List of Important Wildlife Sanctuaries of India

List of Important Wildlife Sanctuaries of India

Wildlife Sanctuary?

Wildlife Sanctuary is an area comprised of any reserve forest or territorial waters that can be notified by the State Government to constitute a sanctuary if such an area is of adequate ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, and natural or zoological significance, to protect, propagate, or develop wildlife or its environment.

There are 566 existing wildlife sanctuaries in India  122420 km², which is 3.72% of the geographical area of the country (National Wildlife Database, Dec. 2020).

among these, the 51 tiger reserves are governed by Project Tiger and are of special significance for the conservation of the Bengal tiger.

 

What is ecotourism?

Ecotourism means catering to that tourist who wishes to experience the natural environment without damaging or disturbing its habitats. A form of responsible travel to natural areas, conversing with the environment and improving the well-being of the local people. There are many wildlife Sanctuaries involved in ecotourism.

List of Some Important Wildlife Sanctuaries of India:

State	S.NO	Name of Protected Area	Year of Notification	Area (in km2)
Andhra Pradesh	1.	Coringa	1978	235.7
	2.	Koundinya	1990	357.6
	3.	Kolleru Bird Sanctuary	1953	308.55
	4.	Krishna	1989	194.81
	5.	Nagarjuna Sagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve	1978	2131.31
	6.	Nellapattu Bird sanctuary	1976	4.5892
Arunachal Pradesh	1	Pakke (Pakhui) tiger resrve	1977	861.95
	2	Sessa Orchid	1989	100
	3	Dibang	1991	4149
Assam	1.	Amchang	2004	78.64
	2	Barail	2004	326.24
	3	Deepor Beel	1989	4.14
	4	Lawkhowa	1972	70.13
Bihar	1	Barela Jheel Salim Ali Bird	1997	1.96
	2	Bhimbandh	1976	681.99
	3	Gautam Budha	1976	138.34
	4	Kanwarjheel	1989	63.11
	5	Kusheshwar Asthan Bird	1994	29.17
	6	Valmiki Tiger Reserve	1978	545.15
Chhattisgarh	1	Achanakmar	1975	551.55
	2	Pamed Wild Buffalo	1985	262.12
	3	Sitanadi	1974	553.36
Goa	1	Bhagwan Mahavir	1967	133
		Netravali	1999	211.05
Gujarat	1	Gaga (Great Indian Bustard)	1988	3.33
	2	Girnar	2008	178.8
	3	Kachchh (Lala) Great Indian Bustard	1995	2.03
	4	Marine (Gulf of Kachchh)	1980	295.03
	5	Nal Sarovar Bird	1969	120.82
	6	Wild Ass	1973	4953.71
Haryana	1	Kalesar	1996	54.36
Himachal Pradesh	1	Bandli	1962	32.11
	2	Chandratal	2007	38.56
	3	Dhauladhar	1994	982.86
	4	Kanawar	1954	107.29
	5	Pong Dam Lake	1982	207.59
Jharkhand	1	Gautam Budha	1976	121.14
	2	Dalma	1976	193.22
	3	Palkot	1990	182.83
Karnataka	1	Adichunchunagiri Peacock	1981	0.84
	2	Brahmagiri	1974	181.29
	3	Chincholi	2012	134.88
	4	Cauvery Extension	2019	53.39
	5	Ghataprabha Bird	1974	29.78
	6	Talakaveri	1987	105.59
	7	Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary	1974, 2011	314.25
Kerala	1	Aralam	1984	55
	2	Chinnar	1984	90.44
	3	Idukki	1976	70
	4	Kottiyoor	2011	30.38
	5	Malabar	2010	74.22
	6	Periyar	1950	427
	7	Wayanad	1973	344.44
Madhya Pradesh	1	Bori	1977	485.715
	2	Ken Gharial	1981	45.2
	3	Pachmarhi	1977	491.632
	4	Pench Moghli	1975	118.473
	5	Son Gharial	1981	83.684
Maharashtra	1	New Maldhok Bird (Gangewadi)	2012	1.98
	2	Koyana	1985	423.55
	3	Lonar	2000	1.17
Mizoram	1	Dampa	1985	545
	2	Khawnglung	1992	35
	3	Thorangtlang	2002	180
Nagaland	1	Fakim	1980	6.41
Odisha	1	Balukhand Konark	1984	71.72
	2	Bhitarkanika	1975	525
	3	Chilika (Nalaban)	1987	15.53
	4	Gahirmatha (Marine)	1997	1435
	5	Simlipal	1979	1354.3
Punjab	1	Harike Lake	1982	86
		Nangal	2009	2.9
Rajasthan	1	Jawahar Sagar	1975	153.41
	2	Mount Abu	1960	326.1
	3	Sariska	1955	219
	4	Van Vihar	1955	25.6
Tamil Nadu	1	Cauvery North	2014	504.3348
	2	Indira Gandhi (Annamalai)	1976	841.49
	3	Kalakad	1976	223.58
	4	Pulicat Lake Bird	1980	153.67
	5	Vaduvoor Bird	1991	1.281
Telangana	1	Amrabad (Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam)	1978	2166.37
	2	Pranahita	1980	136.03
	3	Pakhal	1952	860
Tripura	1	Gumti	1988	389.54
	2	Sepahijala	1987	18.533
Uttar Pradesh	1	Bakhira	1990	28.94
	2	Chandraprabha	1957	78
	3	Mahavir Swami	1977	5.41
	4	Okhala Bird	1990	4
	5	Parvati Aranga	1990	10.84
	6	Patna	1990	1.09
	7	Samaspur Bird	1987	7.99
	8	Sandi Bird	1990	3.09
	9	Sur Sarovar Bird	1991	4.03
Uttarakhand	1	Kedarnath	1972	975.2
West Bengal	1	Buxa Tiger Reserve situated in northern West Bengal, India, covering an area of 760 km2 (290 sq mi). Among 284 bird species inhabit the reserve	1986	251.89
	2	West Sunderban	2013	556.45
Andaman & Nicobar Islands	1	Barren Island Located in the Andaman sea, is the only confirmed active volcano in South Asia	1987	8.1
	2	Duncan Island	1987	0.73
	3	Lohabarrack (Saltwater Crocodile)	1987	22.21
	4	Reef Island	1987	1.74
Chandigarh	1	City Bird	1998	0.029
	2	Sukhna Lake	1986	25.98
Jammu & Kashmir	1	Gulmarg	1987	180
	2	Hirapora	1987	341.25
	3	Hokersar	1992	13.75
	4	Rajparian (Daksum)	2002	20
Ladakh	1	Changthang	1987	4000
	2	Karakoram (Nubra Shyok)	1987	5000
Lakshadweep	1	Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary – (Pitti Bird Sanctuary	1995	0.01

 

References:

• http://wiienvis.nic.in/database/wls_8230.aspx
• http://moef.gov.in/en/
• https://wii.gov.in/wildlife_sanctuaries

 

You may also read: 💡

• RAMSAR wetland sites
• Biosphere reserves of India
• Lakes of India

Thank you 🙂