Source: PP
Subject: Mapping
Context: The Bihar government has approved a revised proposal to notify Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary as a Tiger Reserve, which will now be sent to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for final clearance.
About Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary:
What it is?
- Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary is the largest wildlife sanctuary in Bihar, known for its rich biodiversity, forested plateaus and historical–archaeological heritage.
Located in: Kaimur and Rohtas districts of Bihar
- Situated in the Kaimur Range, covering parts of the Kaimur Plateau and Rohtas Plateau.
History:
- Established in 1979 as a wildlife sanctuary.
- Historically significant region with prehistoric cave paintings, megaliths, fossil sites, and forts such as Rohtasgarh Fort and Shergarh Fort.
- Long recognised for its ecological potential, with recent evidence of tiger movement prompting the tiger reserve proposal.
Key geological and physical features:
- Plateaued landscape of the Kaimur hills with steep escarpments and forested valleys
- Numerous waterfalls: Karkat, Telhar, Dhua Kund, Tutla Bhawani, Manjhar Kund, Kashish
- Lakes and water bodies: Anupam Lake, Karamchat Dam, Kohira Dam.
- Forest types: Tropical Dry Mixed Deciduous forests, Dry Sal forests, Boswellia forests, Dry Bamboo brakes
Significance:
- Biodiversity hotspot: Home to Bengal tiger, leopard, sloth bear, pangolin, sambar, chital, four-horned antelope, nilgai and over 70 resident bird species, with migratory birds from Central Asia in winter
- Tiger conservation potential: Large, contiguous forest landscape suitable for a viable tiger population and ecological corridors in eastern India
- Ecological balance: Helps maintain forest–river–plateau ecosystems of southwestern Bihar
