Wildlife in Himachal

Integral to the Himalayan biodiversity hotspot that straddles the length and breadth of the Himalayas are 32 wildlife sanctuaries and 2 national parks that pack in an astonishing range of 64 animals, 463 birds, 44 reptiles, 516 species of riverine life, and 3295 varieties of plants

For visitors to Kullu, a trip into the Great Himalayan National Park is almost mandatory. The park can be entered only from the Tirthan Valley, as the rest of the park is bounded by snow capped peaks. It is the habitat of rare animals like the Western Tragopan, the serow and the snow leopard.

Desolate and remote, Spiti is the ideal habitat of the Himalayan ibex, the bharal or the blue sheep, the lynx and the snow leopard within the Pin Valley National Park. It also houses a range of medicinal herbs used by the ancient Tibetan system of medicine, Amchi.

Circling the Renuka Lake is a mix of forest and grassland that harbours a variety of deer such as the chital, sambhar and barking deer. The endangered Kaleej pheasant and the common red jungle fowl are found in large numbers here.

Spread over the Churdhar Peak in the Outer Himalayas is the Churdhar Sanctuary, home to the state bird of Himachal, the Monal, the Kaleej pheasant, the endangered Himalayan Black Bear and Musk Deer. Trekking through the forested slopes of the sanctuary is highly recommended.

Chail Sanctuary, near Kalka and Shimla has a thick cover of oak, deodar and pine which prove ideal for the elusive Ghoral and European Red Deer, as well as the Kaleej pheasant and the Cheer Pheasant. Its gentle slopes are ideal for treks through the sanctuary.

The Maharana Pratap Sagar wetland or Pong Dam reservoir as known earlier is located in Kangra, 110 km from Dharamshala and 32 km from Pathankot. Designated a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1983, it shields 220 species of birds and a good number of animals like leopards, wild boars and a variety of deer. The waters contain 27 types of fish, and are the focus of outdoor activities like sailing, waterskiing, rowing and surfing.

Nearer Dalhousie, cloaked in deodar forests is the very scenic Kalatop – Khajjiar Sanctuary where the serow and the black bear are found in large numbers. The Sanctuary has well-defined trekking routes for the benefit of wild-life enthusiasts.