Lakhimpur Kheri: Home of Tigers- All about Dudhwa National Park

Lakhimpur Kheri, located in Uttar Pradesh along with Bahraich is home to the National Animal of India, the Tiger, housed in the Dudhwa National Park. Also called as Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, it spreads across Lakhimpur and Bahraich and consists of Dudhwa National Park, Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary and Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary. 

Know all about this location below. 

Dudhwa National Park: Location and other details-

1. It is an IUCN Category II park (national park)
2. It is in an area of 1284 square kilometres which means 495 square miles and includes three major forest fragments. The area is majorly agricultural land. 
3. The northeastern boundary of the park is shared with Nepal by Mohana river. 
4. The area is an alluvial plain. 

Dudhwa National Park: History

1. In the year 1987, the Dudhwa National Park was brought under the purview of Project Tiger and was named the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve. Then the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary was added in the year 2000. 
2. This park happens to be one of India's 47 tiger reserves.
3. Since the park is situated in the border areas, it was a region of regular poaching actions by people. Trading of wild animals and their skin was a major threat as well here. 
4. Billy Arjan Singh's single handed efforts made the park what it is now. He was one of the greatest conservationists seen by India and initiated the idea of converting the land into a wildlife sanctuary in 1965. 
5. In July 1976, Arjan Singh got a tiger cub named Tara from Twycross Zoo of UK. He hand reared her and later reintroduced her to the wild in the Dudhwa National Park.
6. In 1977, he approached the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi to declare the forest as National Park. 
7. It was in 1984-85 when the park received 7 rhinos from Assam and Nepal to rehabilitate the 150 year old Rhino population of the park. In 1988, the park was declared as a Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger.  Below is the picture of Billy Arjan Singh

Dudhwa National Park: Flora and Fauna-

The other major animals besides Tiger, found in the Tiger Reserve are:

1. Leopards 
2. Asiatic black bears
3. Sloth bears
4. Swamp deer
5. Rhinoceros
6. Elephant 
7. Cheetal
8. Hog deer
9. Barking deer
10. Sambar
11. Wild boar
12. Hispid hare
13. Blue bull
14. Porcupine
15. Otter
16. Turtles 
17. Python
18. Monitor lizard
19. Mugger
20. Gharial etc.

The park houses 450 species of birds out of the 1300 bird species found in India. The birds include 

1. Hornbill
2. Red Jungle Fowl
3. Peafowl
4. Bengal Florican
5. Fishing eagle
6. Serpent eagle etc.   

The park has majorly the forests of Sal trees along with other flora. 

Recently Lakhimpur Kheri has been in news after Congress leaders arrest from there and the farmers protests in the area. The recent incidents have brought the place into limelight. As many as four farmers have lost their lives here during the protests.