Quick answer: Pilibhit Tiger Reserve is a Terai tiger reserve in Uttar Pradesh on the India–Nepal border, declared in June 2014. It is in the news because its 2026–27 tourism season began on 1 November 2026, under a new, longer window that runs to 30 June.
Why Pilibhit Tiger Reserve is in the news
In September 2026, the Uttar Pradesh forest department announced that Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) would open to tourists from 1 November to 30 June, nearly eight months a year. P.P. Singh, Chief Conservator of Forests (Bareilly) and PTR Field Director, told PTI that the season used to run roughly from 15 November to 15 June. In 2024–25 it began only on 6 November. Under the new arrangement, entry fees are higher on Saturdays and Sundays than on weekdays. Before the 1 November 2026 opening, huts, restaurants and safari routes were repaired, especially at Chuka Beach, the reserve’s most popular spot.
Key facts about Pilibhit Tiger Reserve
- Location: the Terai of Uttar Pradesh, along the India–Nepal border in the Himalayan foothills. It is part of the Terai Arc Landscape and the upper Gangetic Plain biogeographic province.
- Status: notified as a wildlife sanctuary in February 2014 and declared a tiger reserve in June 2014. Its forests were first notified as reserved forests back in 1879.
- Area: about 730 sq km, of which roughly 602 sq km is core and 127 sq km is buffer (Wildlife Institute of India).
- Rivers and water: the reserve is a catchment for the Sharda, Chuka and Mala Khannot rivers. The 22 km Sharda Sagar Dam lies on its boundary.
- Neighbours: Shuklaphanta National Park (Nepal) to the north-east and the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve buffer to the south-east. Key corridors are Lagga Bagga–Shuklaphanta and Garha–Lalpur.
- Tiger success: tigers rose from 25 in 2014 to 65 in 2018, a 2.6-fold increase. This won PTR the inaugural TX2 Award in 2020.
- Elephants too: PTR is a crucial part of the Terai Elephant Reserve, notified on 29 December 2022.
Habitat and wildlife
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Forest types | Tropical moist deciduous, tropical dry deciduous, seasonal swamp and tropical semi-evergreen forests, mixed with sal forest and tall alluvial grasslands |
| Species count (WII) | 35 mammal species and 350 bird species |
| Flagship animals | Tiger, leopard, sloth bear, swamp deer (barasingha), hispid hare, honey badger |
| Grassland birds | Bengal florican, Finn’s weaver, swamp francolin |
| Main threats | Location on the international border, floods, fires, road kills and human–wildlife conflict |
How Pilibhit doubled its tigers
WWF calls Pilibhit one of the narrowest tiger reserves in India, surrounded by some of the densest human settlements in any tiger landscape. Sugarcane fields around the forest act as an extension of the habitat, so tigers often stray outside. The Wildlife Institute of India’s management review credits several steps:
- Systematic patrolling with M-STrIPES and 82 anti-poaching camps and watchtowers.
- Drones and an e-surveillance system at four sensitive sites.
- Joint patrols with the SSB, the police and Nepal’s Shuklaphanta authorities.
- Grassland and wetland management to increase prey.
- A dedicated Field Director post, created on 28 June 2018.
- Conflict control through a Rapid Response Team, volunteer “Bagh Mitras”, 72 identified conflict-prone villages, and about 65 km of solar and chain-link fencing.
Eco-tourism has grown alongside. Visitor numbers rose from 7,122 in 2019–20 to 18,745 in 2021–22, creating jobs for local youth as guides and drivers. Safari bookings are taken at points such as the Mustafabad and Mahof gates.
Exam angle: how NDA, CDS and CAPF can ask this
- Tiger reserves and the states they lie in are among the most-asked environment facts. Pair Pilibhit with Dudhwa as Uttar Pradesh’s Terai reserves.
- The TX2 goal (doubling wild tigers) and the reserves that met it early are good one-liners for current affairs.
- Transboundary corridors with Nepal (Shuklaphanta) link wildlife to India–Nepal border management, which is relevant for SSB and CAPF aspirants.
- Terai and Bhabar landforms are a standard NDA geography topic.
Practice MCQs
Q1. Pilibhit Tiger Reserve shares a wildlife corridor with which protected area in Nepal?
(a) Chitwan National Park (b) Shuklaphanta National Park (c) Bardia National Park (d) Sagarmatha National Park
Answer: (b) — The Lagga Bagga–Shuklaphanta corridor connects the two.
Q2. Pilibhit Tiger Reserve received the first TX2 Award for:
(a) Reintroducing cheetahs (b) More than doubling its tiger population (c) Zero poaching for ten years (d) Relocating all villages
Answer: (b) — Tigers rose from 25 in 2014 to 65 in 2018.
Q3. Which dam lies on the boundary of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve?
(a) Rihand (b) Matatila (c) Sharda Sagar (d) Tehri
Answer: (c) — The 22 km long Sharda Sagar Dam borders the reserve.
Q4. From the 2026–27 season, Pilibhit Tiger Reserve is open to tourists:
(a) 15 Oct–15 May (b) 1 Nov–30 Jun (c) 15 Nov–15 Jun (d) All year
Answer: (b) — The season was extended to run from 1 November to 30 June.
Frequently asked questions
When does Pilibhit Tiger Reserve open for tourists in 2026?
The 2026–27 season opened on 1 November 2026 and runs until 30 June 2027, nearly eight months.
When was Pilibhit declared a tiger reserve?
The area became a wildlife sanctuary in February 2014 and was declared a tiger reserve in June 2014.
What is the area of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve?
About 730 sq km, with a core of about 602 sq km and a buffer of about 127 sq km.
Why did Pilibhit win the TX2 Award?
Its tiger count rose from 25 in 2014 to 65 in 2018, more than doubling the population in four years.
What is Chuka Beach?
Chuka Beach is the reserve’s best-known tourist spot, with huts and restaurants for visitors. These were repaired before the 2026–27 season.
Also read on NCA: Pench Tiger Reserve | Gangetic river dolphin | Monthly defence current affairs | CAPF coaching in Chandigarh
Sources: PTI via ThePrint, Wildlife Institute of India (MEE of Tiger Reserves), District Pilibhit (NIC), WWF Tigers Alive. Facts as reported up to 3 November 2026.
Featured image background: A. J. T. Johnsingh, WWF-India and NCF / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
