Background and Location
Pakke Tiger Reserve, also known as Pakhui Tiger Reserve, is located in the East Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh. Situated in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas, it is one of the most important protected areas in Northeast India and forms part of the Eastern Himalayan Biodiversity Hotspot.
The reserve shares its southern boundary with Nameri Tiger Reserve (Assam), creating a continuous forest landscape that is vital for the movement of tigers, elephants and other wildlife. It was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1999–2000 under Project Tiger.
Key facts:
- State: Arunachal Pradesh
- District: East Kameng
- Tiger Reserve: Declared in 1999–2000
- Biogeographic Zone: Eastern Himalayas
- Neighbouring Protected Area: Nameri Tiger Reserve (Assam)
- River System: Pakke (Pachin), Kameng and their tributaries influence the landscape.
Ecological Significance
Pakke Tiger Reserve is one of India’s richest tropical forest ecosystems, comprising evergreen forests, semi-evergreen forests, moist deciduous forests and bamboo patches. The reserve receives high rainfall and supports exceptional floral and faunal diversity.
It is particularly renowned for its hornbill conservation programme and has emerged as a model for community-based wildlife conservation.
Important species found here include:
- Royal Bengal Tiger
- Asian Elephant
- Clouded Leopard
- Leopard
- Dhole (Wild Dog)
- Himalayan Black Bear
- Gaur
- Sambar
- Barking Deer
- Capped Langur
- Hoolock Gibbon
Pakke is internationally recognised for supporting four species of hornbills:
- Great Hornbill
- Wreathed Hornbill
- Oriental Pied Hornbill
- Rufous-necked Hornbill
The reserve is also one of the most important habitats for hornbill nesting in India.
Its connectivity with Nameri Tiger Reserve creates a landscape that allows free movement of large mammals, improving genetic diversity and long-term population viability.
Recent Developments
- Pakke Tiger Reserve has gained attention for its successful community-led conservation initiatives, particularly the Hornbill Nest Adoption Programme. Under this initiative, local communities are encouraged to protect hornbill nesting trees through financial incentives and community participation, significantly improving nesting success and reducing hunting pressure.
- The reserve has also become increasingly important because of the recovery of the larger Nameri-Pakke landscape. Recent reports of tiger recolonisation in Sonai-Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary and the increase in tiger numbers in Nameri Tiger Reserve underline the importance of maintaining ecological connectivity with Pakke.
Key Challenges
Despite its rich biodiversity, Pakke Tiger Reserve faces several conservation challenges.
Major concerns include:
- Habitat fragmentation due to developmental activities outside the reserve.
- Human-wildlife conflict involving elephants and other large mammals.
- Encroachment and pressure on buffer areas.
- Illegal hunting and wildlife trade, especially affecting birds and smaller mammals.
- Climate change impacts on forest ecosystems and river systems.
- Maintaining wildlife corridors with adjoining protected areas such as Nameri Tiger Reserve.
The long-term conservation of Pakke depends not only on protecting its core area but also on safeguarding the surrounding landscape and ensuring cooperation between Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
Way Forward
Conservation efforts in Pakke should focus on strengthening the Nameri-Pakke landscape, which functions as one ecological unit rather than two isolated protected areas.
Priority measures include:
- Protecting wildlife corridors linking Pakke with adjoining reserves.
- Expanding community-based conservation programmes such as the Hornbill Nest Adoption Programme.
- Strengthening anti-poaching patrols and scientific monitoring through camera traps and GIS-based habitat mapping.
- Promoting sustainable livelihoods for local communities to reduce dependence on forest resources.
- Enhancing interstate coordination between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh for landscape-level wildlife management.
- Expanding research on hornbills, elephants, tigers and climate resilience to support evidence-based conservation.
Pakke Tiger Reserve is an excellent example of how landscape connectivity, scientific management and community participation together can strengthen biodiversity conservation in Northeast India.
