Wildlife
Parks & Sanctuary In India
Dudhwa Wildlife
Conservation 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 river, 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.