Context: Bihar is getting its second tiger reserve in Kaimur (Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary), expected to be established by the end of 2023 or early 2024. The need for a second reserve arose as the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (Bihar’s 1st tiger reserve) reached its capacity to manage tigers.

About Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary 

• Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary of Rohtas Forest Division is situated in the great Kaimur Range hills in the Rohtas District of Bihar.

• KWLS came into existence in 1979 (the later area was increased in 2010) with an area of over 1784.73 sq km.

• It is the largest and first wildlife sanctuary to be declared in the State of Bihar.

• The KWLS is spread in Bhabhua and Rohtas District of the State of Bihar. 

• Habitats offered by deep valleys (locally known as khoras) and high hills (locally known as Ballas), daunted with rivers and nallahs having water all year round in the ‘doh’. 

• Rohtasgarh Fort and Shergarh Fort are also located in these forests. 

• It also has numerous Megaliths, Rock paintings of prehistoric age and stone inscriptions from a bygone era. 

• The Government of Bihar has planned to develop it into a Tiger Reserve.

• This Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Rohtas Plateau and Kaimur plateau of Kaimur Range in the south-western part of Bihar. 

• This forms the watershed or divide for two of the major rivers of peninsular India, the Son on the south and Tamsa or Tons on the north.

• The sanctuary forms an essential corridor between forest areas of Bihar, Jharkhand Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh ensuring the contiguity of forests in Vindhya. 

• In the valley portions, there are several waterfalls of which the finest are Karkat Waterfall, Manjhar Kund, Dhua Kund, Tutla Bhawani Waterfall, Geeta Ghat Waterfall, Kashish Waterfall, and Telhar. 

• There are several Dams and lakes, including Anupam Lake, Karamchat Dam and Kohira Dam.

• Anupam Lake and Kalidah near Rameshwar Kund are located in the lake.

• The major forest types are Tropical Dry Mixed Deciduous, Dry Sal Forests, Boswellia Forests and Dry Bamboo Brakes. 

Important Fauna of Sanctuary

• It harbours several other faunal species some of which figure in the IUCN Red Data List. These are Leopard, Indian Pangolin, Porcupine, Wild dogs, Jackal, Sloth bear. 

• The Crested eagle and Hawk eagle’s presence in Rohtas forests indicates the ecological sustenance of the area.

• It is home to many migratory birds, such as the lesser white-fronted goose, ferruginous duck, Baer’s pochard duck and lesser adjutant, greater adjutant, black-necked stork, and Asian openbill stork migrate from Central Asia to the park during winter.

• Among snakes, cobras and kraits are of common occurrence while pythons are occasionally seen.

National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)

• NTCA is a statutory body established in 2005 following the recommendations of the Tiger Task Force.

• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.