Buxa Tiger Reserve

Coordinates: 26°39′0″N 89°34′48″E / 26.65000°N 89.58000°E / 26.65000; 89.58000
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Buxa Tiger Reserve
Bengali: বক্সা ব‍্যাঘ্র সংরক্ষণ
Map showing the location of Buxa Tiger Reserve
Map showing the location of Buxa Tiger Reserve
Buxa NP
LocationWest Bengal, India
Nearest cityAlipurduar
Coordinates26°39′0″N 89°34′48″E / 26.65000°N 89.58000°E / 26.65000; 89.58000
Area760 km2 (290 sq mi)
Established1983
Governing bodyMinistry of Environment Forests and Climate Change, Government of India

Buxa Tiger Reserve is a

Gangetic Plains to 1,750 m (5,740 ft) bordering the Himalayas in the north. At least 284 bird species inhabit the reserve.[1] Mammals present include Asian elephant, gaur, Sambar deer, clouded leopard, Indian leopard, and Asian golden cat.[2]

History

Buxa Tiger Reserve

Buxa Tiger Reserve was created in 1983 as the 15th tiger reserve in India. In 1986, Buxa Wildlife Sanctuary was constituted over 314.52 km2 (121.44 sq mi) of the reserve forests. In 1991, 54.47 km2 (21.03 sq mi) was added to Buxa Wildlife Sanctuary. In 1992, the Government of West Bengal declared its intentions to constitute a national park over 117.10 km2 (45.21 sq mi) of the Buxa Wildlife Sanctuary. State government finally declared national park with notification No.3403-For/11B-6/95 dt. 05.12.1997.[3]

Geography

Location

Jayanti hills

Buxa Tiger Reserve lies in

Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary
. The reserve encompasses as many as eight forest types. The divisional headquarters is located at Alipurduar. The forest is divided into two divisions: East and West. Buxa Fort is an important landmark for this reserve. This fort was captured by British-India in 1865 after the
Bhutan War
from Bhutan. Later this fort was used as a detention camp for Indian freedom fighters during the Indian freedom movement.

Geology

It is contiguous to the

national geological monument by the Geological Survey of India (GSI), for their protection, maintenance, promotion and enhancement of geotourism.[6][7][8]

Biodiversity

Flora

More than 450 species of trees, 250 species of shrubs, 400 species of herbs, 9 species of cane, 10 species of bamboo, 150 species of

orchids, 100 species of grass and 130 species of aquatic flora including more than 70 sedges (Cyperaceae
) have been identified so far. There are more than 160 species of other monocotyledons and ferns. The main trees are
gamhar, simul and chikrasi.[3]

Forest types include:[citation needed]

  • Northern dry deciduous
  • Eastern Bhabar and Terai sal
  • East Himalayan moist mixed deciduous forest
  • Sub-Himalayan secondary wet mixed forest
  • Eastern sub-montane semi-evergreen forest
  • Northern tropical evergreen forest
  • East Himalayan subtropical wet hill forest
  • Moist sal savannah
  • Low alluvium
  • Savannah woodland

Fauna

During a survey in May 2000 to July 2001, 284 bird species were recorded including

Eurasian griffon (Gyps fulvus), Amur falcon (Falco amurensis), Malayan night heron (Gorsachius melanolophus), Oriental pied hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris), rufous-necked hornbill (Aceros nipalensis), chestnut-breasted partridge (Arborophila mandellii), cinnamon bittern (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus), stripe-breasted woodpecker (Dendrocopos atratus), velvet-fronted nuthatch (Sitta frontalis) and black-naped oriole (Oriolus chinensis).[1]
The Narathali lake,
ferruginous pochard (Aythya nyroca). Two new frog species were discovered in 2006.[3]

The 73

Asiatic golden cats (Catopuma temminckii) were recorded in the reserve for the first time.[9]

Endangered species present in the reserve are

ferruginous pochard (Aythya nyroca) and great hornbill (Buceros bicornis).[1]

Threats

Hilly, Bhabhar and riverine tracts of core suffer from fire. Generally non timber forest produce collectors and shepherds put forests on fire.[1] Poachers from Assam frequently come to poach Indian elephants.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Sivakumar, S.; Varghese, J.; Prakash, V. (2006). "Abundance of birds in different habitats in Buxa Tiger Reserve, West Bengal, India" (PDF). Forktail. 22: 128–133. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 June 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
  2. ^
    S2CID 55037688
    .
  3. ^ a b c d e "Project Tiger on Buxa". Archived from the original on 6 January 2011. Retrieved 30 March 2011.
  4. ^ "RIGHT OF PASSAGE: NATIONAL ELEPHANT CORRIDORS PROJECT | Wildlife Trust of India".
  5. ^ Singh, Shiv Sahay; Perinchery, Aathira (11 November 2017). "Elephant corridors in India threatened, says study". The Hindu.
  6. ^ "National Geological Monument, from Geological Survey of India website". Archived from the original on 12 July 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  7. ^ "Geo-Heritage Sites". pib.nic.in. Press Information Bureau. 9 March 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  8. ^ national geo-heritage of India Archived 11 January 2017 at the Wayback Machine, INTACH
  9. doi:10.11609/jott.4254.11.4.13502-13505
    .
  10. ISBN 9782831700199
    .

External links

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