Tourist season at the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) here was closed today and would resume from November 15, officials said.
The Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, which comprises Dudhwa National Park, Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary and Katarniaghat wildlife sanctuary is closed for five months every year in view of the monsoon season when the jungle gets flooded.
"This season, tourists in large numbers visited the park and enjoyed frequent sighting of tigers, which added to their excitement and pleasure of Dudhwa safari," Field Director of DTR Ramesh Pandey told PTI.
In total, 24,428 tourists, including 94 foreigners, visited the tiger reserve this seasons, he said.
From the next season, more efforts would be made to boost Dudhwa ecotourism and to ensure branding of tiger territories, Pandey said.
Also, Operation Monsoon to protect wild animals from floods and poachers would be launched, under which long-route patrolling would be introduced for the first time, the official said.
Established as a national park in 1977 to conserve the swamp deer, Dudhwa was taken up for rhino rehabilitation in 1984 owing to its natural habitat and rich flora and fauna.
In 1987, Dudhwa national park, Katarniaghat and Kishanpur sanctuaries were taken up as tiger reserve.
Dudhwa provides a natural home to nearly 400 species of birds, aquatic animals, tigers, wild boars, crocodiles, allegators, single-horned rhinos, besides a number of medicinal herbs.
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