Ratanmahal–Jambughoda Corridor

Why in news? Gujarat has recorded the presence of a Royal Bengal Tiger in the Ratanmahal–Jambughoda forest corridor, marking its return after 33 years.
With this, Gujarat can reclaim its status as a tiger-bearing state under the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and remains the only Indian state with three big cats—tiger, lion, and leopard.
Ratanmahal–Jambughoda corridor :  The Ratanmahal–Jambughoda corridor lies in Chhota Udepur district of Gujarat.
•    It connects Ratanmahal Wildlife Sanctuary in the north with Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary in the west and extends eastward towards Madhya Pradesh.
•    The corridor covers an area of about 665 km².
•    The terrain is plateau-like in the central parts, undulating with broken hill ridges, and rugged towards the south and east.
•    The Sukhi Dam is the major water body within the corridor.
•    The region is traversed by NH-758, SH-63, and district roads, making connectivity and wildlife movement management important.
The tiger, estimated to be four years old, is believed to have migrated around 60 km from Katthiwada Wildlife Sanctuary (Madhya Pradesh) through a 90-km forest corridor into eastern Gujarat.
The corridor is described as ecologically intact, with low human presence, adequate prey, water sources, and natural caves suitable for tiger habitation.
Forest officials are closely monitoring the tiger’s movement, as it has begun exploring nearby areas, raising concerns about human–wildlife conflict.
Conservation measures include habitat enrichment, creation of water holes, planting fruit trees, and mitigating risks such as road accidents.