Pilibhit Tiger Reserve

Pilibhit Tiger Reserve is among the narrowest yet most canopy-rich tiger reserves. It is spread across a horseshoe-shaped landscape. The reserve has an estimated tiger density of 10.8 per 100 km2 area. The reserve covers a total area of 730.24 km2, of which 97.6% (712.88 km2) lies in Pilibhit district and 2.4% (17.36 km2) in Shahjahanpur district, both located in the Rohilkhand region of Uttar Pradesh. Approximately 21% of Pilibhit district is in the reserve. This positions it in the category of Uttar Pradesh's most forest-rich districts. It consists of the Himalayan lowlands terrain along the Indo–Nepal border in the upper northern plains. The habitat is distinguished by tall grasslands, sal forests (forests dominated by the sal tree, Shorea robusta), and the swamp ecosystem, which is maintained through regular flooding events originating from nearby rivers, riverlets and lakes during the rainy seasons. The Sharda sagar dam elongating up to a length of 22 km (14 mi) is on the edge of the reserve. The core area of the reserve contains 35 species of mammals, 556 avians species, 79 species of fishes, as well as several species of reptiles and amphibians. It also includes herbivorous, carnivorous, and omnivorous fauna. In 2020, the tiger reserve was awarded the inaugural TX2 global award in recognition of its achievement in multiplying the number of tigers within the stipulated time frame. An internal survey in 2022, found that the reserve has more than 99,882 animals of 22 different species. The reserve's officials confirmed in August 2025 that the core area has more than 79 adult tigers. History The forested regions of Pilibhit have historically been recognized for their ecological significance. During the colonial period and earlier, the area served as a favored hunting ground for Indian royalty and British officers. During the British colonial period, the forests in the Pilibhit region were subjected to intensive timber extraction, prompting the implementation of scientific forestry practices. The area was formally designated a reserved forest in 1879. Structured forest management was initiated in 1893. However, by the late 20th century, increasing threats such as human encroachment, poaching underscored and deforestation, the urgent need for conservation measures was felt. In April 2008, a proposal was submitted to the Indian government to establish a dedicated habitat for endangered felines within the Pilibhit forests. In September 2008, the proposal was accepted in principle, due to the region's unique ecosystem, characterized by expansive open landscapes and an adequate prey base capable of sustaining the species. Later in June 2014, the forests of Pilibhit were announced as the 46th reserve area of India. Until then, the forests of Pilibhit were a prime source of timber production. In 2020, the tiger reserve got the global recognition TX2, for multiplying the count of tigers in a short span of just four years against a target of 10 years. Among other 13 tiger range countries, the tiger reserve was the very first reserve in India to receive this prestigious award. Geography The reserve, situated between latitudes 28°50'7.40"N to 28°15'43.90"N and longitudes 79°52'57.18"E to 80°23'10.82"E, lies predominantly within the upper northern plains having moist deciduous forest biogeographic zone. It falls mainly under the administrative jurisdiction of Pilibhit district, in Bareilly division, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The reserve area is made of a buffer area of 127.45 km2 (49.21 sq mi) and a core area of 602.79 km2 (232.74 sq mi) in its limits. The core area is officially constricted for human settlement, but 15 entire villages are still within the limits of the core area, disturbing the wildlife due to human traffic on roads, livestock grazing and consumption of the forest resources. The tiger reserve acts as a wildlife corridor between Jim Corbett, Kishanpur, Dudhwa, and Shuklaphanta. The northern boundary is from Pilibhit-Bankati road to Mahof up to Uttarakhand boundary along the Indo-Nepal international border up to pillar 17 and then from pillar 17 to pillar 28. The eastern boundary is from Indo-Nepal international border pillar 28 along the boundary of Bifurcation forest block, Barahi forest block and Navadiya forest block of Barahi forest range and up to the boundary of Navadiya forest block, Haripur forest block and Dakka forest block of Haripur range. The southern boundary is from the reserve forest boundary of Haripur range up to the reserve forest boundary of Barahi range, Mahof range, Mala range and Dioria range. The western boundary is from the reserve forest boundary of Pasgaon compartment 6 and Ramnagar compartment 1 of Deoria range along the reserve forest boundary of Banganj compartment 5, Gada compartment 130, Ghamela compartment 119 of Mala range up to Bankati. Climate The reserve ischaracterized by distinct winter, summer, and monsoon phases. Each season exerts significant influence on vegetation patterns and wildlife activities. The month of January is the coldest period, with mean maximum and