Wildlife Sanctuary status given to Behali Reserve Forest by Assam Govt

Behali Reserved Forest (BRF) has been classified as a wildlife sanctuary by the Assam government.

Since 1917, the BRF has been Assam's Biswanath district's lone remaining semi-evergreen forest. It was home to around 950 species and spanned about 60 square kilometres.

As per the notification, “The Governor of Assam hereby appoints the Deputy Commissioner of Biswanath District to act as a Collector under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, to inquire into and determine the existence, nature, and extent of rights of any person in or over the land comprised within the limits described in the Schedule.”

Nature lovers and animal rights activists have long advocated for the designation of Behali Reserve Forest as a wildlife sanctuary.