Wildlife Sanctuaries of Punjab, List of Wildlife Sanctuaries of Punjab, Wildlife Sanctuaries in Punjab, Popular Wildlife Sanctuaries of Punjab, All wildlife Sanctuaries of India, Wildlife Sanctuaries State Wise, Abohar Wildlife Sanctuary, Bir Aishvan Wildlife Sanctuary, Bir Aishvan Wildlife Sanctuary, Bir Bhadson Wildlife Sanctuary, Bir Bhunerheri Wildlife Sanctuary, Bir Dosanjh Wildlife Sanctuary, Bir Gurdialpura Wildlife Sanctuary, Bir Mehaswala Wildlife Sanctuary, Bir Motibagh Wildlife Sanctuary Harike Lake Widlife Sanctuary, Jhajjar Bacholi Wildlife Sanctuary, Kathlaur Kushlian Wildlife Sanctuary, Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary
Table of Contents
Wildlife Sanctuaries of Punjab
Abohar Wildlife Sanctuary
Formed to enable the protection of the majestic blackbuck, the Abohar sanctuary comprises agricultural areas and 13 villages of the Bishnoi community. The blackbuck is sacred to the Bishnoi people, who have always protected them against poaching. Due to the local culture there is a harmonious co-existence of man and animal and black bucks roam freely in their villages.
The efforts of the Bishnoi community have increased their numbers within the sanctuary to over 4000, making it a successful effort in conservation as the region has the largest population of black bucks. Similar efforts have also been made to protect the bluebull which roams the area. A large variety of flora and fauna like wild boar, bluebull, porcupine, jackal etc. are present in the sanctuary.
Animals: Bluebull, wild boar, black buck, Indian rabbit, golden jackal, Indian crested porcupine.
Plants: Acacia nilotica, Azadirachta indica, Albizia Lebcke, Dalbergia Sisso, Prosopis cineraria.
Bir Aishvan Wildlife Sanctuary
Located 3 kilometers away from Sangrur town in Sangrur district, Bir Aishwan Wildlife Sanctuary covers an area of 264.40 hectares in the state. The area was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1952 under the fauna protection rules of Patiala. The sanctuary is home to abundant wildlife species like jungle cat, bluebull, golden jackal, Indian rabbit, rhesus macaque, peacock, spotted owl, black partridge, gray partridge etc.
There is also an Environment Consciousness Center within the limits of the sanctuary. As veterans have advised, the state’s true beauty is evident in its sanctuaries. Bir Eishwan Wildlife Sanctuary, with its beautiful landscape, is one of the gems of the state.
Animals: Bluebull, jungle cat, golden jackal, rhesus macaque, Indian rabbit; Indian peacock, black partridge, gray partridge, spotted owl.
Plants: Arjun, Beri, Dhak, Drake, Kikar, Mesquite, Neem, Falahi, Shisham, Simbal.
Bir Bhadson Wildlife Sanctuary
The sanctuary is situated on the left side of Nabha-Bhadas-N Gobindgarh Road in Patiala district of Punjab. Spread over 1022.63 hectares, it was declared a wildlife sanctuary in the year 1952 under the Patiala Fauna Preservation Rules, 1896. This beautiful sanctuary is home to a variety of wildlife species like jungle cat, bluebull, rhesus macaque, golden eagle, etc. Jackal, Indian rabbit, others. The rich habitat consists mostly of northern tropical dry mixed deciduous type forests.
Animals: Bluebull, jungle cat, golden jackal, rhesus macaque, Indian rabbit; Indian peacock, rose-ringed parrot, spotted owlet, black partridge, gray partridge.
Plants: Arjun, Beri, Dhak, Drake, Kikar, Mesquite, Neem, Falahi, Shisham, Simbal.
Bir Bhunerheri Wildlife Sanctuary
Located at a distance of 15 km from district Patiala, Bir Bhunerheri Wildlife Sanctuary is spread over an area of 6.62 km2 of state land on the Patiala-Devi Garh Road. Declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1952 under the Patiala Fauna Preservation Rules, 1896, the area is home to picturesque forests. These forests are filled with Sheesham and Kikar trees which are commonly found throughout the sanctuary. The lush habitat provided by the area’s forests is home to a wide variety of species of wildlife and flora.
