Famous Wildlife Sanctuaries near Rajgir
Rajgir Wildlife Sanctuary
Elephant Mother and its Calf at Rajgir Wildlife Sanctuary
Spread over an area of about 36 square kilometres, this beautiful sanctuary is situated in Rajgir in Nalanda district at a distance of about 102 kilometres from Patna city, the capital of Bihar. It is known for its picturesque ambiance and scenic beauty, as it is surrounded by pretty hills and has tropical deciduous forests. Due to its classical monsoon climate, many rare species of fauna and flora can be found here in abundance. Torrential rains are a part of the daily schedule of this sanctuary, and this lends to the place a unique and enchanting charm. Various species of wild animals that can be found here include hyenas, barking deer, nilgai, leopards etc.
Major Attractions of Rajgir Wildlife Sanctuary
Free roaming elephant herd form major attraction of the region. You will be surprised to know that the sanctuary is home to three species of Elephants. Two of them have special layer of ivory and one is without ivory. Wild cats like Panther, Leopards and other lesser cats are other wild species spotted here. One can also find the pack of Wild Dogs, Barking Deers and Pigmy dogs in this sanctuary. Rajgir Wildlife Sanctuary is also home to various reptiles like Indian Cobra, Python, Monitor Lizard, Hilly Lizard (Also known as Flying Lizard) are habited in this sanctuary.
From Rajgir you can also travel to Netrahat Hills which is located at 156 kilometers distance from Ranchi and average altitudinal height of the area is 3700 ft. This hill station is also known as “Queen of Chhotanagpur”. Netrahat hills is easily accessible via Road, Rail or Air way. Conveyance to this station from all the parts of Bihar is easily available on affordable charges.
How to Reach Rajgir Wildlife Sanctuary ?
Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary
Located in the Kaimur district of Bihar near Bhabua, with an area of about 1342 square kilometres, this sanctuary is one of the largest ones in Bihar state. Situated amidst the Kaimur hill ranges, and waterfalls and lakes, the beauty of this place is unparalleled. The fertile soil and pleasant and conducive climatic conditions have made this place home to a variety of flora and fauna species. Apart from wildlife, waterfalls and lakes form major attraction. Karkat Waterfall and Telhar are must visit destinations inside Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary. Anupam Lake is amongst the most visited lakes in the region and is known for its rustic beauty. Best time to visit is October and June.
Major Attractions of Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary
Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary is home to various wild species including that of wild boars, sloth bear, sambar deer, chitals, four-horned antelope, tigers, leopards, panthers, nilgai . More than 70 species of resident birds can be found here that include pied hornbill, swallow, nightjar, dronge, paradisefly, kingfisher, bulbul, mainas, pigeon, wood pigeon, peafowl, grey partridge, quail, blue jay, owl, falcon, kites, eastern imperial eagle, greater spotted eagle, white-tailed eagle, Pallas's fish eagle, grey-headed fish eagle, vultures etc, while the migratory birds from Central Asia during winter season include ferruginous duck, lesser white-fronted goose, Baer's pochard duck and lesser adjutant, black-necked stork, greater adjutant, Asian openbill stork etc. The lakes are home to fishes and numerous snakes like python, cobra, narokole, bisako, kraits can also be seen in this sanctuary frequently. The deciduous forests and swampy marshes here support the growth of a variety of flora species including sheeshamteek, saal, jamun, mahua, salai, jheengar, siddha, koraiya etc.
How to Reach Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary?
Gautam Budha Wildlife Sanctuary, Gaya
A Group of Tigers at Gautam Budha Wildlife Sanctuary
Established as a sanctuary in the year 1976 and covering an area of about 259 square kilometres, it is located in the Gaya district of Bihar. It is known for its diverse and rich ecology and pleasant climatic conditions. The birds commonly spotted in this sanctuary include water fowl and pea fowl. Animals like wild buffalo, barking deer, spotted deer, nilgai etc can be spotted among the grasslands, while other predators like tigers, leopard, wolf, sloth bear, chital, chinkara, wild dogs etc too can be seen here frequently. Vegetation here include dry sal forests, ravine thorn forest and tropical dry riverine forest. The rich plains of Ganges and the Chota Nagpur plateau region have thus contributed to the rich and intense biodiversity that is prevalent here.