Poba Reserve Forest

Sept. 1, 2024

The Poba Reserve Forest in Assam’s Dhemaji district will soon be notified as a wildlife sanctuary.

About Poba Reserve Forest:

  • It is a rainforest located in the northeastern part of Assam.
  • The Reserved Forest (RF) was created in the year 1924 and covers an area of 10,221 hectares.
  • Boundaries: Towards the north are the foothills of the Himalayan range in Arunachal Pradesh; towards the east and south are the Siang, Dibang, and Lohit River systems confluencig into the mighty Brahmaputra and the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park; and towards the west are the revenue villages of the Jonai Sub-division of the Dhemaji district of Assam.
  • The peripheral area of the RF is inhabited by a few ethnic groups, such as Mising, Bodo, Sonowal Kachari, and Hajong (Rabha). 
  • It is one of the richest rain forests of North-East India in terms of the flora and fauna found in it.
  • It is home to various arboreal species, including the slow loris and capped langur. Among the most common mammal species is the wild boar.
  • The forest is also a habitat for about 45 species of birds and reptiles, and the confluence of the Siang and Lohit rivers supports a diverse range of fish species.
  • The forest is renowned for its variety of orchids.
  • It serves as an important migratory route for various animals, particularly elephants, as it connects the D' Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary (Arunachal Pradesh), Kabu Chapri Proposed Reserve Forest, and Dibru-Saikhowa National Park (Assam).
    • This corridor is the second significant elephant migration route from the north to the south bank of the Brahmaputra River, the other being the Panpur-Kaziranga route.