10 Least Explored And Well Preserved Wildlife Sanctuaries To Explore In India

India is famous for Ranthambore National Park, Kaziranga National Park, Periyar National reserve and many a few others. This does not indicate the end of wildlife riches of the country. There are numerous offbeat wildlife sanctuaries and reserve regions in the country that are hidden gems.

Here are the top 10 Lesser Known Wildlife Sanctuaries in India which are hidden gems of the country that you ought to visit during your next vacation.

* Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary

This sanctuary is located in Karnataka and is famous for spotting animals like deer, cheetal, elephants, panther, leopard and others. The sanctuary is also home to more than 250 species of birds including migration birds. Kabini forest reserve is one of the best wildlife destination in Karnataka mainly because of its accessibility, rich green vegetation, water body and possibility of the animal spotting like herds of Elephants, Jaguar, Tiger and Black Leopard. An eighty km drive from Mysore or 205 kms drive from Bengaluru makes the accessibility much more easier for people from Karanataka and people from Kerala.

* Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary

Located in Maharashtra, this sanctuary is an outdoor museum for those who love wildlife. With just 34 species of mammals, the reserve has very little to offer when it comes to animals. With 166 species of birds including migration birds, this sanctuary is a famous bird-spotting site. Top animals to spot here are bison, tiger, deer, barking deer, wild dog, chital, Indian gaur and others. Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary is a true paradise for all wildlife lovers as it is gifted with a beautiful landscape. The lush green mountains, dales and vales make the ideal location for various wild animals. Nagzira is an absolute natural museum where the rich Indian wildlife is found. Few invertebrate creatures as insects, ants and pretty butterflies are spotted at Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary. Nagzira is a home for 34 mammal species, 36 races of reptiles and about 04 amphibians’ species. It is a perfect opportunity to see all of these species at one place. Nagzira is a heaven for bird watchers because in alone Tirora range one can view 166 bird species.

* Dibru Saikhowa National Park

Apart from Kaziranga, Dibru Saikhowa is another sanctuary that beautifies Assam. This park is rich with rare species and rich in species of fishes. This is the place to spot the rare white winged wood duck. You can also spot capped langur, parrotbill, water buffalo, tiger and others here. The area was declared as Dibru Reserved Forest in 1890. In 1920, additional area was added to the Dibru Reserve Forest. In 1929, Saikhowa Reserve Forest was declared. In 1933, more area was added to the Dibru RF. In 1986, an area of 650 km2 was preliminarily declared as a wildlife sanctuary out of which finally 340 km2 was declared as wildlife sanctuary in 1995. In 1997, Dibru-Saikhowa Biosphere Reserve was declared with and area of 765 km2 that included the 340 km2 of sanctuary area as the core. In 1999, the 340 km2 of sanctuary area was declared as national park.

* Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary

This is a bird sanctuary located in Gujarat, famous for more than 300 species of migration birds during the season. This sanctuary is also unique for its diverse landforms including marshlands, salt-water sources, fresh water lakes, dams, creeks and so on. There are no overnight lodges, but facilities include watchtowers, trails, and paddleboats, to help visitors engage with this diverse community. As a visitor, keep in mind that conservation in any area is a difficult process, and that in Khijadia there have been complications with how water is used by local cultivators which affect the ecosystem within the tiny protected area, so if you’re interested, you can ask around about the issues, and find out what impact even your own visit has on the process.

* Tal Chhapar Sanctuary

This is a blackbuck sanctuary located in Rajasthan. This sanctuary is also famous for a variety of birds. This sanctuary holds a unique bio system in this desert region. This thorn forest sanctuary is famous for numerous migration birds that visit during September. Top animals to spot other than blackbuck are desert cat, desert fox and others. The nearest Railway station is Chappar which lies on Degana - Churu - Rewari metre gauge line of North Western Railways. The nearest Airport is Sanganer (Jaipur) which is at a distance of 215 km from Chappar. The flourishing grassland ecosystem of Tal Chappar contains a tale of its own. Since 1940s, it was a hunting ground and horse pasture belonging to Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner. The area come to known as a wildlife sanctuary in 1966. The Geology of the zone is obscured by the wind blown over-burden. Few small hillocks and exposed rocks of slate and quartzite are found in the western side of the sanctuary. Area between hillocks and the sanctuary includes the watershed area of the sanctuary. The Sanctuary is generally flooded by water during the heavy rains but with salt mining going on in the watershed. Hardly any rain water falling on the hills reach the Sanctuary. Nothing much grew in these parts except the Prosopis juliflora, an invasive plant species that had pushed out native plants.

