Uttar Pradesh is all set to get a new elephant reserve soon, as the Union ministry of forest, environment and climate change (MoFECC) has given its nod to the Terai Elephant Reserve (TER), which will be spread in a 3,049 sq km area, including Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) and Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR). It will be the second elephant reserve in UP and India’s 33rd.
TER will be developed in the joint forest areas of Dudhwa and Piliphit tiger reserves, covering conservation of four wild species such as tiger, Asian elephant, swamp deer and one-horned rhinoceros in the entire landscape that also includes Kishanpur and Katarniaghat wildlife sanctuaries, said director of ‘project elephant’ in MoEFCC.
The Centre approved three elephant reserves in the country this year, including TER, on the occasion of 30th foundation year of project elephant, initiated in 1992. The other two reserves are Lemru ER in Chhattisgarh and Agasthyamalai ER in Tamil Nadu. The notification of TER is expected from the UP government within three-four days, said UP principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) KP Dube.