A Wildlife Sanctuary is a natural occurring place that provides protection from species, hunting, competition or poaching; It is a protected area, a geographic territory within which wildlife is protected. It is established by IUCN category IV protected areas. India has 543 forestry sanctuaries referred to as wildlife sanctuaries category IV protected areas.
Wildlife sanctuaries in Uttar Pradesh
There are 23 wildlife sanctuaries in Uttar Pradesh, some of them are discussed below:
1. Bakhira Sanctuary
Location: Sant Kabir Nagar district
It was established in 1980. The Gray-headed swamphen (Porphyrio poliocephalus) also called the Indian Purple moorhen or Purple Swamp-hen is one of the beautiful common water birds found in this Sanctuary.
2. Chandra Prabha Wildlife Sanctuary
Location: Chandauli district
It is blessed by beautiful picnic spots, dense forests, and scenic waterfalls like Rajdari and Devdari and was established in May 1957. It is a home of around 150 species of birds. Blackbucks, chital, sambar, nilgai, wild boar, porcupine and chinkara as well as the reptilian species in Gharial and python are also found here.
3. Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary
Location: Amroha, Bijnor, Ghaziabad, Meerut, and Muzzafarnagar districts
It was founded in 1986 and named after the ancient city of Hastinapur. Over 350 species of birds are found here like painted stork, black and white necked stork, sarus crane, as well as night birds of prey, ranging from the great Indian horned owl to the jungle owlet, colorful woodpecker, barbet, kingfisher, minivet , bee-eater and bulbul
4. Kachhua sanctuary
Location: Varanasi District
This sanctuary is famous for the different species of turtles, Ganges dolphin and other water animals.
5. Kaimoor Sanctuary
Location: Mirzapur and Sonbhadra districts
It was established in 1982. This sanctuary is famous for leopard, blackbuck, chital, chinkara, ratel, peafowl, antelope, blue bull, wild cat, karakal, and bijju.
Important Facts about Indian Forest
6. Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary
Location: Bahraich district
It was established in 1975. It was brought under the purview of 'Project Tiger', and together with the Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary and the Dudhwa National Park it forms the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in 1987. It is home to a number of endangered species including gharial, tiger, rhino, gangetic dolphin, swamp deer, herpid hare, Bengal florican, the white-backed and long-billed vultures.
7. Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary
Location: Lakhimpur Kheri district
It was established in 1972. It is home to a number of species like Tiger, Leopard, Swamp deer, Hog deer, Barking deer, Bengal florican and Lesser florican.
8. Lakh Bahosi Sanctuary
Location: Kannauj district
It is one of India's big bird sanctuaries, covering 80 square km. It is home to various migratory birds Jackal, blue bull, mongoose, fishing cat and monkeys are also found here.
9. Mahavir Swami Sanctuary
Location: Lalitpur district
It is the home to the leopard, nilgai, wild boar, sambhar, black buck, blue bull, bear, jackals, langur and monkeys.
10. National Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary
Location: Agra and Etawah districts
It is tri-state protected area in Northern India for the protection of the Critically Endangered Gharial, the red-crowned roof turtle and the endangered Ganges river dolphin.
