Into the wild: Eco-tourism escapades in Uttar Pradesh

Endowed with the nature’s gift of vast forest area, rivers and waterfalls, and endangered species of birds and animals, Uttar Pradesh is one of the top ecotourism destinations of the country with several green circuits, wetlands and wildlife sanctuaries.

Being home to 16,582 sq km of forest area, rivers and waterfalls, endangered species of birds and animals, a national park, 26 wildlife sanctuaries (including 12 bird sanctuaries), Uttar Pradesh is one state which has extreme possibilities for ecotourism.

UP has nine ecotourism circuits (Bundelkhand, Vindhya Van, Ganga basin, Braj Bhumi wildlife and others), 10 Ramsar wetlands, natural attractions like Salkhan fossil park in Sonbhadra, and Rajdari and Devdari waterfalls in Chandauli.

The reserve is situated in Pilibhit and Shahjahanpur districts. It has an area of 726.8 sq km. At least 80% of which, about 602.7 sq km, is the core area for tiger conservation which is inviolate. It comprises five forest ranges of Pilibhit forest division which are Barahi, Mala, Deoria, Mahof and Haripur.

Dudhwa tiger reserve comprises three protected areas – 204 sqkm Kishanpur sanctuary, 440 sqkm Katarniaghat and 680 sqkm Dudhwa national park. Kishenpur sanctuary and Dudhwa national park form the core areas. It is also home to one-horned rhinoceros, swamp deer, sloth bear, Asiatic elephants and several species of birds.

Amangarh is an 80 sq km area in Bijnor district which forms the buffer of Corbett tiger reserve. The reserve has no core area. The reserve also has a water body which has come up at a place where the water from the reserve’s catchment area accumulates.

Ranipur wildlife sanctuary is situated in Banda,near Madhya Pradesh’s Panna Tiger Reserve along the UP-MP border. It never had resident tigers but a fleeting population from Panna has always moved in and out of Ranipur. Tiger pugmarks have always been found in the sanctuary that spreads over 230 sq km.