Wildlife sanctuaries of eastern India play a crucial role in the conservation of wildlife in the states of Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha. By conserving wildlife, the sanctuaries help in preserving the ecosystem. Eastern India houses a vast number of wildlife sanctuaries. These sanctuaries are protected areas under government legislation. Tremendous variety of flora and fauna are found in these wildlife sanctuaries. They also serve as popular tourist attractions of eastern India. These sanctuaries preserve some of the endangered species of animals. Some sanctuaries are dedicated to the protection of specific species. These sanctuaries are part of the national heritage of India. The wildlife sanctuaries of eastern India are described below.
Wildlife Sanctuaries of Bihar
Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Munger district. It houses a number of fauna including leopard, rabbit, barking deer, nilgai, jungle cat, Indian gray mongoose, hog badger, golden jackal and many more. It also has a variety of birds and flora. Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in Kaimur district and is the largest sanctuary of Bihar. A huge variety of animals and over 70 species of birds are found in this sanctuary. Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary is situated in Bhagalpur district. It is the only place in Asia where endangered Gangetic dolphins are protected. This dolphin is the national aquatic animal of India. Other wildlife sanctuaries of Bihar are Rajgir Wildlife Sanctuary, Udaipur Wildlife Sanctuary and Kanwarjheel Wildlife Sanctuary.
Wildlife Sanctuaries of West Bengal
West Bengal houses a plethora of wildlife sanctuaries. Ballabhpur Wildlife Sanctuary is a popular sanctuary of the state, situated near Shantiniketan. Established in 1977, the sanctuary hosts a number of black bugs, spotted deer, foxes, jackals and a variety of birds. Lothian Island Wildlife Sanctuary in South 24 Pargana district is a home to a variety of estuarine crocodile, rhesus macaque, jungle cat, olive ridley sea turtle and spotted deer. Ramnabagan Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Bardhaman district. It is known for a variety of spotted deer, common langur, black buck, etc. Other important wildlife sanctuaries of West Bengal include Bethuadahari Wildlife Sanctuary, Bibhutibhushan Wildlife Sanctuary, Haliday Island Wildlife Sanctuary, Jore Pokhri Wildlife Sanctuary, Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary, Narendrapur Wildlife Sanctuary, Sajnakhali Wildlife Sanctuary and Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary.
Wildlife Sanctuaries of Jharkhand
Palkot Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in Gumla district. Established in 1990, the sanctuary is a rich storehouse of diverse flora and fauna.
Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary is situated at a distance of about 10 km from the city of Jamshedpur. Some of the inmates of the park are elephants, porcupines, barking deer and sloth bear. Other wildlife sanctuaries of Jharkhand are Topchanchi Wildlife Sanctuary and Gautam Buddha Wildlife Sanctuary.
Wildlife Sanctuaries of Odisha
Hadagarh Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Keonjhar district. Diverse species of fauna inhabit in the sanctuary, amidst the mixed variety of deciduous forests. Karlapat Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in Kalahandi district. The sanctuary serves as a home to species like tiger, barking deer, mouse deer, leopard, sambar and nilgai. Ushakothi Wildlife Sanctuary is located at a distance of about 22 km from Sambalpur. It was established in 1962 and houses flora like dry deciduous forest, sandalwood and neem and fauna like tigers and elephants. Other significant wildlife sanctuaries of Odisha include Tikarpada Wildlife Sanctuary, Chilka Wildlife Sanctuary, Balukhand-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary, Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary, Kotagarh Wildlife Sanctuary and Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary.
