LUCKNOW: The third tiger reserve of UP, Amangarh Tiger Reserve, will be developed as an ecotourism site on the lines of Dudhwa and Pilibhit reserves, which attract a large number of nature enthusiasts during the ecotourism season.
The UP Forest Corporation (UPFC), the nodal agency for ecotourism promotion in the state, will soon hold a meeting with the forest department on the development of Amangarh reserve. The state government has decided to rename the reserve as New Corbett Tiger Reserve.
However, Amangarh needs more.
“The reserve needs to be developed with basic infrastructure first, like the entry for tourists. Then we need to add facilities like nature guides,” said UPFC MD Sanjay Singh.
Amangarh reserve is an 8,000-hectare area in Bijnor district, forming a buffer of the Corbett reserve. It was declared a tiger reserve in 2012 with an intention to manage the fleeting tiger population from Corbett.
In 2012, about 13 tigers were counted in the region. The number since has been rising, given the good prey base in the area. In 2018-19, the tiger count was 19, a year later, it went up to 24. In April 2021, over 27 tigers were counted in the reserve. After the formation of Uttarakhand, the tiger population in Amangarh needed management and conservation as there were incidents of man-animal conflict. Being declared a tiger reserve would also mean funds from Project Tiger for its management and development.
Sources in the forest department, however, said that Amangarh is getting funds under Project Elephant as of now as it has considerable elephant population.
As of now, the reserve does not have a demarcation of core and buffer areas. With its development, it will get all infrastructure.
