Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary

About Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary:

• Location:
  • It is situated in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal.
  • It is located on the foothills of the Himalayas and in between the Teesta and the Mahananda rivers.
• It was started as a game sanctuary for children in 1955. In 1959, it got the status of a sanctuary mainly to protect the Indian Bison and Royal Bengal Tiger.
• The Sanctuary reaches up to a high elevation at Latpanchar in Kurseong Hill.
• Terrain: The terrain is undulating, with moderate to steep slopes and high ridges towards the north.
• Vegetation: It varies mainly from riverine forests to dense mixed-wet forests due to the difference in altitude. 
• Flora:
  • Mainly, Sal, Shisu, Teak and Jarul forests are available here.
  • Other plantations include Udal, Champ, Lali, Jarul, Gamar, Mandane, Bamboos, Ferns, Orchids, Sidha etc. 
• Fauna:
  • The important mammalian species include the Royal Bengal Tiger, Indian elephants, Indian bison, spotted deer, barking deer, many species of lesser cat, Himalayan black bear, etc.
  • The Sanctuary also holds hundreds of feathered species. It includes endangered species like fairy bluebird, Himalayan pied hornbill, etc.