Behali Reserved Forest (BRF) has been granted wildlife sanctuary status by the Assam government, an official notification stated.

Declared in 1917, the BRF has been the last remaining semi-evergreen forest located in Assam’s Biswanath district. It was a home to around 950 species with a total geographical area of around 60 sq km.

“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,” the notification stated.

For long, nature lovers and wildlife activists have been demanding to declare Behali reserve forest as a wildlife sanctuary.

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