About Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS):
- Location: It is a protected area in the Upper Gangetic plain in Uttar Pradesh and covers an area of 400.6 km2 in the Terai of the Bahraich district.
- In 1987, it was brought under the purview of the ‘Project Tiger’, and together with the Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary and the Dudhwa National Park, it forms the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve.
- It provides strategic connectivity between the tiger habitats of Dudhwa and Kishanpur in India and the Bardia National Park in Nepal.
- Vegetation: Its fragile Terai ecosystem comprises a mosaic of sal and teak forests, lush grasslands, and numerous swamps, and wetlands.
- Flora: It is predominantly Sal Forestwith its associate tree species like Terminalia alata (Asna), Lagerstroemia parviflora (Asidha), Adina cordifonia (Haldu), Mitragyna parpiflora (Faldu), Gamelina arborea (Gahmhar), etc.
- Fauna:
- It is home to a number of endangered species, including the Gharial, tiger, rhino, swamp deer, hispid hare, Bengal florican, and white-backed and long-billed vultures.
- The Gairwa River, which flows in the KWS area, is declared a sanctuary for Mugger and Gharial. It is also home to rare turtles, freshwater fish, and a host of aquatic life.
- It is among the few places in India where freshwater dolphins, also known as Gangetic dolphins, are found in their natural habitat.
