Valmiki Tiger Reserve

Valmiki Tiger Reserve

Subject: Environment

Context: Hundreds of gharial eggs have been destroyed by the swirling waters of the Gandak River in Bihar’s Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) after early floods in the state in June, officials said.

Concept:

• The Bihar government had started a project in collaboration with non-profit Wild Trust of India (WTI) to increase the Gandak’s gharial population. They first released 30 captive-born gharials into the river in 2014-15. They followed this up with protecting nests by involving the local community.
• The project was prompted after a survey by WTI in 2010 found only 15 gharials in the Gandak.
• The Gandak hosts the second-largest population of gharials in India after the Chambal river. It has widespread sandbanks and rich wetlands that provide a natural breeding ground for fish, a staple food for gharials.
• The gharial is ‘Critically Endangered’ according to the International Union for Conservation of Species-Species Survival Commission or IUCN-SSC assessment in 2007.
• Its distribution range has shrunk and currently, it occupies only about two per cent of its former range. The gharial population has registered a decline of up to 98 per cent between 1946 and 2006. The adult population has nosedived, with a 58 per cent reduction across its range in just nine years from 1997.

Valmiki Tiger Reserve

• Valmiki Tiger Reserve forms the eastern most limit of the Himalayan Terai forests in India, and is the only tiger reserve of Bihar. Situated in the Gangetic Plains bio-geographic zone of the country, the forest has combination of bhabar and terai tracts.
• Valmiki Tiger Reserve lies in the north-westernmost West Champaran district of Bihar. Name of the district has been derived from two words Champa and Aranya meaning Forest of Champa trees.
• Wild mammals found in the forests of Valmiki Tiger Reserve are Tiger, Sloth bear, Leopard, Wild dog, Bison, Wild boar etc.
• Several species of deer and antelopes viz barking deer, spotted deer, hog deer, sambar and blue bull are also found here.
• In Madanpur forest block large number of Indian flying foxes can be sighted. The Reserve has rich avi-fauna diversity. Over 250 species of birds have been reported.