UP’s Wildlife Boom: Protected Areas Record Over 1.45 Lakh Animals in 2025 After Rs 161 Crore Eco-Tourism Push

Lucknow, December 4, 2025: Marking World Wildlife Conservation Day, Uttar Pradesh presented a clear picture of how conservation and eco-tourism are beginning to reinforce each other on the ground. The state’s forests, wetlands and wildlife zones are now emerging as a practical example of how restored habitats, community participation and responsible tourism can move forward together.

Over the last three years, the UP Eco-Tourism Development Board has invested Rs 161 crore in natural destinations —

 • Rs 21.04 crore in 2022–23

 • Rs 68.56 crore in 2023–24

 • Rs 72.30 crore in 2024–25

 The work has focused on low-impact, eco-friendly infrastructure such as nature trails, birdwatching points, viewing towers, resting gazebos, signage, small cafeterias and children’s activity zones. These facilities were created without disturbing the ecological balance, giving visitors a better experience while keeping habitats undisturbed.

At the same time, wildlife presence in the Terai belt has shown a strong rise. The 2025 wildlife assessment records:

 • Dudhwa Tiger Reserve: well over 1.13 lakh animals

 • Katarniaghat Wildlife Division: nearly 18,000

 • Buffer zones: over 14,000

 Total wildlife presence in the Terai region now exceeds 1.45 lakh.

These improvements follow the 2022 estimate of nearly 92,000 animals across Dudhwa, Katarniaghat and the adjoining buffer belt. The upward trend points to the combined impact of habitat protection, wetland work, anti-poaching efforts and regulated tourism. Forest department teams have played a central role in this turnaround through increased patrolling, water source development, grassland work and continuous monitoring. The rising presence of tigers and rhinos in suitable habitats reflects the stability created by this groundwork.

Forest areas such as Dudhwa, Pilibhit, Katarniaghat, Amangarh and Sohagibarwa are steadily drawing more families, students, photographers and nature-seekers. Alongside the Terai, regions like Braj, the Ganga belt, Bundelkhand and Vindhya are benefiting from structured conservation initiatives that now complement responsible tourism.

A key strength of Uttar Pradesh’s model is community involvement. Nature guides trained in Dudhwa, Pilibhit and Katarniaghat help visitors interpret wildlife and forest behaviour. The Tharu community has been connected with tourism through traditional food, craft and homestay experiences — creating income lines that encourage long-term protection of natural heritage.

Long-term vision under Viksit UP @ 2047-

 Eco-tourism and wildlife conservation were given special focus at the Viksit Uttar Pradesh @ 2047 Tourism Workshop in Lucknow. Forest and tourism experts discussed improving forest rest houses, enhancing nature-based learning programmes, and expanding experiences such as butterfly trails, wetland circuits and guided jungle safaris. The Shaheed Chandra Shekhar Azad Bird Sanctuary — now recording more than 85 butterfly species — was highlighted as a strong example of biodiversity-driven tourism growth.

Under this long-term vision, Uttar Pradesh aims to:

 • allow tourism to grow without harming sensitive habitats

 • maintain clean, regulated and responsible nature destinations

 • keep tourism revenue within local communities

 • expand school and college learning tours

 • promote visitor awareness, not crowding

 • protect habitats through continuous monitoring

These goals link conservation, livelihoods and visitor experience in a unified approach.

“Eco-tourism is not an add-on for us; it is central to Uttar Pradesh’s 2047 vision. If conservation is strong, tourism grows; if tourism is responsible, conservation becomes stronger,” Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh said. He added that Uttar Pradesh’s forests attract a large number of nature lovers and that the priority is to keep their experience safe, responsible and memorable.

With rising wildlife presence in the Terai belt, improved eco-friendly facilities, active forest department involvement, trained guides and community-led homestays, Uttar Pradesh is shaping a model where eco-tourism supports conservation, and conservation supports tourism. The state now looks ahead to establishing its forests as a significant contributor to environmental protection, local livelihoods and sustainable travel in the years ahead.