Bandli Wildlife Sanctuary
Map showing the location of Bandli Wildlife Sanctuary
Map showing the location of Bandli Wildlife Sanctuary
Location in Himachal Pradesh
Map showing the location of Bandli Wildlife Sanctuary
Map showing the location of Bandli Wildlife Sanctuary
Location in India
LocationMandi district, Himachal Pradesh
Nearest cityShimla
Coordinates31°27′00″N 76°54′18″E / 31.450°N 76.905°E / 31.450; 76.905
Area41.32 km2 (15.95 sq mi)
Established1962
Governing bodyMinistry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

The Bandli Wildlife Sanctuary is a nature reserve situated in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, India, covering 41.32 square kilometers and located approximately seven kilometers from Sundar Nagar. The sanctuary extends along Seri Khad on both the east and south sides. "Khad" is a Himachali term for a rivulet, which provides essential water sources for the flora and fauna of the sancutary.[1]

Encompassing steep slopes, grasslands, and various water bodies such as nallas, the Bandli Wildlife Sanctuary is a habitat for a diverse range of plant and animal species.[2]

Fauna

70 different bird species have been documented within the confines of the Bandli Wildlife Sanctuary.[3] Notably, the sanctuary harbors the Cheer pheasant, a species classified as globally vulnerable[4] and categorized as a restricted-range species of the western Himalayas.[5] Other avian species in the sanctuary include the Himalayan swiftlet, long-tailed shrike, blue-throated barbet, red-billed blue magpie, and fire-capped tit.

In addition to its avian diversity, the sanctuary serves as a habitat for a variety of mammals, including the snow leopard, goral, barking deer, Hanuman langoor, Indian fox, and black bear.

According to findings from a Cumulative Environmental Impact Assessment (CEIA), the Bandli Wildlife Sanctuary holds significance as one of the ten areas within the Sutlej basin and its tributaries that merit protection as a "no-hydro project zone" to safeguard fish fauna.[6]

Concerns

In 2010, the Himachal Pradesh High Court nullified the environmental clearance granted for a significant cement plant in Sundar Nagar, responding to local protests and concerns over the plant's proximity to the Bandli Wildlife Sanctuary. However, during the Standing Committee meeting of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) in August 2014, a proposal was presented for the expansion of a cement plant at Bagga, Himachal Pradesh. The proposed site was 5.6 km from the boundary of Majathal Sanctuary and 9.9 km from Bandli Sanctuary.[7] The Standing Committee approved the proposal with the requirement that 2% of the project's expenses must be set aside for mitigation efforts and the protection and supervision of the wildlife within the Protected Area.

The Bandli Wildlife Sanctuary faces challenges from poaching, particularly during the winter season.[8]

Sunder Nagar and Mandi have reported multiple incidents of leopard attacks, including sightings of these animals in courtyards and institutes such as colleges.[9][10][11]

References

  1. ↑ "Bandli Wildlife Sanctuary". Wildlife Insitute of India. 5 October 2015. Archived from the original on 1 November 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  2. ↑ "Bandli Sanctuary - One of the Most Beautiful Wildlife Sanctuary of Himachal Pradesh". www.exploreourindia.com. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
  3. ↑ 1) Paliwal 2) Sharief 3) Sidhu 4) Kubendran, 1) Shivani 2) Amira 3) Avtar Kaur 4) T. (January 2019). "Species Diversity and Abundance of Avifauna in Bandli Wildlife Sanctuary, Mandi (Himachal Pradesh)". Zoology, Avifouna.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ↑ "Cheer pheasants flourishing in Bandli sanctuary". The Times of India. 2011-11-27. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 2023-10-03. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  5. ↑ Kaul, Rahul; Kalsi, Rajiv S.; Singh, Randeep; Basnet, Hari; Awan, Muhammad Naeem (October 2022). "Cheer Pheasant (Catreus wallichii) and the Conservation Paradox: Importance of Unprotected Areas". Diversity. 14 (10): 785. doi:10.3390/d14100785. ISSN 1424-2818.
  6. ↑ Chauhan, Kuldeep (July 3, 2014). "Declare fish-rich areas as no-hydro project zone: CEIA report". The Tribune. Archived from the original on November 2, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Minutes of the 31st Meeting of the Standing Committee of National Board for Wildlife held on 12-13 August 2014 at Indira Paryavaran Bhawan, Jor Bag Road, New Delhi" (PDF). 12–13 August 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 August 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  8. ↑ Chauhan, Kuldeep. "Come winter season & poachers are on the prowl". The Tribune. Archived from the original on 2023-11-02. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  9. ↑ Deepak (2020-06-17). "Sundernagar: कमांद में आदमखोर तेंदुए ने दिनदहाड़े 2 लोगों पर किया हमला, गंभीर घायल". Himachal Abhi Abhi. Archived from the original on 2023-11-02. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  10. ↑ "Mandi woman injured in leopard attack". The Tribune. June 27, 2021. Archived from the original on November 2, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  11. ↑ "VIDEO: मंडी में घर के आंगन में दिनदिहाड़े घूमता दिखा तेंदुआ, लोगों के उड़े होश". News18 हिंदी (in Hindi). 2023-05-31. Archived from the original on 2023-11-02. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
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