[UPPSC-UP Special Syllabus Decoded] National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries in UP

1. Protected Area Network (The Core Framework)

Trend: Questions focusing on “Tiger Reserves” and “New Notifications” (Ranipur).

A. National Parks

• Dudhwa National Park (Lakhimpur Kheri):
  • Status: The only National Park in Uttar Pradesh.
  • Key Species: One-Horned Rhinoceros (Reintroduced 1984), Swamp Deer (Barasingha – State Animal), and Bengal Tiger.
  • Significance: Core of the Terai Arc Landscape (TAL).

B. Tiger Reserves (Project Tiger)

UP has 4 Tiger Reserves (TR), critical for the tiger corridor between India and Nepal.

1. Dudhwa TR: Comprises Dudhwa NP + Kishanpur WLS + Katarniaghat WLS.
2. Pilibhit TR: Famous for the TX2 Award (doubling tiger population in record time).
3. Amangarh TR (Bijnor): Buffer zone of Jim Corbett NP; acts as a corridor for elephants and tigers.
4. Ranipur TR (Chitrakoot):
   • Status: The newest (4th) TR notified in late 2022/23.
   • Significance: First TR in the Bundelkhand region (Vindhyan forests), connecting with Panna TR (MP).

C. Major Wildlife Sanctuaries (WLS)

• Hastinapur WLS: Largest in UP; spans 5 districts. Home to Swamp Deer and the “State Bird” (Sarus Crane).
• National Chambal Sanctuary: Tri-state sanctuary (UP/MP/Raj) famous for Gharials and Gangetic Dolphins.
• Chandra Prabha WLS (Chandauli): Oldest sanctuary (1957); known for waterfalls (Rajdari/Devdari).
• Kaimoor WLS (Mirzapur/Sonbhadra): Famous for Blackbucks and prehistoric rock paintings.

2. Conservation Projects (Beyond Tigers)

Trend: “Project Elephant” and “Wetland Conservation.”

A. Terai Elephant Reserve (TER)

• Notification: Approved in 2022 as India’s 33rd Elephant Reserve.
• Area: Covers Dudhwa and Pilibhit districts (3,049 sq km).
• Objective: Managing human-elephant conflict in the Nepal border region.

B. Wetlands & Ramsar Sites

• Status: UP has 10 Ramsar Sites (2nd highest in India after Tamil Nadu).
• Key Sites:
  • Bakhira WLS: Largest natural floodplain wetland (Sant Kabir Nagar).
  • Haiderpur Wetland: Human-made wetland near Bijnor Ganga Barrage.
  • Nawabganj (Shahid Chandra Shekhar Azad): Unnao.

3. Eco-Tourism & New Initiatives

Trend: “Night Safaris” and “Urban Forestry.”

A. Kukrail Night Safari (Lucknow)

• Project: Establishing India’s first “Night Safari” and moving the Lucknow Zoo to the Kukrail forest area.
• Model: Inspired by the Singapore Night Safari.
• Status : Construction of the 350-acre park is underway, with a focus on nocturnal animals.

B. Ecotourism Development Board

• One District One Ecotourism Spot: Developing lesser-known waterfalls and sanctuaries (e.g., Sohagi Barwa in Maharajganj) to decongest Dudhwa.

4. Current Affairs Linkages

A. Parvati Arga ESZ Notification

• The Union Environment Ministry notified the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around the Parvati Arga Bird Sanctuary (Gonda) to regulate mining and construction activities, ensuring the safety of migratory birds.

B. Tiger Census & Corridors

• Status: The tiger population in UP has risen to 205+ (2022 Census data, reiterated in 2024 reports).
• Suhelwa Sanctuary: In 2024-25, discussions intensified to upgrade Suhelwa WLS (Shravasti/Balrampur) into a Tiger Reserve due to increased tiger sightings from Nepal.

C. Early Tourism Season

• Policy Shift: In Nov 2024/25, UP opened its Tiger Reserves for tourists on November 1st (15 days earlier than usual) to boost the local economy and manage peak winter crowds.