Jump to content

Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary

Coordinates: 26°28′52″N 88°15′50″E / 26.481°N 88.264°E / 26.481; 88.264
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Diesel locomotive of Indian Railways going through Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary near Sevoke
Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary
Map showing the location of Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary
Map showing the location of Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary
Location in West Bengal, India
LocationDarjeeling, West Bengal, India
Nearest citySiliguri
Coordinates26°28′52″N 88°15′50″E / 26.481°N 88.264°E / 26.481; 88.264
Area158 km2 (61 sq mi)
Established1976
Governing bodyGovernment of India, Government of West Bengal

Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary (Pron: móhɑ́nɑ́ndaa) is located on the foothills of the Himalayas, between the Teesta and Mahananda rivers. Situated in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India; it comes under Darjeeling Wildlife division and can be reached from Siliguri in 30 minutes. Sukna, the gateway to the sanctuary, is only 13 km from Siliguri and 28 km from Bagdogra airport. The sanctuary sprawls over 159 km2 of reserve forest and was started as a game sanctuary in 1955. In 1959, it got the status of a sanctuary mainly to protect the Indian bison and royal Bengal tiger, which were facing the threat of extinction.[1]

Geography

[edit]
Map
About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
8km
5miles
N
E
P
A
L
Sevoke
R
Sevoke (R)
River
Mechi
Balason River
Mahananda
River
Teesta
River
Mahananda
Wildlife
Sanctuary
NP
Thurbo TE
TE
Thurbo Tea Estate (TE)
Pussimbing TE
TE
Pussimbing Tea Estate (TE)
Phuguri TE
TE
Phuguri Tea Estate (TE)
Okayti TE
TE
Okayti Tea Estate (TE)
Margaret’s Hope TE
TE
Margaret's Hope Tea Estate (TE)
Makaibari TE
TE
Makaibari Tea Estate (TE)
Jungpana TE
TE
Jungpana Tea Estate (TE)
Goomtee TE
TE
Goomtee Tea Estate (TE)
Gopaldhara TE
TE
Gopaldhara Tea Estate (TE)
Castleton TE
TE
Castleton Tea Estate (TE)
Balasun TE
TE
Balasun Tea Estate (TE)
Avongrove TE
TE
Avongrove Tea Estate (TE)
Soureni
R
Soureni (R)
Singbulli TG
R
Singbulli Tea Garden (R)
Panighatta
R
Panighatta (R)
Sittong
R
Sittong (R)
Simulbari TG
R
Simulbari Tea Garden (R)
Giddapahar
R
Giddapahar (R)
Tindharia
R
Tindharia (R)
Sukna
R
Sukna, Darjeeling (R)
Rohini TG
R
Rohini Tea Garden (R)
Monteviot TG
R
Monteviot Tea Garden (R)
Mangpu
R
Mangpu (R)
Longview TG
R
Longview Tea Garden (R)
Ambootia
R
Ambootia (R)
Nagri Farm TG
R
Nagri Farm Tea Garden (R)
Tumsong TG
R
Tumsong Tea Garden (R)
Sungma TG
R
Sungma Tea Garden (R)
Poobong TG
R
Poobong Tea Garden (R)
Pokhriabong
R
Pokhriabong (R)
Jorebungalow
R
Jorebungalow (R)
Dhajea TG
R
Dhajea Tea Garden (R)
Chamong TG
R
Chamong Tea Garden (R)
Mirik
M
Mirik (M)
Kurseong
M
Kurseong (M)
Cart Road
CT
Cart Road (CT)
Sukhiapokhri
CT
Sukhiapokhri (CT)
Sonada
CT
Sonada (CT)
Mangarjung TG
CT
Mangarjung Tea Garden (Nagri) (CT)
Rongmook Ceder TG
CT
Rongmook Ceder Tea Garden (CT)
Places and tea estates in the southern portion of Darjeeling Sadar subdivision (including Jorebunglow Sukhiapokhri CD block), Kurseong subdivision and Mirik Subdivision in Darjeeling district
CT: census town, R: rural/ urban centre, NP: national park/ wildlife sanctuary, TE: tea estate
Abbreviations used in names – TG for Tea Garden (town/village), TE for Tea Estate
Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly

The forest type in Mahananda WLS varies from riverain forests like Khayer-Sisoo to dense mixed-wet forest in the higher elevation in Latpanchar area of Kurseong hills. The variation in elevation and forest types helps the existence of a large number of species of mammals, birds and reptiles. Varying elevation from 166 metres at the southern range of Sukna forest to the elevation up to 1,500 metres at Latkothi beat office covers varied vegetation and is home to superb biome restricted species. Latpanchar actually forms the highest part of the Sanctuary, with an average elevation of 1,400 metres.

Note: The map alongside presents some of the notable locations in the subdivision. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full screen map.

Biodiversity

[edit]

Avian fauna listed from this park are of A1, A2 and A3 categories with IBA site code IN-WB-07.[2]

Natural history

[edit]

Biomes

[edit]

Inside this wildlife sanctuary, the primary biomes corresponding to the ecoregions are:

All of these are typical forest type of foothills of the Bhutan - Nepal - India hilly region between altitudinal range 166 metres to 1,500 metres.

Fauna

[edit]

Birds at Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary includes some very endangered species like Rufous-necked Hornbill, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Great Hornbill etc. Among the others swallow, swift, thrush, babbler, warbler, roller, minivet and sunbird can be found in abundance.

Some exotic species of mammals are reported from this area like Himalayan serow, Himalayan porcupine, Himalayan Black Bear and even more rarer like Binturong and Clouded Leopard. Other important mammalian species include Indian elephants, Indian bison, chital (spotted deer), barking deer, sambar, rhesus monkey, many species of lesser cat like fishing cat and jungle cat, leopard etc.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ WBFD, West Bengal Forest Department.
  2. ^ [1], West Bengal IBA categories Page-2.
[edit]