Tiger Reserves in Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh has 4 tiger reserves aimed at conserving and protecting the population of Bengal tigers.

Table of Contents

Amangarh Tiger Reserve

Location: Amangarh, Bijnor district, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Geography: Serves as an extension and buffer to Jim Corbett National Park.
Tiger Reserve: Officially notified in 2012. Uttar Pradesh government plans to upgrade and rename it as ‘New Jim Corbett’ in 2022.
Area: 95 sq.km.
Hills: Foothills of the Himalayas.
River: Ramganga River flows near the reserve.
Plants: Sal, Teak, Sheesham, Semal, Dhak.
Animals: Tiger, Elephant, Leopard, Chital, Sambar, Himalayan Black Bear.

Location: Lakhimpur Kheri and Bahraich districts, Uttar Pradesh, India; Situated in the Terai region of the Himalayan foothills.
Geography: Near the Indo-Nepal border. Includes Dudhwa National Park, Kishanpur and Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuaries, and forest areas of North Kheri, South Kheri, and Shahjahanpur divisions in its buffer.
Wildlife Sanctuary: Dudhwa area was established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1965 to protect the swamp deer (barasingha) population in the region.
National Park: Dudhwa Wildlife Sanctuary was declared a national park in 1977.
Tiger Reserve: Dudhwa National Park and Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary were together declared a tiger reserve under Project Tiger in 1987.
Expansion: Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary was added to Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in 2000.
Area: 2,201.77 sq.km (Core: 1,093.79 sq.km; Buffer: 1,107.98 sq.km).
Rivers: Sharda, Suheli, Mohana, Joraha, Nagrol, Nakua, Newra, Ull.
Plants: Sal, Asna, Haldu, Khair, Sal, Neem, Van Tulsi, Rohni.
Animals: Tiger, Great Indian Rhino, Asian Elephant, Swamp Deer, Indian Long-billed Vulture, Mugger, Gharial.
Special Feature: The only place in Uttar Pradesh where both Tigers and Rhinos can be spotted together; Large number of rhinos are found.

Location: Pilibhit and Shahjahanpur districts, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Geography: Forms a part of the Terai Arc Landscape, in the upper Gangetic Plain Biogeographic Province.
Forest Division: Pilibhit Forest Division was established as a protected forest area in 1908.
Wildlife Sanctuary: A portion of the Pilibhit Forest Division was declared as Pilibhit Wildlife Sanctuary in 1984.
Tiger Reserve: Pilibhit Wildlife Sanctuary was declared a tiger reserve under Project Tiger in 2014. It is the 45th tiger reserve of India.
Recognition: Pilibhit Tiger Reserve received the TX2 Award in 2020 for doubling its tiger population from 25 to 65 between 2014 and 2018.
Area: 730.25 sq.km (Core: 602.80 sq.km; Buffer: 127.45 sq.km).
Rivers: Gomti River originates from the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve. Other rivers include Sharda, Ghaghara, Chuka, and Mala Khannot. Chukha Beach is located on the bank of Sharda River (Sharda Sagar Reservoir).
Lakes: Sharda Sagar Dam, Barasingha Lake.
Tribe: The reserve is home to tribal communities, including the Tharu tribe.
Plants: Sal (76% of the area), Khair, Sissoo, Mahua, Teak.
Animals: Tiger, Swamp Deer, Sambar Deer, Short-nosed Fruit Bat, Hyena, Hispid Hare, Bengal Florican, Mugger Crocodile, Gharial.

Location: Ranipur, Chitrakoot district, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Wildlife Sanctuary: Ranipur area was established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1977.
Tiger Reserve: Ranipur Wildlife Sanctuary was declared a tiger reserve in 2022; 54th tiger reserve in India; First tiger reserve in the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh.
Area: 529.89 sq.km (Core: 230 sq.km; Buffer: 299.58 sq.km).
River: Bardaha River flows through the tiger reserve.
Plants: Sal, Tendu, Khair, Mahua, Palash.
Animals: Tiger, Leopard, Sloth Bear, Blackbuck, Chinkara.