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Introduction
Dudhwa Tiger Reserve has two core areas, Dudhwa National
Park and Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary. These are 15 km apart,
with agricultural land in between. Dudhwa National Park is situated
on the Indo-Nepal border in the 
Lakhimpur-Kheri
district in Uttar Pradesh. The Mohana river flowing along the
Indo-Nepal border constitutes the northern boundary of the Park
whilst the Southern boundary is formed by the river Suheli. The
Kishanpur Sanctuary lies in the Lakhimpur-Kheri and Shahajahanpur
districts in Uttar Pradesh.
The
area of the Park is a vast alluvial plain, the doab of
the Mohana and Suheli rivers, and interspersed with numerous rivulets,
lakes and pools. The rich and extremely fertile Indo-Gangetic
plains support a luxuriant growth of forests diversity of fauna.
Some of the grasslands are infested with the weed, Cymbopogon
martinii. Dense mats of Tiliacora sq. another weed, has developed
in a large portions of the Sal forests. These weeds are inedible
and are spreading rapidly, making the affected areas inhospitable
for herbivores.
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Conservation
History
The visit of Sir D.B. Brandis in 1860 to the area culminated in
303 sq. mile forest area of the present day Dudhwa National Park
being brought under the control of Government in 1861 for preservation.
In Kheri District all the Sal and miscellaneous forests and grasslands
in Kharigarh Pargana, between the Mohana and Suheli rivers, were
included in the then North Kheri Forest Division. More areas were
reserved for protection between 1867 and 1879 and added to the
Division. The area of the Division was legally constituted as
Reserved Forests in 1937.
The Sonaripur Sanctuary comprising 15.7 sq. km. area was created
in 1958 to specifically protect swamp deer (Cervus duvaceli duvaceli).
The area was too small and was later enlarged to 212 sq. km. and
renamed as Dudhwa Sanctuary in 1968. Later, more area was added
to the Sanctuary and in 1977, it was declared Dudhwa National
Park. The total area of the Park was 616 sq. km. of which 490
sq. km. was core zone and balance 124 sq. km. buffer zone.
Dudhwa Tiger Reserve was created in the year 1987-88 comprising
Dudhwa National Park and Kishanpur Sanctuary (203.41 sq. km.).
With an addition of 66 sq. km. to the buffer zone in 1997, the
present area of the Tiger Reserve is 884 sq. km.
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Information
not available
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Archeology
Remnants
of a fort in Nagra block. The fort has been run over by wilderness.
Remains of mud walls of old habitation are also found in Nawalkhad.
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Forest
Types
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Northern tropical semi-evergreen Forest
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Northern Indian Moist Deciduous Forests
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Moist Bhabar Sal-Western light/Alluvial,
Plains Sal |
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Terminalia tomertosa Forests |
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Low Alluvial Savannah Woodland |
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Moist Sal Savannah Forests |
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Tropical Seasonal Swamp Forests |
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Major
Flora
Sal,
Sal,Asna,Shisham,Bahera, Khair, Jamun .
Major
Fauna
Main
Species
Mammals:
Tiger, Leopard, Swamp deer, Rhinoceros, Cheetal , Hog deer, Barking
deer, Sambar, Wild boar and Ratel. Around 400 species of birds
and 90 species of fishes have been identified at Dudhwa.
Endangered
Species
Tiger,
Swamp deer, Leopard, Ratel, Hispid hare, Bengal florican, Black
necked stork.
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Management
Protection
and habitat management are the most important inputs.
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Special Projects
The
Rhino was reintroduced in Dudhwa in 1984-85. The seed population
of 7 has now increased to 16.
New Initiatives
Eco-development
Eco-development
through village level micro planning has been initiated since
1998-99.
Village Forest Protection Committees
Few
Village Forest Protection Committees have been created. Persons
with exceptional initiative in conservation have been named tiger
guardians.
Protection Squads/Patrolling
For
increased mobility and communication, resources have been obtained
from Tiger Conservation Programme (WWF).
Education and Awareness
Eco-awareness
camps have been organized. An interpretation centre was established
in 1997-98.
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Constraints
Education and Awareness
Eco-awareness
camps have been organized. An interpretation centre was established
in 1997-98.
Infrastructure
Adequate
Fire
Villagers
often light fire for removing ground litter and obtaining fresh
crop of grass.
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Affected area(ha.)
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Remarks
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Encroachment
There
is an old encroachment of 61.01 ha. at Gol Bhojhi of a Taungya
village and some very minor old encroachments. Besides, there
is a village called Surma, which is also classified as an encroachment.
Of the 93 families in the village, 24 have been rehabilitated.
Efforts are on to rehabilitate the remaining families out of the
Reserve. The area involved in this encroachment is 547.15 acre.
Epidemics
None
Poaching of fauna and flora
There
is some pressure for poaching of flora in fringe as the entire
area of the Reserve is surrounded by habitation.
Smuggling
Some
smuggling activity occurs across the International border.
Control of the Buffer
Buffer
is under the unified control of the field director.
Grazing
The
buffer zone bears the brunt of dense cattle population of adjoining
villages.
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Conflicts
Man-Animal
Crop
raiding by wild animals is common. In winter, when grasses inside
the Reserve are coarse, the ungulates wander into adjacent wheat/sugar
cane fields where they are susceptible to poaching. Carnivores
following these herbivores at times take to cattle lifting. On
one occasion, villagers poisoned the carcass of cattle, resulting
in the death of a tigress and 3 cubs.
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Action Points
Grassland
management by way of weed eradication to increase the productivity.
Trans-border
cooperation to control poaching smuggling.
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