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When Bihar was divided in 2000, most of its forests went to Jharkhand. The Bihar that remained is one of India's least-forested large states — a dense, agricultural plain with forest largely confined to its edges. Yet it still has a tiger reserve, India's only sanctuary for Gangetic dolphins, important bird sanctuaries, and one of the country's most ambitious tree-planting programmes.
Forest cover
- According to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR), Bihar's recorded forest and tree cover is low as a share of its area — well below the national average and far below the National Forest Policy's goal of 33 per cent.
- Forests are concentrated in:
- West Champaran (Valmiki, in the Shivalik foothills);
- Kaimur and Rohtas (the Kaimur plateau);
- Gaya, Nawada, Jamui, Munger and Banka (hills of the southern fringe).
Forest types
| Type | Where | Species |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical moist deciduous | Valmiki (West Champaran) | Sal, shisham, khair, semal |
| Tropical dry deciduous | Kaimur, Rohtas, Gaya, Jamui, Munger, Banka | Sal, mahua, tendu, palash, bamboo |
| Riverine and grassland | Along rivers; the terai | Grasses, khair, sissoo |
Valmiki Tiger Reserve and National Park
- Located in West Champaran, bordering Nepal's Chitwan National Park and Uttar Pradesh's Sohagi Barwa sanctuary.
- Declared a tiger reserve in 1990 (in the 1989–90 round of Project Tiger).
- Includes Valmiki National Park — Bihar's only national park.
- Named after the sage Valmiki; the region has associations with the Ramayana tradition.
- Tiger numbers have increased in recent All-India Tiger Estimation reports.
- Cross-border movement of tigers, rhinos and elephants with Chitwan makes India–Nepal cooperation important.
A second tiger reserve in the Kaimur landscape has been under consideration; check the current status on the NTCA website.
Wildlife and bird sanctuaries (selected)
| Sanctuary | District | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary | Kaimur, Rohtas | Largest wildlife sanctuary in Bihar; plateau forests; waterfalls |
| Bhimbandh | Munger | Hot springs; forest |
| Gautam Buddha | Gaya | Forested hills |
| Rajgir (Pant) | Nalanda | Hills around Rajgir |
| Udaipur | West Champaran | Around a lake |
| Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary | Bhagalpur | India's only dolphin sanctuary (Sultanganj to Kahalgaon) |
| Kanwar Lake Bird Sanctuary | Begusarai | Large freshwater wetland; Ramsar site |
| Salim Ali Jubba Sahni Bird Sanctuary (Barela) | Vaishali | Wetland birds |
| Kusheshwar Asthan | Darbhanga | Wetland birds |
| Nagi and Nakti Dams | Jamui | Bird sanctuaries; Ramsar sites |
The Gangetic dolphin
- India's national aquatic animal (declared in 2009).
- Nearly blind; uses echolocation.
- Threats: pollution, dams and barrages, fishing nets, sand mining, boat traffic.
- Project Dolphin (announced in 2020) and the National Dolphin Research Centre in Patna support conservation.
State symbols of Bihar
| Symbol | Species |
|---|---|
| State animal | Gaur (Indian bison) |
| State bird | House sparrow |
| State tree | Peepal |
| State flower | Marigold |
The Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali Abhiyan
- Launched by the state government in 2019, linking water, life and greenery.
- Components include tree plantation on a large scale, renovation of ponds, wells and ahar–pynes, rainwater harvesting, check dams, solar energy and climate-resilient agriculture.
- Bihar has also run large plantation drives, aiming to raise green cover.
Conservation challenges
| Challenge | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Low forest cover | Dense population, agricultural land demand |
| Human–wildlife conflict | Around Valmiki (tigers, leopards); elephants entering from Nepal and Jharkhand; nilgai (blue bull) damaging crops across the plains |
| Poaching and illegal felling | In border and hill forests |
| River degradation | Threatens dolphins and wetlands |
| Mining and quarrying | In the southern hills |
| Climate change | Floods, heat and drought affect ecosystems |
Practice
Prelims-style:
- Which is the only national park in Bihar?
- Which national park in Nepal adjoins Valmiki?
- Where is the Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary?
- What are Bihar's state animal and state bird?
- What is the Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali Abhiyan?
Mains-style:
- "Bihar must increase green cover without reducing farmland." Discuss strategies.
- Examine the threats to the Gangetic dolphin and suggest conservation measures.
A note on dates and numbers. Exam patterns, vacancies and schedules change from year to year. Always confirm the current details in the latest notification on the Bihar Public Service Commission website .
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