Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR)

About Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR):

• It is located in Pilibhit District, Lakhimpur Kheri District and Bahraich District of Uttar Pradesh.
• It lies along the India-Nepal border in the foothills of the Himalayas and the plains of the ‘terai’ in Uttar Pradesh.
• The river Gomti originates from the PTR, which is also the catchment of several others like Sharda, Chuka, and Mala Khannot.
• The Sharda Sagar Dam is on the boundary of the reserve. 
• Vegetation: North Indian moist deciduous type.
• It has a dry and hot climate, which brings a combination of dry teak forest and Vindhya Mountain soils.
• Flora:
  • It is characterized by sal forests, tall grasslands, and swamps, maintained by periodic flooding from rivers.
  • The sal woodland is very dense with good natural regeneration, amounting to almost 76% of the reserve area.
• Fauna: 
  • It is home to a myriad of wild animals including the endangered tiger, swamp deer, Bengal florican, hog deer, leopard, etc.

Key Facts about Chital:

• The spotted deer, or chital/cheetal is a deer species native to the Indian subcontinent.
• It is the most common deer species in Indian forests.
• Distribution: It is widely distributed in Asia, especially in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and a small group in Pakistan. 
• Habitat: Subtropical grasslands and forests
• Features:
  • With a lifespan of about 20 to 30 years, it stands at about 35 inches tall and weighs about 187 pounds. 
  • It is a slightly reddish brown with white spots on its body.
  • Only males have antlers, and their bodies are larger than females. 
  • Spotted Deer are social animals. They commonly occur in herds of 10 to 50 individuals.
  • They mainly feed on grasses throughout the year. Their diets include herbs, shrubs, foliage, and fruits.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Least Concern