‘Sugarcane Tigers' in Pilibhit Tiger Reserve | 10 Oct 2024

Why in News?

Recently, over 10 tigers have mysteriously disappeared from the sugarcane fields of Pilibhit, raising fears of poaching or migration.

Key Points

• 'Sugarcane Tigers':
  • 'Sugarcane tigers' is a term used for tigers that inhabit sugarcane fields instead of forest areas.
  • These fields offer thick cover and prey, creating a habitat similar to forests.
  • Pilibhit, in Uttar Pradesh, is known for such tigers, as sugarcane fields offer shelter due to the shrinking forest cover and human encroachments in tiger habitats.
• Pilibhit Tiger Reserve :
  • It is located in Pilibhit and Shahjahanpur district of Uttar Pradesh.
  • It was notified as a Tiger Reserve in 2014.
    • In 2020, it bagged international award TX2 for doubling up the number of tigers in the past four years.
  • It forms part of Terai Arc Landscape in the upper Gangetic Plain.
  • The northern edge of the reserve lies along the Indo-Nepal border while the southern boundary is marked by the river Sharada and Khakra.
  • Flora and Fauna:
    • It is home to a habitat for over 127 animals, 326 bird species and 2,100 flowering plants.
    • Wild animals include tiger, swamp deer, bengal florican, leopard, etc.
    • It has high sal forests, plantations and grasslands with several water bodies.