I have spent more than five years of time working in wildlife areas particularly in Terai of Uttar Pradesh. I feel myself lucky enough to get the opportunity to work in an area which is the second best tiger habitat in the country i.e. Pilibhit-Kishanpur-Dudhwa-Katerniaghat corridor. Its a more than 350 km. of stretch, though fragmented, which has the most fascinating fauna of this country including tigers, leopards, elephants, one horned rhinoceros, sloath bears, gharials, gangetic dolphins, five types of deers and more than 450 types of bird species.
I still remember, when I was in Pilibhit, once Dr Johnsingh from WII Dehradun came to Barahi forest rest house with Dr Goyal. It was a foggy winter night. Dr Johnsingh was surveying the Indo-Nepal terai forests for Terai Arc Landscape Project and his team was there on the task to collect the relevant data. That was the year when we had seriously started the wildlife conservation work in a non Protected Area with the help of WWF-India. Dr. Harish was also with us. Dr Johnsingh discussed and narrated a lot about Indian Terai and wildlife status in the area. After having dinner with them, when I started my journey back to the divisional head quarter he said me " you must write diary", because field officers do a lot in the field but they never record it, they hardly write or disseminate it. It was a very valid point. It struck me immediately. It always haunted me even for years but unfortunately I could not follow it.........
I still remember, when I was in Pilibhit, once Dr Johnsingh from WII Dehradun came to Barahi forest rest house with Dr Goyal. It was a foggy winter night. Dr Johnsingh was surveying the Indo-Nepal terai forests for Terai Arc Landscape Project and his team was there on the task to collect the relevant data. That was the year when we had seriously started the wildlife conservation work in a non Protected Area with the help of WWF-India. Dr. Harish was also with us. Dr Johnsingh discussed and narrated a lot about Indian Terai and wildlife status in the area. After having dinner with them, when I started my journey back to the divisional head quarter he said me " you must write diary", because field officers do a lot in the field but they never record it, they hardly write or disseminate it. It was a very valid point. It struck me immediately. It always haunted me even for years but unfortunately I could not follow it.........
Now after more than 4 years, remembering the same words of Dr Johnsingh I am trying to jot down the facts and events which I observe in the field, efforts which we sincerely made to protect and conserve our natural heritage, what ever I heartily feel about or something which is worth writing for you all to know about...either as a blog.
That is all hesitatingly in this first post.
3 comments:
Team Katarnia I would say. I would herby express my gratitude to Mr.Pandey and his team for the hospitality they extended to us during our stay on 10th of January 08. Though our's was a just two day stay but you could very well see the efforts putin by DFO Mr. Pandey and his team which has made all the difference. I am really finding it quiet difficult to express myself in words. The place is simply amazing. Fresh blue waters, wildlife, beautiful forests, vast and beautiful grasslands and what not. Above all nicely kept resthouses,forest roads and painted barriers are there tells you the whole story that efforts are really put in to transform a paradise into heaven. Hats Off to Mr. Pandey.
All the Best
Prayag Naresh Agarwal
Lucknow
i had the double pleasure of visiting the katarniaghat wildlife sanctuary & also getting to meet the humble and capable mr pandey (DFO) and his able team in the hotspot itself.
i found the forested tracts to be better and more beautiful & serene than the other famous terai forests like dudhwa park & even corbett park.
though i have to admit that i was not able to see the majestic cats there but the visit was in no way disappointing, the sheer pleasure of driving in the thick forests of NISHANGADHA, MOTIPUR and MURTIHA and the road along the dam gave me a creepy thrill.
no visit to the sanctuary can be complete without mentioning the GERUA river. the river with its ecosystem intact is a sight for sore eyes, while we have come to identify the rivers with murky grey/brown waters this one is crystal clear, i even went to the extent of drinking handfuls from the flow, it tasted better than what i have tasted in years. the river has these unique BAILEES (litle stream tributaries), the forest surmounting them is quite unlike any i have seen in these parts. it is exactly like the evergreen rain forests of the amazon region (as seen by me in films), and it didnt take much to imagine the lurking of the wily and villainous ANACONDAS as in the sets of the film of the same name.
yes it is indeed a hotspot but the efforts of mr pandey though commendable & laudable are not proving enough to make this little paradise known to many. the infrastructure is at best crumbling and it is the goverment apathy which is visible in the terrible, backbreaking & torturous drive from a destination as close as lucknow taking 6 hours for a 3 hour journey. i sincerely hope and appeal to our governments both central & state to display this rare prize jewel 'KATARNIAGHAT' to the best of their abilities
i have written about the place will write later about the flora & fauna there.
Hi Ramesh,
I have read some good things about your work in UP's tiger country. Congratulations on winning the WPSI award as well. Thank you so much for sticking it out. I just wish there were a million more folks like you.
This blog is a great idea. Keep it going. It's the kind of window we need to find out what's happening out there. Just so you know I have RSS'd the blog to my mail so every time you post it's gonna hit my inbox immediately. So don't "hesitate" to put it all down. We're listening. At least I am.
God bless.
J
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