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Wildlife Conservationist

Billy Arjan Singh

Born 15 August 1917 · verify — Died 1 January 2010

First to successfully reintroduce captive tigers and leopards into the wild in India.

Kunwar "Billy" Arjan Singh was an Indian hunter turned conservationist and author. He was the first who tried to reintroduce tigers and leopards from captivity into the wild.

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A detail that
surprised us

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Billy Arjan Singh’s tigress Tara, introduced into the wild in 1976, was suspected to carry Siberian tiger genes, sparking one of India’s earliest debates on tiger hybridization.

The Story

1
In 1973, Billy Arjan Singh reintroduced an orphaned male leopard named Prince into the wild of Dudhwa National Park, marking one of the earliest attempts to release big cats raised in captivity back into their natural habitat.
2
🌿 In 1976, Singh persuaded Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to convert Dudhwa’s forestry reserve into a 200-square-mile national park, paving the way for modern tiger conservation in India.
3🐅 That same year, Singh introduced Tara, a hand-reared tigress from Twycross Zoo in the UK, into the wild of Dudhwa, sparking debate due to her suspected Bengal-Siberian hybrid genetics.
4In the 1990s, tiger sightings in Dudhwa showed unusual Siberian tiger traits; Singh facilitated genetic testing that revealed the presence of Bengal tiger mitochondrial DNA, raising questions about hybridization in the wild.

🏅 Awards & Honours

—
Padma Shri

🔍 One thing most people don't know

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In 1973, Singh successfully reintroduced Prince, an orphaned male leopard raised in captivity, into Dudhwa’s forests, challenging prevailing skepticism about captive animal releases.

📸 Through the Years

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🗓️ A Life in Moments

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Birth
Birth in Gorakhpur
Billy Arjan Singh was born in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, into a Sikh royal family linked to Kapurthala.
1917
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Career
Establishes Tiger Haven
Bought land at Soheli and Neora rivers to create Tiger Haven, blending farming with wildlife sanctuary near Dudhwa.
1959
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Career
Reintroduces leopard Prince
Released Prince, an orphaned male leopard raised in captivity, into Dudhwa National Park.
1973
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Career
Dudhwa becomes National Park
Singh’s efforts secured Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s approval to make Dudhwa a 200-square-mile national park.
1976
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Career
Introduces tigress Tara
Hand-reared tigress Tara was brought from UK’s Twycross Zoo and reintroduced to the wild in Dudhwa.
1976
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Award
Awarded Padma Shri
Received one of India’s highest civilian honors, the Padma Shri, for conservation work.
1995
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Award
J. Paul Getty Wildlife Award
Honored with the J. Paul Getty Wildlife Conservation Award by WWF recognizing his innovations.
2004
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Award
Receives Padma Bhushan
Received Padma Bhushan, one of India’s highest civilian awards, acknowledging lifetime conservation efforts.
2006
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Death
Death at Tiger Haven
Billy Arjan Singh passed away peacefully at his farmhouse Tiger Haven near Dudhwa at age 92.
2010
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🗝️Discoveries

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01 / 04
🌍HISTORICAL IMPACT

In 1976, Singh obtained permission from Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to release Tara, a hand-reared tigress from the UK, into Dudhwa, an unprecedented act in Indian conservation history.

02 / 04
💡SURPRISING

Tiger sightings in the 1990s at Dudhwa showed traits of Siberian tigers, but genetic analysis revealed Bengal tiger mitochondrial DNA, suggesting maternal lineage from Bengal tigers despite hybrid appearances.

03 / 04
👤PERSONAL

Singh’s Tiger Haven farm, started in 1959 on land prone to flooding but enriched by Himalayan river silt, combined farming with wildlife protection on the edge of Dudhwa’s wilderness.

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🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
Excerpts of an Interview with Billy Arjan Singh Part ----- 2
·YouTube
More from this archive
Excerpts of an Interview with Billy Arjan Singh Part ----- 2
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Excerpts of an Interview with Billy Arjan Singh Part ----- 2
YouTube
Excerpts of an Interview with Billy Arjan Singh
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Excerpts of an Interview with Billy Arjan Singh
YouTube
Presiding Deity
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Presiding Deity
YouTube
Billy Arjan Singh - who dedicated 60 yrs of life in protecting Wild Life | Dudhwa National Park 2020
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Billy Arjan Singh - who dedicated 60 yrs of life in protecting Wild Life | Dudhwa National Park 2020
YouTube

🌱 What changed because of them

Billy Arjan Singh’s advocacy led to the transformation of Dudhwa into a national park and later a tiger reserve, setting a precedent for protected areas dedicated to big cat conservation in India. His pioneering work in reintroducing captive-raised tigers and leopards influenced wildlife management practices and raised awareness about human-wildlife coexistence. His Tiger Haven farm became a model for integrating sustainable farming with wildlife preservation.

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