tiger Conservation Foundation (TCF) for Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) this week, where members also cleared key conservation and tourism-related proposals.“Foundation members have agreed to provide a stargazing experience for wildlife visitors who are also inclined towards astronomy,” director of Corbett Tiger Reserve Saket Badola said. “Dhikala offers near-pristine night skies, making it a suitable location for installing advanced telescopes. We believe this would be India’s first stargazing site inside a tiger reserve.” Badola added that the project would be funded through revenue generated from safari activities.Among the other major decisions, the governing body approved the translocation of five more tigers from Corbett to Rajaji Tiger Reserve and cleared the concept of setting up the country’s first transboundary tiger reserve. Officials at the meeting said the ecological corridor linking Rajaji Tiger Reserve and Shivalik forests showed functional connectivity, with documented tiger movement across forested landscapes extending into Himachal Pradesh and Haryana’s Kalesar National Park.“In light of tiger movement, members reached a consensus on developing a transboundary conservation framework in the form of a transboundary tiger reserve,” Badola said. “This approach aims to ensure unified management protocols and ecological safeguards across the species’ contiguous habitat, thereby enhancing long-term viability and genetic exchange within the population.” He added that a formal proposal would be submitted to National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for consideration.The governing body also decided that all revenue generated from tourism at the reserve would go to the foundation. Officials said forest rest houses in Corbett Tiger Reserve would be upgraded in line with Uttarakhand’s culture and architectural design, while the reserve would also host a Corbett Festival featuring a nature festival, bird festival and literature festival.