Pakke Tiger Reserve

WHY IN NEWS?

The government in Arunachal Pradesh plans to build a 692.7 km highway through the 862 sq km Pakke Tiger Reserve (PTR) in East Kameng district.

ABOUT PAKKE TIGER RESERVE

• Pakke Tiger Reserve, also known as Pakhui Tiger Reserve, is a Project Tiger reserve in the East Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India.
• The Pakke River lies to the east and the Bhareli River to the west and the north.
• The 862-sq km Pakke Reserve home to many rare and endangered wildlife species, such as leopard, wild dog, Himalayan black bear and elephant.
• Contiguous with the Nameri Tiger Reserve of Assam, it is also an important habitat for the big cats, one of the most endangered species in the world.
• Pakke is also the only Hornbill sanctuary in India.
• The forest around this reserve harbors four hornbill species - great hornbills, wreathed, oriental pied and the rufous-necked, listed in Schedule l of the Wildlife Protection Act (1972), while the last variety is a globally threatened bird species.
• The vegetation is predominantly of Assam valley tropical semi-evergreen forest.
• The reserve is home to over 2000 species of plants, 300 species of birds, 60 species of mammals, 30 species of amphibians and 36 species of reptiles.
• The mammal species consists of tiger, leopard, jungle cat, civets, weasel, mongooses, Asiatic black bear, wild dog, Asiatic jackal etc.
• Seven large herbivores such as Asian elephant, gaur, sambar, barking deer, wild pig which are predominantly found in the lowlands and the serow and goral found in the higher reaches of reserve.

Prelims Question

Q. Which of the following protected areas is/are NOT located in Arunachal Pradesh?
1. Pakhui Reserve
2. Namdapha National Park
3. Gorumara National Park
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
a. 1 only
b. 2 only
c. 3 only
d. None of the above

Answer to the Prelims Question