Pakhui Tiger Reserve is a Project Tiger tiger reserve in the East Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India. The 862 square kilometres (333 sq mi) reserve is protected by the Department of Environment and Forest of Arunachal Pradesh. In a notification (CWL/D/26/94/1393-1492 Dated Itanagar the 19th April’2001) issued by the Principal Secretary the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh renamed Pakhui Wildlife Sanctuary as Pakke Wildlife Sanctuary Division. This Tiger Reserve has won India Biodiversity Award 2016 in the category of ‘Conservation of threatened species’ for its Hornbill Nest Adoption Programme. Pakke Wildlife Sanctuary (862 km2, 92°36’ – 93°09’E and 26°54 – 27°16’N) lies in the foothills of the Eastern Himalaya in the East Kameng District of Arunachal Pradesh. It was declared a sanctuary in 1977, and was earlier part of the Khellong Forest Division. It has been recently declared a tiger reserve in 2002 based on a proposal in 1999. Towards the south and south-east, the sanctuary adjoins reserved forests and Nameri National Park of Assam. To the east, lies the Pakke River and Papum Reserve Forest; to the west, the park is bounded by the Bhareli or Kameng River, Doimara RF and Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary and to the north again by the Kameng River and the Shergaon Forest Division (Tenga RF). Both Papum (1064 km2) and Doimara RF (216 km2) along with Amartala RF (west of Doimara RF) fall in Khellong Forest Division. The area of Doimara R.F. is 216 km2, while Papum R.F. encompasses an area of 1064 km2. Thus, the park is surrounded by contiguous forests on most sides. Selective logging on a commercial scale occurred in the reserve forests till 1996. The sanctuary is delineated by rivers in the east, west and north. In addition, the area is drained by a number of small rivers and, perennial streams of the Bhareli and Pakke Rivers, both of which are tributaries of the Brahmaputra. The main perennial streams in the area are the Nameri, Khari and Upper Dikorai. The terrain of Pakhui WLS and adjoining areas is undulating and hilly. The altitude ranges from 150 m to over 2000 m above sea level. Sessa Orchid Sanctuary and Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary are adjacent to PTR on the opposite side of the Kameng River in the west. The area of present Pakke Tiger Reserve was originally constituted as Pakhui Reserve Forest on July 1, 1966 and was declared as a Game Sanctuary on March 28, 1977. It was next declared as Pakhui Wildlife sanctuary in 2001, and was finally declared, as Pakhui Tiger Reserve on April 23, 2002 as the twenty sixth tiger reserve under Project Tiger of the National Tiger Conservation Authority. PTR is accessible through Seijosa in the east, Bhalukpong in the west and Pakke Kessang in the north. Seijosa is connected to Guwahati and Tezpur through the Soibari–Pakke Kessang road. Bhalukpong gate is well connected through the Tezpur-Bomdila tourist route. Pakke Kessang is accessible through Itanagar or Seppa route. Nearest railway station: Soibari (approx. 36 km), Biswanath Chariali (approx. 47 km) and Rangapara (approx. 60 km) from Seijosa or Bhalukpong. The nearest major town is Tezpur (approx. 65 km; 2 hours by road). Nearest airport: Tezpur (approx. 50 km) and Guwahati (approx. 280 km) from Seijosa or Bhalukpong. Bus services: Arunachal Pradesh State Transport (APST) or private bus services are available daily from Tezpur to Seijosa, Seppa or Itanagar. State buses do not ply on Thursdays. Bhalukpong is well connected with Tezpur, Rangapara, Guwahati, Balipara and Bomdila through APST bus services. Other transport options: Taxis can be hired from Biswanath Chariali/Tezpur/Rangapara/Balipara/Soibari/Itanagar to Seijosa, Bhalukpong or Pakke Kessang. Shared taxi services are available from Soibari to Seijosa, and from Itanagar/Seppa to Pakke Kessang.
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