Pilibhit Tiger Reserve

Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) and Uttar Pradesh Forest Department have bagged the global award TX2, for doubling the number of tigers in a short span of just four years against a target of 10 years. Among other 13 tiger range countries, Pilibhit Tiger Reserve was the first to receive this prestigious award. 

India has 70 percent of the world’s tiger population. As per the 4th All India Tiger Estimation (AITE), there are 2967 tigers in India. Know more in detail about Tiger Conservation in India on the linked page. 

This article aims to provide detailed information on Pilibhit Tiger Reserve that holds relevance for the Environment and Ecology syllabus of the IAS Exam.

Pilibhit Tiger Reserve – PTR Facts

• Pilibhit Tiger Reserve is the 45th tiger reserve project in India.
• PTR is situated in Pilibhit district, Lakhimpur Kheri District and Bahraich District of Uttar Pradesh. 
• Pilibhit Tiger Reserve is one of the finest examples of the exceedingly diverse and productive Terai arc landscape), in the upper Gangetic Plain Biogeographic Province.
• The northern edge of the reserve lies along the Indo-Nepal border while the southern boundary is marked by the river Sharada and Khakra.
• The Sharda Sagar Dam extending up to a length of 22 km is on the boundary of the reserve.
• Based on its special type of ecosystem with vast open spaces and sufficient feed for the elegant predators, Pilibhit was declared in September 2008.

Know the Difference Between National Park, Wildlife Sanctuary and Biosphere Reserve, by visiting the linked article.

Pilibhit Tiger Reserve – Flora  And Fauna

• The Tiger reserve in Pilibhit is home to a habitat for over 127 animals, 326 bird species and 2,100 flowering plants.
• The habitat of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve is characterized by sal forests, tall grasslands and swamp maintained by periodic flooding from rivers.
  • The study done by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) shows that the Dudhwa-Pilibhit population has high conservation value as it represents the only tiger population with the ecological and behavioral adaptations of the tiger unique to the Terai region.
• The forest of PTR is a home to a myriad of wild animals including the endangered tiger, swamp deer, Bengal florican, hog deer, leopard, etc. The large carnivores are supported by a very large prey base consisting of cheetal, sambar, wild boar, hog deer, swamp deer, blue bull, etc. 
• Some critically endangered species such as hispid hare, otter, pangolin, Bengal florican. Indian vultures also find a home here.
• As far as bird species are concerned, there are more than 326 species that can be seen in Pilibhit Tiger Reserve; these include red jungle fowl, hornbill, peafowl. Fish eagle, serpent eagle emerald dove, black neck stork, wooly necked stork, drongo, night jar, green pigeon, spotted owl, jungle babbler, black francolin, fish owl, cormorant, snack bird etc.
• Pilibhit Tiger reserve also boasts of many reptiles like snakes and pythons in the surroundings.

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Pilibhit Tiger Reserve  – Recognition 

• PTR in Uttar Pradesh has bagged the first international award, TX2. In 2014, All India Tiger Estimation had estimated 25 tigers in Pilibhit and 2018 estimation showed an increase by projecting 65 tigers.

Find the list of National Parks in India by visiting the linked article.

Tiger Conservation in India & World

1. Project Tiger – The Government of India launched the Project Tiger with the aim of saving the steadily declining population of tigers in India on 1 April 1973. It was started with 9 tiger reserves. Presently, there are 51 tiger reserves in India amounting to almost 2.2% of the country’s geographical area. It established the Tiger Protection Force with the aim of seizing the poachers and stopping the illegal killings of tigers. Read in detail about Human-Wildlife Conflict from the linked article.
2. National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) – is a statutory body tasked with the management of Project Tiger and the many Tiger Reserves in India. It was established in December 2005 following the recommendation of the Tiger Task Force. The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 was amended in 2006 to provide for constituting the NTCA.
3. The Global Tiger Initiative (GTI) program of the World Bank, using its presence and convening ability, brought global partners together to strengthen the tiger agenda. The initiative has institutionalized itself as a separate entity in the form of the Global Tiger Initiative Council (GTIC), with its two arms –the Global Tiger Forum and the Global Snow Leopard Ecosystem Protection Program.

Candidates preparing for UPSC 2022 must go through the given link for comprehensive preparation: