Indian jungles are overrun with fauna from east to west and north to south. India is a wildlife explorer’s paradise with more than 500 wildlife sanctuaries and 104 national parks at its disposal.
Every year, millions of tourists visit this South Asian nation due to its diverse and abundant flora and fauna. Here is a list of India’s top ten wildlife preserves.
KUTCH DESERT WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
One of India’s largest seasonal saline wetlands is the Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary, which is located in Gujarat’s Great Rann of Kutch. After the wet season, it becomes a saline desert.
A large diversity of aquatic birds and mammals, including fox, hyena, nilgai, and caracal, call the 7506 sq km sanctuary home.
The excavation of the Harappan civilization’s buried metropolis Dholavira gives this location great historical value and draws archaeologists from around the globe.
The main draw in this area is Flamingo City, which is tucked away amid the mudflats of Rann of Kutch. The refuge is home to numerous other resident and migratory bird species, such as houbara bustards and raptors.
The best time to visit this refuge is in the winter because the climate is typically hot and muggy.
If you want to make the most of your holiday, schedule your visit to Rann Utsav. One of Gujarat’s most distinctive festivities takes place there every December.
SRISAILAM WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
The largest tiger reserve forest in India, Srisailam wildlife sanctuary spans 3,568 sq km across three districts of Andhra Pradesh (Kurnool, Prakasam, Guntur), two districts of Telangana (Nalgonda, Mahbubnagar), and the Union Territory of Kerala.
The Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1992 and was first recognized by Project Tiger in the year 1983.
The sanctuary is among the most well-known animal sanctuaries in India and offers stunning scenery filled with steep hills, perennial rivers, deep valleys, and gorges.
A wide variety of fauna, including various kinds of mammals, reptiles, and amphibians, find shelter there.
The Bengal tiger, leopard, Indian pangolin, sambar deer, sloth bear, blackbuck, and chinkara are the principal mammals present in this sanctuary.
The ideal months to visit this sanctuary are from October through June. Avoid traveling when it’s raining.
GIR WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
Gir Forest, famous for its magnificent Asiatic lions, has an area of 1412 square kilometers, of which 1154 square kilometers are protected as a wildlife sanctuary and the remaining 258 square kilometers as a national park.
One of the most popular wildlife sanctuaries in India is the Gir wildlife sanctuary, which is located in Talala in the Gir Somnath district of Gujarat. Its lion population, which increased from 359 in 2005 to 523 in 2015, is prospering.
The refuge is rich in many types of plants and animals. The sanctuary is home to more than 2000 different species of trees, shrubs, and plants, including both evergreen and semi-evergreen varieties.
Additionally, it serves as a habitat for several animal, bird, reptile, and insect species. Along with Asiatic lions, other carnivorous creatures that you might see include striped hyenas, leopards, jungle cats, and Indian grey mongooses.
The refuge is home to pythons, monitor lizards, Indian cobras, mugger crocodiles, and other reptiles.
Due to the moderate daytime temperatures, November through March are the best months to explore Gir Wildlife Sanctuary. The greatest months to view a variety of wildlife and take photos are April and May.
PERIYAR WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
A variety of rare and indigenous species of flora and wildlife may be found in the sanctuary, which is tucked away in the southern Western Ghats’ Cardamom Hills and Pandalam Hills.
It covers 925 sq km in the Keralan districts of Idukki, Kottayam, and Pathanamthitta.
The sanctuary’s vegetation includes grasslands, a vast range of floral plants, and tropical evergreen and moist deciduous forests.
The protected woodland is well-known for being a significant elephant and tiger refuge. In India, it is common to see herds of wild elephants in the Periyar forest.
Here, you might see one of the exceptionally rare white tigers. Elephants, sambar deer, Indian bison, jungle cats, and Nilgiri langurs are among the creatures that are frequently seen.
It is among India’s top wildlife preserves for bird watching. In this forest, there are over 266 different species of birds. Explore to see birds such as the eagle owl, blue-winged parakeet, Nilgiri flycatcher, and Malabar grey hornbill.
Here, you can also find a huge variety of fish, insects, amphibians, and reptiles. October to June is the ideal time to explore Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.
KOYNA WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
Shivsagar Lake and the Western Ghat slopes surround the Koyna wildlife sanctuary, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on one side. It is situated in Maharashtra’s Satara district and makes up the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve’s northern portion.
The sanctuary, which covers 423 sq km, has captivating scenery and a wide variety of unique plant and animal species.
The Koyna, Solashi, and Kandati rivers all flow through the sanctuary, which has incredibly rich vegetation and a perfect habitat for wildlife.
Leopards, Bengal tigers, Indian bison, sambar deer, Indian giant squirrels, and common grey langurs are just a few of the creatures that can be seen in the sanctuary.
Numerous bird species, such as the rufous woodpecker, Asian fairy bluebird, and crested goshawk, call it home.
an indigenous frog This woodland is the sole habitat of Bufo koyanansis. This sanctuary is also home to huge Indian pythons and spectacled cobras. You should definitely add it to your bucket list as one of the top wildlife reserves in India.
INDIAN WILD ASS SANCTUARY
The Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary is one of the remaining places on earth to see the threatened wild ass. This is located in the poorly vegetated, salinized Little Rann of the Kutch desert.
The Little Rann is a very odd and peculiar landscape that is both arid and alive with fauna. It is one of India’s top 5 largest wildlife sanctuaries, with a total area of 4,954 sq km.
Some of the most endangered species of wildlife, such as the caracal, desert fox, dalmatian pelican, and lesser flamingo, are protected in the sanctuary.
Numerous migratory species, including houbara bustards, dalmatian pelicans, hawks, harriers, and falcons, are drawn to it.
During the rainy season, the sanctuary fills with shallow freshwater, providing a large breeding area for a variety of fish, mollusks, and the renowned Kachchh prawn. After the monsoon, the end of winter is the best time to visit the sanctuary.
WAYANAD WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
The Wayanad wildlife sanctuary is home to an abundance of animals and biodiversity. It borders the protected forest areas of Bandipur and Nagarhole in Karnataka on the northeast and Mudumalai in Tamil Nadu on the southeast.
This sanctuary is a crucial component of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and spans about 345 sq km of woodland in the four hills of Sulthan Bathery, Muthanga, Kurichiat, and Tholpetty.
After the Periyar wildlife sanctuary, it is the second-largest wildlife sanctuary in Kerala.
The sanctuary’s vegetation is a mixture of moist deciduous woodland, semi-evergreen woods, and plantations of rosewood, venteak, bamboo, and other trees.
Elephants, Bengal tigers, wild cats, panthers, civet cats, bison, monkeys, wild dogs, and deer are just a few of the park’s frequent mammals.
Numerous bird species, including babblers, peacocks, owls, and woodpeckers, call it home. The months of October to May are the greatest for visiting the park because they follow the monsoon.
Also, Read Tips for Helping Animals Survive the Summer Heat
CHILIKA WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
Nalabana sometimes referred to as the Nalabana Bird Sanctuary is a sizable island that occupies 15.53 square kilometres in the middle of Chilika Lake in the state of Odisha.
Every year, hundreds of people visit the area since it is one of the best places in India to see exotic birds.
During monsoons, the sanctuary is completely submerged. Many birds swarm to the island throughout the winter as the water level drops to feed on the large mudflats there. Wintering migratory birds from the Arctic and Sub-Arctic regions use it as a habitat.
Chilika Lake provides magnificent views of the surrounding scenic sceneries. Photographers and nature enthusiasts, therefore, appreciate this location.
It is the second-biggest coastal lagoon in the world and the largest in India. An unusual collection of uncommon and endangered freshwater, brackish, and marine species can be found in the lagoon.
Take pleasure in viewing a variety of aquatic species in the lake’s blue waters, including dolphins, red crabs, and lobster.
The winter months of November through February are the finest for visiting the refuge. During this time, a large diversity of migratory birds can be seen in the sanctuary.
DANDELI WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
The Dandeli wildlife sanctuary is situated in Karnataka and is surrounded by dense forests, deep valleys, and high hills along the Western Ghats. It occupies an area of 866 square km.
The Anshi Dandeli Tiger Reserve includes the refuge. To safeguard wild elephants, it is also a significant elephant reserve. If you want to learn more about the national parks in Karnataka, read this post.
One of the most popular wildlife sanctuaries in India due to the abundance of wildlife there. The refuge is home to numerous mammal species, including the elusive black panther, sloth bear, and Indian pangolin.
The sanctuary is home to approximately 200 different bird species, making it incredibly rich in avifauna. Birds like the Malabar pied hornbill and huge Indian hornbill can be seen.
The reserve also provides a special opportunity for crocodile sightings, which is a big draw here.
November through May is the ideal time to explore the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary. Winter months from November to February are the best for bird watching. The ideal time of year to see a wide variety of wild animals is in the summer.
GAHIRMATHA MARINE SANCTUARY
Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary is the greatest breeding beach for Olive Ridley Turtles, stretching from the mouth of the Dhamra River in the north to the mouth of the Brahmani River in the south. To reproduce, they make a long journey from the Pacific Ocean to the Gahirmatha shore.
The sanctuary, which has a total area of 1,435 sq km, is a portion of Gahirmatha Beach, which is located in Odisha’s Kendrapara district.
Take a thrilling boat trip across the tranquil river’s waters as they eventually transition into the open sea. While out enjoying the wealth of nature, don’t forget to take in the gorgeous scenery. If you go to the beach at night, you can even observe the turtles hatching their eggs.
