Punjab PSC Notes: Wildlife Sanctuaries, National Parks and Community Reserves in Punjab

Punjab has a unique ecosystem which is part of Shivaliks. This ecosystem is spread over a geographical area of 9448.97 sq.km. The ecosystem lies in the northern-eastern part of the state which extends from north-west to south-east along the Himachal Pradesh border.

Wildlife Sanctuaries, National Parks and Community Reserves in Punjab

There are twelve wildlife sanctuaries as notified by the Punjab administration. In total, 32,370.64 hectares s the total areas comprised of these wildlife sanctuaries. Among these 13, 720.64 hectares belong to the Punjab Government, the rest of the area 18,650 hectares is regarded as a private area comprising thirteen “Bishnoi” villages which include the Abohar Wildlife Sanctuary.

Let us have a glance at some of the important features of these Sanctuaries:

Abohar Wildlife Sanctuary

It is named so after a city named “Abohar”, which is around 8km from the sanctuary and is in district Ferozpur.
The sanctuary is famous for Black Buck and Blue Bull.

Bir Moti Bagh Wildlife Sanctuary

It is located at 5 km from Patiala-Dakala Road.
The Bir area was declared as a wildlife sanctuary under teh Preservation of Fauna of Patiala Rules, 1896.

Black Buck, Chital, Blue Bull, Hog Deer, Jackal, Wild Boar, Peafowl, Rhesus Monkey, Braminy Myna, Quails and Grey Patriadges etc.
A Deer Park is also situated near the Sanctuary.

Bir Gurdialpura Wildlife Sanctuary

It is located 45 km from Patiala city and 15 km away from Samana on Patiala-Samana-Shatrana Road.
Blue Bull, Wild Boar, Jackal, Jungle Cat, Hog deer, Black and Grey Partridges, Rhesus Monkey, Peafowl, Dove and Spotted owlet etc. are found and the protected here.

Bir Bhunerheri Wildlife Sanctuary

It is located around 15 km away from Patial on Patial-Devigarh road.
Shisham and Kikar trees are found in the Sanctuary area. These trees provide good habit to wildlife.
Blue Bull, Hog Deer, Porcupine, Sambar, Jungle Cat, Black Buck, Jackal, Rhesus Monkey, Black and Partridges, Peafowl, Dove and Spotted owlet etc. are found here.
The Bir area was declared as wildlife sanctuary under the Preservation of Fauna of Patiala Rules, 1896

Bir Mehas Wildlife Sanctuary

Bir Mehas refers to village Mehas. This village is located near the Bir.
The sanctuary is located near to Nabha town on Nabha-Malerkotla road.
This is spread over 123 hectares in Nabha of Patiala district.

The Bir area was declared as a wildlife sanctuary in 1952.
Rhesus Monkey, Peacock, Jungle cat, Blue Bull, Jackal, Black and Grey Partridges etc. are mainly found here.

Bir Dosanjh Wildlife Sanctuary

It is also situated near Nabha town at Jorepul road and spread over 517 hectares in Patiala district.
It was declared a sanctuary in 1952.
The jungle cat, Peafowl, Rhesus Monkey, Black and Grey Partridges etc are mainly found here.

Bir Bhadson Wildlife Sanctuary

This sanctuary is also under the Patiala district near Nabha-Bhadson-Gobindgarh road.
It is spread over 1022 hectares of govt area.
This was also declared a sanctuary in 1952.
Main fauna is Peafowl, Jackal, Jungle cat, Blue bull, black and grey partridges etc.
The forests of this sanctuary fall under the Northern Tropical Dry Mixed Deciduous forest type.

Bir Aishwan Wildlife Sanctuary

It is situated 3 km away from Sangrur city on Sohain Road in District Sangrur.
This sanctuary is spread over 264 hectares of govt area.
It was also declared a sanctuary in 1952.
Main species: Jackal, Jungle cat, Blue Bull, Rhesus monkey, Black and partridges, peafowl, spotted owlet, hare etc

Harike Wildlife Sanctuary

It is located at 58 km away from Amritsar on Harike road.
It is spread over 8600 hectares and falls under Ferozpur, Taran Tarn and Kapurthala districts.
Harike is also an important Ramsar site of International importance declared so in 1990.
Harike pond area was declared as a wildlife sanctuary in 1999.
This sanctuary attracts a large number of migratory birds during the winter season.
Main species: Birds such as Bar-headed goose, Large Cormorant, purple moorhen, pintail, pigeon, white-eyed pochard etc

Takhinin Rehmapur Wildlife Sanctuary

It is situated at a distance of 15 km from Hoshiarpur on Hoshiarpur-Mehengrowal road.
It is spread over 382 hectares and falls under Hoshiarpur district.

The sanctuary is situated at the foothills of Shiwalik range of Himalayas and is represented as Foot Hill Ecosystem.
It has diverse wildlife species and is rich in floral diversity.
Main species: Pangolin, Python, Mongoose, wild boar, python, barking deer, rat snake, Kalij Pheasant etc

Jhajjar-Bachauli Wildlife Sanctuary

It is situated around 15 km away from Anandpur Sahib city in Rupnagar district.
It is spread over 116 hectares and declared as a sanctuary in 1998
Main species: Sambar, Hare, Python, Barking deer, Jackal, Cobra, rat snake, Leopard (migratory) etc

Kathlaur Kushlian Wildlife Sanctuary

It is located on the new bye-pass of Amritsar Jammu Highway in Tehsil Pathankot of Gurdaspur district.
It is spread over 758 hectares of govt protected forest area.
This area was notified as Wildlife Sanctuary in 2007.
Main species: Ungulates and deer species.
The sanctuary has dense forests comprised of dense forests, interspersed with open grasslands of Saccharum and water bodies. It lies on the banks of the bed of river Ravi.

Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary

It is located around 15 km from Anandpur Sahib city in Ropar
It is spread over 116 hectares and notified as a sanctuary in 2003 under section 26 A of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Main species: Sambar, Hare, Python, Jackal, Barking Deer, Cobra, Leopard, Rat Snake, Leopard (migratory) etc.
This sanctuary falls under the Dry Deciduous Forest type.
Main tree species are Subahul, Ficus spp., Nee, Shisham, Khair etc.

List of Important Wildlife Sanctuaries in Punjab

Name	City
Bir chahal Wildlife Sanctuary	Mansa
Bir Dosanjh Wildlife Sanctuary	Patiala
Bir Bhadson Wildlife Sanctuary	Patiala
Bir Mehas Wildlife Sanctuary	Patiala
Bir Gurdialpura Wildlife Sanctuary	Patiala
Bir Aishwan Wildlife Sanctuary	Sangrur
Harike Wildlife Sanctuary	Ferozepur
Takhni-Rehmapur Wildlife Sanctuary	Hoshiarpur
Abohar Wildlife Sanctuary	Ferozepur
Jhajjar Bacholi Wildlife Sanctuary	Rupnagar
Kathlaur-Kaushlian Wildlife Sanctuary	Gurdaspur

2.National Parks in Punjab

Name
Mohindra Chaudhary Zoological Park	Chhatbir, Mohali
Tiger Safari	Ludhiana
Deer Park	Neelon Ludhiana
Deer Park Bir Moti Bagh	Patiala
Deer Park Bir Talab	Bhatinda