minimum temperatures of 23°C and 6°C, respectively. Dew deposition during winter is substantial, maintaining high surface moisture on vegetation until midday. Frost formation is commonly observed across grassland habitats (phantas) from late November till early March. The pre-monsoon summer season, extending through April and mid-July, records the highest temperature range, with maximum values fluctuating between 36°C and 45°C. High daytime temperatures are typically accompanied by hot Westerly winds (locally termed as Pachua or loo), while nocturnal temperatures remain comparatively moderate until early May. The southwest monsoon generally sets in by mid-July and persists until mid-October, contributing approximately 90% of the total annual precipitation. During July and August, mean diurnal and nocturnal temperatures are observed at approximately 37°C and 20°C, respectively. Prevailing westerly winds generally dominate for most of the year, but extremely intensify during summer. Hot, desiccating loo winds are characteristic from mid-April to late May, followed by Easterly winds (locally termed as Purvai or Purva) from December-January. Northerly winds occur during monsoon-end and helps to hold the monsoon, crossing the Himalayan range and also bring wintery chills from the Himalayan range. The tiger reserve stays open for wildlife tourism throughout the year, except during the rainy season (July 1–October 31). Ecology Out of the total forest cover of 730.24 km2 (281.95 sq mi) within the reserve, approximately 416.07 km2 (160.65 sq mi) is classified as very dense forest (VDF) based on canopy density. An estimated 78.9 km2 (30.5 sq mi) falls under the category of moderately dense forest (MDF), while 70.23 km2 (27.12 sq mi) is designated as open forest (OF). The forest types found within the core area of the reserve include tropical moist deciduous forests, covering approximately 469.24 km2 (181.17 sq mi); tropical dry deciduous forests, spanning approximately 89.78 km2 (34.66 sq mi); littoral swamp forests, occupying approximately 0.01 km2 (0.0039 sq mi); and areas of old plantation, extending over approximately 10.4 km2 (4.0 sq mi). The other forest types include shorea robusta, moist terai-bhabar dhun sal, moist mixed deciduous, and alluvial savanna woodlands, dry bamboo brakes, shivalik chir pine forests, and grasslands. Overall, the primary vegetation is composed of sal and mixed forests, interspersed with grasslands and riparian zones. The grasslands form one of the most striking features, covering nearly 8% of the reserve's total area. These open landscapes are broadly divided into two main types - the upland phantas and the low-lying phantas. The largest stretches of grasslands lie along the southern edge of the reserve, following the courses of the Sharda and Mala rivers. In heavily wooded zones, grasslands are often linked with swamps, while in open grassy expanses, small clusters of trees known locally as bojhis offer shade and refuge to animals seeking rest or protection. Hydrology The reserve has a network of rivers, canals, and perennial water bodies that are important in sustaining its diverse wildlife and ecological processes. The Sharda river serves as the principal hydrological feature and lifeline of the reserve, interconnected with several distributaries, including the Kheri branch canal, the Hardoi branch canal, and the feeder of the Sharda sagar dam. Flowing predominantly along the northern boundary of the reserve, the Sharda river significantly contributes to maintaining the region’s hydrological stability and ecological integrity. The Gomti river originates from Gomat taal, near Madhotanda within the boundary of the tiger reserve. Also, the reserve's proximity to the Ghaghara river (also called Khakra river locally) in the south-west, as well as riverets like Mala Khannot, Katana and Chuka make it an ideal place for wildlife. The reserve comprises 45 wetland areas, accounting for approximately 5.9% (44.98 km2) of its total area. Of these, 25 are natural inland wetlands approximately 40.16 km2 (15.51 sq mi) by area, while 8 are classified as man-made inland wetlands covering approximately 4.69 km2 (1.81 sq mi) area, while the remaining 12 wetlands have an area lesser than 0.02 km2 (0.0077 sq mi) each, covering a total area of approximately 0.12 km2 (0.046 sq mi). The major perennial wetlands in the reserve area are Jhand, Lagga–Baggha, Sambhar, Jahabber, Sutiya, Tilania Jor, Bhimtaal, Lidshya Naala, and Narahi Naala. Flora The reserve harbors approximately 2,100 types of species of angiosperms. A survey conducted in 2025 concluded that the reserve also hosts over 58 herbs species, 21 shrubs species, 8 undershrubs species, 5 climbers species, 21 trees species, 4 sedges species, and 6 grass species. A defining feature of the habitat is the presence of open meadows scattered among sal and moist mixed deciduous forests. These grasslands, locally known as 'Chaur', have formed on abandoned human settlements or past clearings. Due to their anthropogenic origin, these meadows are now gradually being overtaken by dense, woody vegetation. References Notes