With reference to Madhav National Park, which of the following statements is/are correct ? 1. It was declared a Tiger Reserve in India in 2025. 2. Sakhya Sagar, which is designated as a Ramsar Site, is situated within this National Park. 3. Its area is shared between Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Select the answer using the code given below :

The correct answer is Option B (1 and 2).

Statement 1 is correct: Madhav National Park, situated in the Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh, was officially designated as India's 58th Tiger Reserve by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) on March 9, 2025. This declaration elevated it to the state's ninth tiger reserve. Although resident tigers had disappeared from the region by the late 1970s, successful reintroduction efforts that began in 2023 established a breeding population and facilitated its renewed status as a protected tiger landscape.

Statement 2 is correct: Sakhya Sagar is an artificial lake created in 1918 on the Manier River, located entirely within the southern section of Madhav National Park. It acts as a critical wetland habitat supporting a large population of marsh crocodiles (muggers) and over 70 species of migratory waterbirds. Recognizing its ecological significance, Sakhya Sagar was officially designated as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention in July 2022.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The park's area is not shared with Rajasthan. It is geographically located exclusively within the Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh, lying on the northern fringe of the Central Highlands. However, from a landscape perspective, it serves as a vital ecological corridor facilitating the movement of big cats between Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan and Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh.

Takeaway/Mnemonic: To recall the prominent lakes inside Madhav National Park, remember the acronym M-S: Madhav Sagar and Sakhya Sagar. Both are integral to the park's ecology, but only Sakhya Sagar holds the Ramsar tag.