A strip of dense jungle adjoining the Indo-Nepal international border in District Bahraich in Uttar Pradesh, India, which once comprised the West Bahraich Forest Division, was declared as Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary in May 1975. Four hundred forty sq km in area, this sanctuary is now being managed along with the Dudhwa National Park and Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary, as part of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger of the Government of India. The Katerniaghat Forests provide strategic connectivity between tiger habitats of Dudhwa and Kishanpur in India and the Bardia National Park in Nepal. Its fragile Terai ecosystem comprises a mesmerizing mosaic of Sal and Teak forests, lush grasslands, steaming swamps and wetlands. Unfortunately, the sanctuary is in most places just 10 km or less in width, making it increasingly vulnerable to intense human pressures along both its northern and southern boundaries. In spite of this, it is still quite unique for the number of endangered and critically endangered species which occur here and include the gharial, the tiger, the rhino, the Gangetic dolphin, the Swamp Deer, the Hispid hare, the Bengal florican and the White-backed and Long-billed vultures.

A metalled road, forty kilometers long, traverses the sanctuary east to west through the forests of Motipur, Kakraha, Murthia and Nishangarah Ranges and finally stops in the Katerniaghat Range where it meets the Girwa River. Standing next to its azure stream, one is able to view a cross section of some of the last riverine forests that remain in the plains of northern India and when rains have fallen and the air is clear, snow clad Himalayan peaks loom in the distance. The jungles of the Katerniaghat Sactuary are dominated by stately Sal (Shorea robusta) trees with an under storey of species like Asna (Terminalia alata), Haldu (Adina cardifolia), Kusum (Schleichea oleosa) and Rohini (Mallotus phillipensis). Another dominant species is the Teak (Tectona grandis), in whose stands will be found Rohini, Chamraudhi (Ehretia laevis) and Jamun (Syzygium cumini). Interspersed with the forests are grasslands of Saccharum munja, Saccharum spontaneum, and Antidon spp., plantations of Khair (Acacia catechu), Semal (Bombax cieba) and Shisham (Dalbergia sisso) while isolated figs, the Banyan (Ficus bengalensis) and the Peepal (F. religiosa), dot the forests like sentinels.

One of the best places in the world for seeing the Gharial in its natural habitat is the Girwa River, where it is found with the mugger or swamp crocodile. This population was one of three that were still breeding, when the project to conserve this reptile from the verge of extinction was initiated in 1975. In the Girwa, mugger crocodiles are also seen though in much smaller numbers, as their favorite haunts are stagnant wetlands like the many taals and baghars that occur in the sanctuary. Side by side the serenely swimming gharial can be seen frolicking Ganges dolphins, one of the six river dolphins that occur on our planet. The Girwa River has some of the best surviving populations of this species. This river originates as the Karnali in the Himalayas and emerges from the hills at the fabulous Cheesha Pani gorge in Nepal, which was once an angler’s mecca renowned for its spectacular carp, the Mahaseer. On emerging into the plains, the Karnali River breaks up into a loop, one arm of which is known as the Girwa while the other is called the Kauriala. The two arms reunite in India, few kilometers below Katerniaghat, and are joined by streams of Mohana from Dudhwa to form the mighty Ghagra River, a principal tributary of the Ganges. Close below the point of reunion is an irrigation barrage, whose expansive reservoir attracts waterfowl in winter and provides ample opportunities for exploring this aquatic landscape and viewing its wildlife through exciting motorboat cruises. With luck you may even spot albino fawn’s of the chital or the spotted deer which have been seen and photographed in these forests.

A large diversity of other mammals, birds and reptiles are found in the forests and waterbodies of Katerniaghat. Several species have been adversely affected by the ecological changes resulting from the changes in the moisture regime since the irrigation barrage became operational, while if any have actually benefited from this it is hard to say. For one the population of black bucks may have become extinct due to such changes on the other hand today the swamp deer can be seen certain habitats created because of the barrage. Several species of aquatic turtles also seem to have disappeared over the years since the barrage came into being.

The herpetofauna (reptiles and amphibians) of Katerniaghat is highly fascinating and represented by several species such as the Banded Krait, the Burmese Rock Python, the Yellow Speckled Wolf-snake and the Paradise Flying Snake that have been discovered here fairly recently along with a number of other species still waiting to be discovered.

The birdlife of the sanctuary is comparable to some of the most diverse avian assemblages in the subcontinent and includes a delightful and assortment of forest, wetland and hill migrant species which takes the checklist tally to an enviable total of 350 species recorded here.

Katerniaghat Sanctuary is a rare natural paradise just awaiting your arrival to enchant and thrill and to be admired, discovered and documented.

WHY THIS FOUNDATION?

The rapid depletion of fascinating forest reserves and wonderful wildlife of the Indian Terai is occurring at an ever accelerating pace and desperately need whatever succour they can get to survive. The requirement of a common platform for a group of like minded individuals to channelize their efforts, for the conservation of these forest habitats and their biodiversity, resulted in the formation of this foundation.

 OUR MISSION STATEMENT

The conservation of the forests and wildlife of India’s Terai Region for posterity as exemplified in magnificent Katerniaghat, by legally upgrading this Wildlife Sanctuary into a National Park and successful mitigation of factors threatening their degradation.