Animals: Bluebull, jungle cat, rhesus macaque, blackbuck, Indian crested porcupine; Indian peacock, black partridge, gray partridge, spotted owl.
Plants: Arjun, Beri, Dhak, Drake, Kikar, Mesquite, Neem, Falahi, Shisham, Simbal.
Bir Dosanjh Wildlife Sanctuary
Bir Dosanjh Wildlife Sanctuary, on the Nabha to Jorepul road, adjacent to Nabha town, is spread over an area of 517.59 hectares of state land in Patiala district. Declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1952, the area consists of tropical dry mixed deciduous forests. The forest provides ideal habitat for local wildlife, with most mammals including bluebulls, jungle cats, rhesus macaques, but also a good variety of birds and reptiles.
Animals: Bluebull, jungle cat, rhesus macaque, blackbuck, Indian crested porcupine; Indian Peacock, Black Pheasant, Gray Pheasant, Spotted Owl, Russell’s Viper.
Plants: Arjun, Beri, Dhak, Drake, Kikar, Mesquite, Neem, Falahi, Shisham, Simbal.
Bir Gurdialpura Wildlife Sanctuary
Located at a distance of 45 kilometers from Patiala city, Bir Gurdiyalpura Sanctuary is on the Patiala-Samana-Shatrana Road. Extending over an area of 620.53 hectares of state land. It was officially declared a wildlife sanctuary in the year 2003. Located in the semiarid zone, with tropical dry mixed deciduous type forests, the region is home to a wide variety of plants and animals. Trees like Arjun, Dhak, Kikar and Shisham are commonly found in this region. Some of the species of wildlife that can be seen here include bluebull, jungle cat, blackbuck, porcupine etc.
Animals: Bluebull, jungle cat, rhesus macaque, blackbuck, Indian crested porcupine; Indian peacock, black partridge, gray partridge, spotted owl, Indian rock python.
Plants: Arjun, Beri, Dhak, Drake, Kikar, Mesquite, Neem, Falahi, Shisham, Cymbal, Eucalyptus.
Bir Mehaswala Wildlife Sanctuary
There is no better place than Bir Mehswala Wildlife Sanctuary to experience the true beauty of the state of Punjab. Taking its name from the Mehas village located nearby, the sanctuary is relatively small in size compared to other protected areas in the state. However, green habitats are vital for the survival and sustenance of many species of both animals and birds.
The sanctuary is a safe haven for many species that are facing the threat of extinction. Fruit trees and other trees are being planted by the forest department as part of a project to ensure adequate food for the animals. Tourists visiting Patiala often visit this famous wildlife spot.
Animals: Rhesus macaque, jungle cat, baulbuck, Indian crested porcupine, bluebull, golden jackal; Indian peacock, gray partridge, black partridge, spotted owl; Russell Viper.
Plants: Arjun, Beri, Dhak, Drake, Kikar, Mesquite, Neem, Falahi, Shisham, Simbal (vegetation of the area in general).
Bir Motibagh Wildlife Sanctuary
Located at a distance of about 5 kilometers from Patiala district, the sanctuary is on the Patiala-Dakala Road and is spread over an area of 6.54 km2 of state land. It was first declared a wildlife sanctuary in the year 1952. Located in the semi-arid zone, this habitat consists of tropical dry mixed deciduous forests. This forest is home to a vast biodiversity of wildlife and flora.
Animals: Bluebull, jungle cat, rhesus macaque, blackbuck, Indian crested porcupine; Indian Peacock, Black Pheasant, Gray Pheasant, Spotted Owl, Russell’s Viper, Brahminy Myna, Quail.
Plants: Arjun, Beri, Dhak, Drake, Kikar, Mesquite, Neem, Falahi, Shisham, Simbal.
