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Manali
Manali Wildlife Sanctuary
Notified as a sanctuary in 1954, Manali Wildlife Sanctuary has many a breathtaking view. The lush alpine green pastures and
glaciers draw tourists from across the globe. The snappy fragrance of deodars, kail, horse chestnut, walnut and maple fills the
forest air and it is not entirely uncommon to spot pugmarks of bears and leopards. Spread across an area of 31.8 sq km, it is
home to a number of species such as the Himalayan black bear, the Himalayan palm civet, barking deer, flying fox, ghoral,
Indian hare, striped hyena, the leopard, Himalayan yellow-throated marten, serow, Kashmir flying squirrel and Himalayan tahr.
Safe enough to trek, the sanctuary is strewn with burbling streams that complement the sounds of the forest; the snow-capped
mountains only add to the pristine beauty of the sanctuary.
Munnar
Eravikulam National Park
Apart from the sprawling greenery of the tea gardens, Munnar also boasts of Eravikulam National Park. Instituted as a natural habitat
for the Nilgiri tahr, it protects the largest population of tahrs in the world. Spread over an area of 97 sq km, the park is located along
the high ranges of the Western Ghats in the Munnar forest division of Idukki district, Kerala. Peninsular India’s highest peak,
Anaimudi (2,695m) falls within the limits of this Park. The spectacular Neelakurinji plant that blooms once in 12
years between September and December transforming the hills into a riveting purple-blue carpet, is also found in the
park. Among the fauna, tigers, Malabar civets, lion-tailed macaques, wild dogs, barking deer, sambars, elephants
and nilgai are also found here. In the avian variety, black eagles, mountain hawk eagles, peregrine falcon, jungle
fowls, painted bush quails, horn bills, Malabar whistling thrush, Malabar parakeets, Asian fairy bluebirds, Nilgiri
wood pigeon, Malabar lark, Nilgiri pipit, hill mynahs, black bulbuls, black-and-orange flycatchers and little spider
hunters can also be spotted here.
Coorg
Nagarhole National Park
The Park is named after the river that flows through it and means ‘snake river’, although it has recently been
renamed Rajiv Gandhi National Park. A huge reserve for elephants and bisons, the park merges
three forests that have deciduous trees, grassy swamps, and little streams. This is the best
natural habitat to view elephants, barking deer, wild boar, mongoose, peacock, jungle fowl,
four horned antelopes, sloth bears, flying foxes, panthers, gaur, pangolin, jungle cats,
wild dogs, civets, hare and others. The Forest Department conducts tours along
well-defined routes for tourists, early in the mornings and in the evenings.
Kumbhalgarh
Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary
Kumbhalgarh Sanctuary, named after the Kumbhalgarh fort nearby, is located in the most rugged part
of the Aravalli Mountain Ranges in the Pali, Rajsamand and Udaipur districts of Rajasthan. The entire
park isn’t open to public. Watering holes and lakes are the best places to spot the animals. The usual safari
route starts at the sanctuary from the Kumbhalgarh Fort side, cuts across the sanctuary and reaches Ghanerao. It further follows an
old abandoned road. On this road, one can sight chinkaras, nilgais, four-horned antelopes and many birds.
Project Tiger is a part of the park. The other species that can be seen here are sambars, hares, leopards, sloth
bears, hyenas and jackals.
Dharamsala
Pong Lake Sanctuary
The Pong Dam reservoir is 65 km from Panthankot and 115 km from Dharamsala on the Beas River. The Pong Dam Lake
is significant as a wildlife sanctuary with species like nilgai, sambar, barking deer, clawless otter, and leopard. The
reservoir is developed on a large scale for promoting water sports for tourists.
Binsar
Binsar Sanctuary
Atop Jhandi Dhar hills, the Binsar Sanctuary encompasses an area of about 50 sq km in the
middle of the Himalayas near Almora. The forest thrives with fauna like leopards, deer and wild
boar, civet cat, serow, ghoral (goatantelope), musk deer, brown bear and khaleej pheasant and has a variety
of vegetation like chir pine, oak and rhododendron at varying altitudes. It is also a haven for bird watching.
Unique sightings include the rufous-bellied and Himalayan woodpeckers.
Goa
Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary
Situated on the Chorao islands near Panaji, the sanctuary is shrouded by mangroves and is
accessible by a ferry ride. The swamp forms the base junction for local and migratory birds
and is a subsequent haven for bird watchers. Some of the common species visible across
the sanctuary sky are eagles, kites, egrets and kingfishers. The sanctuary can be visited (after getting permission)
from the Chief Wildlife Warden of the Forest Department in Panaji. Besides the assorted exotic
birds, one can also spot animals like crocodiles, foxes, and jackals. The sanctuary is open throughout
the year, though it is better to avoid it during the monsoons and summers when it gets really hot and humid.
Corbett
Corbett National Park
Situated in the picturesque Kumaon hills in Nainital district, Corbett National Park is where Project Tiger (1973) was inaugurated.
Around 582 species of birds, 26 species of reptiles, 7 species of amphibians and 50 species of mammals are found
in this park. With hilly ridges and snow-capped mountains in the distance, it is a location tailor-made for wildlife
documentaries. Walking through this Park with the sunlight streaming through the sal and bamboo trees is an experience one
can never forget. The peaceful silence is only sometimes disturbed by squabbling monkeys, herds of elephants, unhurried brooks or
birds fluttering away as a warning sign of a tiger in proximity.
Auli
Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary
Mount Kedarnath is believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva. That perhaps explains the feeling
of serenity that pervades through the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary. Characterised by its unpredictable terrain, varying
altitudes and a much favoured route for adventure enthusiasts, it is located 60 km from Auli and forms a natural habitat for
animals like the leopard, himalayan bear, musk deer, muntjac (barking deer), ghoral (mountain goat), bharal (blue sheep),
himalayan fox, flying squirrel, khaleej pheasants and a number of Himalayan birds and flowers. The best season to visit is
from April to June and again from September to November.
Kodaikanal
Annamalai Park
Better known as Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary, the Park is located 62 km from Kodaikanal. Suitable for treks, the Park
sprawls over an area of 960 km and houses animals like tigers, panthers, sloth bears, the Nilgiri langur, liontailed
macaque, wild boar, elephant, gaur, deer, wild bear, porcupine, wild dog, flying squirrel, jackal, civet cat,
pangolin and birds like rocket-tailed drongo, red tree pie, whiskered bulbul, spotted dove, black headed
oriole, et cetera. The many varieties of bird support the large population of crocodiles that are found in
the Amaravati reservoir in the park. The park is open throughout the year.
Mussourie
Rajaji National Park
Spread across three districts of Uttaranchal—Haridwar, Dehradun and Pauri Garhwal—the Park spans about
820 sq km. Tigers, leopards, himalayan bears, chitals, hog deer, barking deer, sambar, wild boar, antelopes,
the nilgai, ghoral, jackals, hyenas, jungle cats, leopards, civets, the Himalayan yellow-throated marten, sloth bears,
pythons, king cobra, common krait, Indian cobra, the monitor lizard and above all the Asian elephant find a
home here. The most prominent avian species here include peafowl, woodpeckers, pheasants, kingfishers and barbets,
supplemented by a number of migratory species during the winter months. The park has been attracting tourists in
droves due to the variety of fauna that one can spot here.
A year is a long time and there is just so much to do.
So go ahead and make a difference this year in your life and in the lives of others. Some resolutions, after all, are meant
to be kept.
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