A global wildlife conservation organisation today welcomed the declaration of the forests of the Pilibhit Forest Division in Uttar Pradesh as the newest tiger reserve of the country.
WWF-India said the notification of the Pilibhit forests as a Tiger Reserve signals the commitment of UP government as well as the government of India towards tiger conservation as this declaration will contribute to long-term survival of wild tigers in transboundary Terai Arc Landscape.
The Pilibhit Tiger Reserve covers an area of 726.89 km2 in the foothills of the Himalayas and is the second such Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh.
These forests are part of the Terai Arc Landscape (TAL), which encompasses an area of 52,000 km2 that spreads from Uttarakhand eastwards to Bihar in India, encompassing important Protected Areas and forests in India and Nepal.
The forests of Pilibhit act as a fulcrum in TAL, linking Shukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve in Nepal with Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary in India.
To the west of Pilibhit, there is strong connectivity with the Terai-Bhabar forests in the adjacent state of Uttarakhand.
Apart from the tiger, these forests are home to a rich variety of wildlife, which includes leopard, swamp deer, hog deer, hispid hare and the Bengal florican to name a few.
Ravi Singh, CEO and Secretary General, WWF-India, said declaration of the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve will enhance the management status accorded to these forests leading to stronger conservation measures for tigers, their prey and habitats.
