Dhauladhar Wildlife Sanctuary
| Dhauladhar Wildlife Sanctuary | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
Scenic view within the sanctuary | |
Location within Himachal Pradesh, India Dhauladhar Wildlife Sanctuary (India) | |
Interactive map of Dhauladhar Wildlife Sanctuary | |
| Location | Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh, India |
| Nearest city | Dharamshala / McLeod Ganj |
| Coordinates | 32°15′N 76°19′E / 32.250°N 76.317°E |
| Area | 944 km² |
| Established | 1994 |
Dhauladhar Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area located in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, India. Established in 1994, it spans approximately 944 km² and lies at elevations ranging from 1,600 to 4,400 m above sea level.[1][2][3][4]
Geography and environment
The sanctuary is located between the snowclad mountain peaks of the Dhauladhar range, forming a high-altitude forested landscape. The lower forests are dominated by Deodar, pine, spruce, oak, rhododendron, and mixed conifers. Above the treeline, alpine meadows and rocky terrain prevail, often covered in snow for much of the year.
Flora
Forests in the sanctuary consists of deodar, rhododendron, oak, pine, spruce, and other coniferous species. The diverse altitudinal range fosters a rich assemblage of plant life.[5]
Fauna
Mammals
The sanctuary harbors a wide array of mammals, including Indian leopard (Panthera pardus fusca), Snow leopard (Uncia uncia), Himalayan black bear (Ursus thibetanus laniger), Himalayan brown bear (Ursus arctos isabellinus), Himalayan goral(Nemorhaedus goral), Himalayan tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus), Himalayan ibex (Capra ibex), Alpine musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster), Smaller carnivores such as leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) and red fox (Vulpes vulpes).
Other species including Himalayan yellow-throated marten, Himalayan mouse-hare, black-naped hare, Indian porcupine, red flying squirrel, common langur, jackal, serow, blue sheep, and snow leopard have also been documented.[6][7]
Birds
The sanctuary is recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA) and supports a rich array of avian species. Breeding and resident species include Himalayan monal, koklass pheasant, kalij pheasant, hill partridge, Cheer pheasant, chukar partridge, snow partridge, and Himalayan snowcock. Raptors are also abundant, including booted eagle, golden eagle, lammergeier, crested serpent eagle, long-legged buzzard, white-eyed buzzard, and Eurasian hobby. Observations of globally threatened species such as imperial eagle, greater spotted eagle, lesser spotted eagle, white-rumped vulture, red-headed vulture, and cinereous vulture are observed in the sanctuary.[8]
References
- ^ "Dhauladhar Wildlife Sanctuary- Preserving Kangra's Biodiversity". Incredible India. Retrieved 2025-08-31.
- ^ Resort, Rakkh (2022-08-26). "Dhauladhar Wildlife Sanctuary". Rakkh Patrika. Retrieved 2025-08-31.
- ^ "Map of Dhauladhar WLS". Researchgate.
- ^ Tarun, Goel (2012-12-04). "Dhauladhar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kangra | The OK Travel". Retrieved 2025-08-31.
- ^ "DHAULADHAR WILDLIFE SANCTUARY- Himachal Pradesh". arked.in. Retrieved 2025-08-31.
- ^ "Dhauladhar Wildlife Sanctuary". Learn UPSC. Retrieved 2025-08-31.
- ^ Lyngdoh, Salvador; Parab, Tushar (2022). Assessment of mammalian diversity in Dhauladhar Wildlife Sanctuary, Himachal Pradesh (Report). Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun.
- ^ "Dhauludhar Wildlife Sanctuary and McLeod Gunj - keybiodiversityareas.org". www.keybiodiversityareas.org. Retrieved 2025-08-31.