Harike Lake Widlife Sanctuary
Located about 58 kilometers from Amritsar, this wildlife sanctuary is spread over over 8,000 hectares of government land in the districts of Tarn Tarn, Firozpur and Kapurthala. The Harike Pond area was officially declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1992 for a period of 10 years and then finally in 1999. The area is adorned with migratory birds that visit in large numbers during the winter months. The sanctuary was declared a Ramsar site of international importance in the year 1990. Common bird species found here include Bar Headed Goose, Red Crested Pochard, White Eyed Pochard, Purple Moorhen etc.
Animals: Indus river dolphin, wild boar, gray mongoose, smoothcoated otter, jungle cat, golden jackal; Red-crested pochard, tufted pochard, rufous-vented prinia, Jerdan’s babbler, red-headed vulture, Indian skimmer, lesser adjutant, imperial eagle, darter, painted stork, blacknecked stork, black-headed ibis, ferruginous pochard, pallid harrier; Indian roofed turtle, Indian flapshell turtle.
Plants: Amaltas, Bahera, Bel, Chitta Siris, Drake, Water Hyacinth, Elephant Grass, Gandhela, Kahi, Kachnar, Black Siris, Khair, Dates, Napier Grass, Sukhchain, Puthakanda, Nara.
Jhajjar Bacholi Wildlife Sanctuary
Located about 15 kilometers from Anandpur Sahib city, this sanctuary falls in the government forest area of Rupnagar district. Spread over an area of 1.16 km2 spanning Jhajjar, Bachauli and Lamlehadi villages, most of its area belonging to Jhajjar village, the area was first declared a wildlife sanctuary in 2003. Part of the semi-arid biogeographical zone, the region’s forests harbor a large diversity of mammals, birds and reptiles. Abundant biodiversity of plants is also found here.
Animals: Golden jackal, barking deer, leopard, Indian rabbit, bluebull, red junglefowl, Cobra, rat snake, garden lizard, monitor lizard, Indian python.
Plants: Subbool, Sheesham, Dhak, Amla, Khair, Bor, Arjun, Kikar, Neem, Peepal, Eucalyptus.
Kathlaur Kushlian Wildlife Sanctuary
The sanctuary is located along the new bypass of the Amritsar-Jammu Highway at Pathankot in Gurdaspur district. It is spread over an area of 7.58 km2 of government forest which covers several nearby villages. It was notified as a wildlife sanctuary in the year 2007. The habitat of the sanctuary is quite unique with dense, closed canopy forests spread all around along with open grasslands and water bodies. Situated on the banks of the Ravi River, the sanctuary is host to a vast biodiversity of wildlife, with mammals including spotted deer, wild boar, pangolins, etc. The region also has a good diversity of bird, reptile and floral populations.
Animals: Spotted deer, India pangolin, wild boar, Black partridge, gray partridge, rose-ringed parrot, spotted owl, tailor bird, white-tailed vulture, Indian python.
Plants: Subabul, Shisham, Dhak, Amla, Khair, Bor, Arjun, Kikar, Neem, Peepal, Drake.
Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary
Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the foothills of the Himalayan mountain range, Shivalik, an extremely eco-sensitive area that supports a rich diversity of flora and fauna including many species whose status is threatened. A man-made reservoir built in 1961 as a part of the Bhakra-Nangal Project is also a component of the sanctuary. The site is of historical significance because the Indian and Chinese prime ministers formalized the “Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence” there in 1954.
More than half a million people benefit from the reservoir by controlling water flow, reducing risks to both. People and property from flood. The Forest and Wildlife Conservation Department (Rupnagar Wildlife Division), Punjab is responsible for the management of the sanctuary.
Animals: Smooth-coated otter, red jungle fowl, Indian cuckoo, shikra, yellow-eyed babbler, crested bunting, Indian python, cobra, Oriental rat snake.
Plants: Khair, Shisham, Subabul, Sirish, Neem, Amb, Dhak, Cramble, Mesquite, Amla, Arjun, Banyan, Kikar, Chilbil Papri and Peepal.