Dudhwa Tiger Reserve UPSC

Dudhwa Tiger Reserve is a protected area located in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It was established in 1965 as a sanctuary and later declared a tiger reserve in 1987 under the Project Tiger initiative.

The landscape of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve is characterized by dense forests, grasslands, and wetlands. The reserve is primarily known for its efforts in conserving the endangered Bengal tigers and the Indian rhinoceros.

Table of Contents

Location
History
Area
River
Flora
Fauna

Mammals
Birds
Reptiles
Fishes

UPSC Questions

Dudhwa Tiger Reserve Location

Dudhwa Tiger Reserve is located in Lakhimpur Kheri and Bahraich districts of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is situated in the Terai region of the Himalayan foothills, near the Indo-Nepal border.

The Dudhwa Tiger Reserve includes the Dudhwa National Park, and two nearby Sanctuaries, viz. Kishanpur and Katerniaghat, besides forest areas of North Kheri, South Kheri and Shahjahanpur forest divisions in its buffer.

Dudhwa National Park: It is located in the Palia and Nighasan tehsil of district Lakhimpur-Kheri.

Kishanpur Sanctuary: It is stretched over Gola and Powayan tehsils of Lakhimpur and Shahjahanpur districts respectively.

Katerniaghat Sanctuary: It is located in the Nanpara tehsil of district Bahraich, with the Indo-Nepal border constituting its Northern boundary. The Katerniaghat portion has a Terai habitat, having linkages with the Royal Bardia National Park of Nepal to the North and the Dudhwa National Park to its West.

Nearest Airport:

Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport, Lucknow (238 km.)

Nearest Railway Station:

Dudhwa Railway Station (4 km.)
Lucknow Railway Station (238 km)
Shahjahanpur Railway Station (112 km)

Dudhwa Tiger Reserve History

The Dudhwa Tiger Reserve has a rich history that dates back several decades. Here are some key milestones and events in the history of the reserve:

1. Establishment: Dudhwa National Park, which later became Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, was established in 1965 as a wildlife sanctuary to protect the swamp deer (barasingha) population in the region.

2. Recognition as a National Park: In 1977, Dudhwa Wildlife Sanctuary was declared a national park.

3. Inclusion in Project Tiger: In 1987, Dudhwa National Park and the Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary (Lakhimpur and Shahjahanpur districts) was together declared a tiger reserve under Project Tiger, a conservation initiative by the Government of India aimed at protecting the endangered Bengal tiger and its habitat. This brought additional resources and attention to the reserve.

4. Expansion: In 2000, the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary (Bahraich district) was added in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve.

Dudhwa Tiger Reserve Area

Dudhwa Tiger Reserve comprises Dudhwa National Park, Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary, Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, and the forests of North Kheri, South Kheri, and Shahjahanpur Forest Divisions. The total area of the reserve is 2,201.7748 square kilometers (850.956 square miles).

Core : 1093.79 sq.km.
Buffer : 1107.9848 sq.km.
Total : 2201.7748 sq.km.

The area distribution within the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve is as follows:

Core Area: The core area, primarily consisting of Dudhwa National Park, covers 1,093.79 square kilometers (422.28 square miles).

Buffer Area: The buffer zone of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve spans 1,107.9848 square kilometers (428.6774 square miles). The buffer zone acts as a transition area between the core area and the surrounding human settlements. It allows for some degree of sustainable resource use and provides additional protection to the core area.

The combination of the core and buffer areas makes up the total area of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, which is 2,201.7748 square kilometers (850.956 square miles).

Dudhwa Tiger Reserve area is a vast alluvial plain and is the doab of Mohana and Suheli rivers. The under-lying soil consists of alluvial formation of the Gangetic plains.

Dudhwa Tiger Reserve River

The Dudhwa Tiger Reserve is traversed by several rivers and water bodies that contribute to the overall ecosystem and biodiversity of the region, which include: Suheli, Mohana, Joraha, Nagrol, Nakua and Newra, besides Sharda and Ull.

Suheli and Mohana streams flow through Dudhwa National Park.
Sharda River flow through Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary.
Girwa River flow through Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary.
All of these rivers are tributaries of the Ghagra River.

Dudhwa Tiger Reserve Flora

The predominant flora in the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve is the Sal forest (Shorea robusta), accompanied by various associate tree species. These include:

Terminalia alata (Asna)
Lagerstroemia parviflora (Asidha)
Adina cordifolia (Haldu)
Mitragyna parviflora (Faldu)
Gmelina arborea (Gahmhar)
Holoptelea integrifolia (Kanju)
Acacia catechu (Khair)
Pterocarpus marsupium (Vija sal)
Kydia calyina (Poola)
Lannea coromandelica (Jhigan)
Toona ciliate (Toon)

Other notable flora species found in the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve include:

Murraya koenigii (Kath neem)
Grewia hirsuta (Van Tulsi)
Mallotus philippensis (Rohni)

In addition to these tree species, the reserve is also home to various grasses such as:

Phragmites karka (Narkul)
Cynodon dactylon (Doob)
Vetiveria zizanioides (Khaskhas)
Erianthus munj (Moonj)

Dudhwa Tiger Reserve Fauna (Dudhwa Tiger Reserve Animals)

Dudhwa Tiger Reserve is renowned for its diverse and abundant wildlife. The reserve is home to a wide range of fauna, including several endangered and critically endangered species. Here are some notable fauna species found in the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve:

Mammals:

Tiger
Indian Rhino
Asian Elephant
Guldar
Swamp Deer
Spotted Deer
Hog Deer
Barking Deer
Sambhar
Fishing cat
Monkey
Langur
Mongoose
Small Indian Mongoose
Small Indian civet
Jackal
Honey Badger
Smooth Indian Otter
Blue bull
Wild Boar
Hare

Birds:

Spotbilled Pelican
India Longbilled Vulture
Large Cornorant
Little Cormorant
Dabchick
Grey Heron
White stork
Black Stork
White Ibis
Osprey
Red jungle Fowl
Sarus Crane
White Breasted Water Hen
Brown Hawk Owl

Reptiles:

Mugger
Ghariyal
Python
Sandboa
Banded Krait
Russel’s Viper
Rat Snake
Monitor Lizard
King Cobra

Fishes:

Rohu
Singhi
Kacehala

Note- A large number of rhinos are found in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve. It is the only place in Uttar Pradesh where both Tigers and Rhinos can be spotted together.