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[Rishi]

Uttarakhand to have 2 more tiger reserves soon
March 9, 2017

*This image is copyright of its original author

 eNewsDesk Bureau

DEHRADUN, March 8:

Uttarakhand will soon have two more Tiger Reserves. It will become first state in the country to have four tiger reserves. Uttarakhand is currently  home to two tiger reserves namely Corbett Tiger Reserve and Rajaji Tiger Reserve (Rajaji National Park). The Centre through National Tiger Conservation Authority has accorded in principal approval for two new tiger reserves in Uttarakhand. They are Nandhaur which is part of Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary that was established in 2012 and stretches from Terai region of Uttarakhand extending to Nepal and Surai Tiger Reserve which is located in Eastern Terai region extending up to Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradesh. Nandhaur Tiger Reserve will have a core area of 270 square kilometres and a buffer zone of 578 square kilometres.

Surai Tiger Reserve will be established by merging the buffer zone of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve and other adjoining forest ranges totalling an area of around 237 square km. This will include Surai Forest Range, Khatima and Kilpura Range of Terai East Forest Division. Since the proposals have been accorded in principal approval by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, the matter will now be presented before the State Wildlife Board which is likely to get the boundaries of the proposed reserves examined and also seek people’s suggestions for any amendments and then the government will issue notifications in this regard to bring them into real existence. Uttarakhand has an official tiger strength of 340 tigers which is second highest tiger population in the country after Karnataka which is home to 403 tigers.

Principal Chief Forest Conservator (Wildlife) D.V.S. Khati confirmed this development.

“We (in the forest department) are currently undertaking a public consultation exercise to apprise people residing in the two areas (of the Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary and the Surai range) about the plan to get the areas notified as tiger reserves, and to take their consent.” 

--- State chief wildlife warden Digvijay Singh Khati.

Nandhaur was declared a Wildlife Sanctuary in 2012, & NTCA recommended it to be declared as a Tiger Reserve in Feb, 2016 after the region was found to house 20-25 tigers with no Protected Area in the vicinity.

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Personal footnote:

• The region marked by a RED dot in the map is Nandhaur.
• The region marked by a BLUE dot n the map is Suri Range.
  

*This image is copyright of its original author

I've made sure Corbett & Pilibhit are visible for reference. Reply