Pilibhit wildlife sanctuary, now also recognised as a tiger reserve, is located in which Indian state?

Introduction / Context:
India has many wildlife sanctuaries and tiger reserves spread across different states. Knowing the location of important protected areas is a common requirement in general knowledge, especially for exams related to environment, geography, and civil services. Pilibhit wildlife sanctuary, which has also been notified as a tiger reserve, is one such protected area. This question asks you to identify the Indian state in which Pilibhit is located.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The protected area is Pilibhit wildlife sanctuary or Pilibhit Tiger Reserve.
• The options are Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Chhattisgarh.
• We assume a basic knowledge of the geography of Indian states and their major wildlife reserves.
• We focus on the state level location, not on district or exact coordinates.

Concept / Approach:
Pilibhit wildlife sanctuary is located in the state of Uttar Pradesh, near the India Nepal border, and forms part of the Terai Arc landscape. It has been recognised for its tiger population and declared a tiger reserve. Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Chhattisgarh also have important reserves, but Pilibhit does not belong to those states. For instance, Gujarat is known for Gir National Park, Madhya Pradesh for reserves like Kanha and Bandhavgarh, and Chhattisgarh for its own sanctuaries. Therefore, Uttar Pradesh is the correct answer.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Pilibhit is a district and region in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Step 2: Remember that Pilibhit wildlife sanctuary and Pilibhit Tiger Reserve form part of the Terai belt along the India Nepal border. Step 3: Compare with Madhya Pradesh, which is further south and known for reserves like Kanha, Bandhavgarh, and Pench, not Pilibhit. Step 4: Note that Gujarat is associated with Gir, the home of Asiatic lions, and Chhattisgarh has different protected areas, none named Pilibhit. Step 5: Conclude that the correct state for Pilibhit wildlife sanctuary is Uttar Pradesh.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, remember that lists of tiger reserves in India categorise Pilibhit Tiger Reserve under Uttar Pradesh along with Dudhwa and Amangarh. Geographic maps of tiger reserves show Pilibhit in the northern part of the country near the Himalayan foothills, consistent with the location of Uttar Pradesh, not central or western states like Madhya Pradesh or Gujarat. These repeated mappings in exam material and atlases confirm that Uttar Pradesh is the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Madhya Pradesh is wrong because, although it is known as the Tiger State due to several large tiger reserves, Pilibhit is not among them. Gujarat is incorrect since its flagship protected area is Gir National Park, famous for lions, whereas Pilibhit lies elsewhere. Chhattisgarh is also wrong as its tiger and wildlife reserves have different names and are located in central and eastern regions. None of these states contain a wildlife sanctuary named Pilibhit; that honour belongs to Uttar Pradesh.

Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is to associate all tiger reserves with Madhya Pradesh because of its reputation, and to answer that state without carefully recalling specific names. Another mistake is to confuse Pilibhit with other reserves in the Terai region like Dudhwa and assume it might be in a neighbouring state. To avoid such errors, it helps to create a mental or written list pairing key reserves with their states, such as Pilibhit and Dudhwa with Uttar Pradesh, Gir with Gujarat, and Kanha with Madhya Pradesh.

Final Answer:
The correct option is Uttar Pradesh, where Pilibhit wildlife sanctuary and Pilibhit Tiger Reserve are located.