* Dachigam National Park

This national park of Srinagar is created on the regions that were once a collection of ten villages, which were relocated many years ago. This park is famous for varying altitude and sloping grasslands ending is rocky cliffs. Dagwan River flows through the park and is rich with fish population. Top animals to spot here are black bear, brown bear, leopard cat, stag, langur, jackal, hill fox, marten, marmot and others. Dachigam was initially established to ensure the supply of clean drinking water to Srinagar city. A protected area since 1910, it was declared as a national park in 1981. The park is best known as the home of the hangul, or Kashmir stag. Dachigam is open throughout the year, but the best time to visit is between April and August. The closest airport is at Srinagar. Habitat to Kashmir Stag : Only area where Kashmir stag is found.

* National Chambal Sanctuary

This small sanctuary is situated in Madhya Pradesh and rich with red crowned roof turtle, river dolphin and gharial. These three species are least commonly found in other sanctuaries around the world. The sanctuary gets it name from the crystal clear River Chambal that runs through the park making it easier to scale the park on boat and spot numerous animals that visit the riverside for quenching thirst. National Chambal Sanctuary is located at the tri-junction of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. This place is a home of Gharial (75% of critically endangered species). It is also a natural habitat of aquatic animals like freshwater Gangetic dolphins, 180 species of migratory birds and nine species of freshwater turtles. The sanctuary starts from the Vindhya Range, along with the Chambal River and ends at the Yamuna River. This sanctuary is located across Bhind, Morena and Sheopur districts of Madhya Pradesh. It is situated in an area of 435 square km.

* Achanakmar Tiger Reserve

Located in Chhattisgarh, this reserve is listed under the Project Tiger. Apart from Bengal Tiger, this sanctuary is also famous for gaur, deer, antelope, blackbuck, muntjac, wild boar, nilgai, hyena and others. Achanakmar Tiger Reserve is situated in Chattisgarh, around 60 kms from Bilaspur. Categorised as a tropical deciduous forest, Achanakmar Tiger Reserve is breathtakingly beautiful with the most varied flora and fauna. This tiger reserve is a part of the huge Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve, and hence, it is home to more than 600 species of different medicinal plants. The scenic Maniyari River flows right from the centre of this reserve which is the forests lifeline. Even if it’s not for a proper trail through the jungle, one can get bowled over by the beauty of this reserve in just a small trek through a few parts of this park.

* Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary

This national park is located in the Gangetic Plains that fall under the state of Uttar Pradesh. This sanctuary is famous for Terai ecosystem, which includes swamps, forests, wetlands, grasslands and others. This is the best spot for finding gharial. Spread over an area of 400 sq. kms near the Nepal border, this little Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary known sanctuary was established in 1976. Tiger, Leopard, Swamp Deer, Blackbuck, Chital, Barking Deer, Sambar, Nilgai, Sloth Bear and Wild Boar are some of the inhabitants of the sanctuary. Gharial and Magar can be found in the Girwa river and its tributaries.

* Pampadum Shola National Park

This is a small national park located in Kerala, which is overlooked because of the other major sanctuaries in and around Kerala. Rich with shola forests, this reserve is famous for its bird wealth. Tiger is the important fauna of this park. You can also spot other animals like elephants, langurs, gaurs, buffaloes and others. Top birds to spot here are flycatchers, blue-capped rock thrush, vernal hanging parrot, Nilgiriwood pigeon and others. Located in Kerala, Pampadum Shola National Park is the smallest national park of the state with an area of 11.75 km square. The park is managed and maintained by Kerala Department of Forests and Wildlife. Owing to the spectacular biodiversity of flora and fauna, this park, along with the Westerns Ghats, and few other parks are being observed by UNESCO World Heritage Committee to consider them as a World Heritage Site nominee. Cloudy weather prevails throughout the year in the park, perfect for trekking and picnics.