Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR)

About Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR):

 

• Location:
  • It is located at the India-Nepal border in the West Champaran district of Bihar on the bank of river Gandak.
  • It is situated in the Gangetic Plains bio-geographic zone of the country.
  • It forms the easternmost limit of the Himalayan Terai forests in India and is the only tiger reserve in Bihar.
• VTR comprises the Valmiki National Park and Valmiki Wildlife Sanctuary. 
• Boundaries: It is surrounded by the Royal Chitwan National Park of Nepal in the north and the river Gandak on the western side.
• Rivers: Rivers Gandak, Pandai, Manor, Harha, Masan, and Bhapsa flow through various parts of the reserve.
• The forest of this region has a combination of bhabar and terai tracts.
• Vegetation: The vegetation types include mainly Moist mixed deciduous, Open-land vegetation, Sub-mountainous semi-evergreen formation, Freshwater swamps, Riparian fringes, Alluvial grasslands, high hill savannah and Wetlands.
• Flora: Sal, rohini, sihor, teak, bamboo, semal, Mandar, shisham, Jamun, Gular etc.
• Fauna:
  • Tigers, Leopards and Indian Wild Dogs are large predators. Leopard cat and fishing cat are also found in patches. Deer species are represented by spotted deer, sambar, barking deer and hog deer.
  • Indian bison (Gaur), Nilgai and wild boar are other ungulates found in these forests.
  • Kaleej Pheasant, hill myna, paradise fly catcher, Himalayan bulbul, lesser adjutant stork, white backed and slender billed vultures are some exclusive birds of the sanctuary.

 

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Q1) What is the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)?

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change constituted under enabling provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as amended in 2006, for strengthening tiger conservation, as per powers and functions assigned to it under the said Act.

Source: Bihar: Valmiki Tiger Reserve on alert to stop poaching amid influx of nomads