Located at a distance of roughly 177 kms, the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, will soon be the third home to the one-horned rhinoceros.
The national park Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, in the Terai belt, stretches across Bahraich and Lakhimpur Kheri majorly and already has two enclosures for rhinos. Dudhwa, that shares Nepal’s north-eastern boundary, includes the Dudhwa National Park, the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary.
The Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, that will see the development of the third enclosure, envelops greenery, vegetation, and water bodies, making it an apt ground for the rhinos. The sanctuary has also often seen free ranging rhinos, coming from Nepal.
Home to new rhinos
Situated on river Saryu, a Ghaghara river tributary, Bahraich is a 2.5 hours road journey from UP’s capital city. The Dudhwa range, reportedly, has some 40 rhinos for now and more are expected to be rehabilitated in the third rhino rehabilitation area (RRA-3) of 55 sq kms at Katarniaghat.
To rehabilitate and conserve the rhinos, an action plan will be implemented, the first installment of which is budgeted at ₹1.4 crore. This is one of the first dedicated plans to result in the extension of rehabilitation facilities in UP.
“We will focus on extending their habitat in the state’s protected areas, introducing the new bloodline and managing the existing habitat and population. The plan will be implemented in phases till 2030,” shared Dudhwa Tiger Reserve Director Sanjay Pathak.
The sanctuary will witness a security audit before the construction of RRA-3, starting with the trans-Gerua range of Katarniaghat. The area is expected to have some rhinos from existing enclosures, while there will also be a new bloodline.
“We have written to the forest departments of Bengal and Assam to seek a new bloodline of the one-horned animal,” Pathak added.
Around six rhinoceros from the pre-existing enclosures might be radio collared and then set free.
Also approximately 6 hours journey from Kanpur, the Katarniaghat Sanctuary makes for a perfect weekend getaway for you to get away from the cities’ bustling lives. While you feel closer to nature and, at the same time, witness the marvelous wildlife creations, the trip can make for a great detox you didn’t know you needed!
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