Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary
| Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
Signboard in Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, Bahraich, UP. | |
| Location | On the banks of Sarayu river Bahraich district, Uttar Pradesh, India |
| Nearest city | Bahraich City (103 km) |
| Coordinates | 28°19′N 81°07′E / 28.31°N 81.12°E |
| Area | 400.6 square kilometres (99,000 acres) |
| Established | 1975 |
| Governing body | Ministry of Forest and Wildlife of Uttar Pradesh |
The Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area in the Upper Gangetic plain, near Bahraich city in Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh, India and covers an area of 400.6 km2 (154.7 sq mi) in the Terai of the Bahraich district. It was established in 1975. In 1987, it was brought under the purview of the Project Tiger, and together with the Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary and the Dudhwa National Park it forms the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve.
It is located in the Gangetic plains. The sanctuary consists of mixed deciduous forest with sal trees. It is home to many wild animals including chital, hog deer, wild boar, tiger, elephant, leopard, jackal, langur, porcupine and otter. It hosts many reptiles, including mugger crocodile, gharial, rock phython and king cobra. It is home to many endangered species. In 2012, a rare red coral kukri snake was sighted in the sanctuary. This snake with the scientific name Oligodon kheriensis was first described from the North Kheri Division in 1936.