Pilibhit Tiger Reserve to Become New Sanctuary for Rhinos
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) | - Located in Pilibhit and Shahjahanpur districts of Uttar Pradesh.<br>- Notified as a Tiger Reserve in 2014.<br>- Part of the Terai Arc landscape in the Upper Gangetic Plain.<br>- Gomti River originates from this reserve; catchment area of rivers like Sharda, Chuka, and Mala Khannor.<br>- Home to endangered species like tiger, swamp deer, Bengal florican, hog deer, and leopard.<br>- Won the international award TX2 in 2020 for doubling tiger population in four years. |
| Rhino Sanctuary Plan | - Lagga-Bhagga area of PTR adjacent to Nepal's Shukla Phanta Sanctuary.<br>- Rich grasslands, adequate water sources, and uninterrupted wildlife corridors.<br>- Rhinos from Assam and Nepal to be translocated under Project Rhino.<br>- No recorded rhino population currently in PTR. |
| Project Rhino | - Launched in the 1980s to conserve one-horned rhinoceros.<br>- Multi-faceted program with strategies like habitat conservation, community engagement, law enforcement, and scientific research. |
| Benefits | - Preserve dwindling rhino population and strengthen wildlife ecosystem.<br>- Promote tourism and improve economic conditions of local communities.<br>- Protected and demarcated areas to reduce human-wildlife conflict. |