Chail Sanctuary

Description

Chail Sanctuary is located at Chail, a hill station which is abode of wildlife. One can see Sambar, Goral and Cheer Pheasants at Blossom and Jhaja. Barking deer and Kalijin are seen during dusk and dawn. The best time to visit is from March to October.

It is spread in an area of 110 km². Chail Sanctuary has a vast forest cover. In 1976, Chail wildlife sanctuary was identified and it was declared as a protected area under government consideration. The Chir Pheasant breeding and rehabilitation programme has been launched in 1988. There is a dense cover of Oak and Pine, apart from the other major grassland covers in the area.

The Sanctuary has mainly mammals. The large mammals include rhesus macaque, leopards, Indian muntjac and goral crested porcupine. Some of the other species found in the area include Himalayan black bear, wild boar, common langur, sambar, Black naped Hare. European red deer was also introduced half a century ago by the former Maharaja of Patiala but none of them were sighted in 1988 as per the survey conducted. The Chir breeding and rehabilitation centre has helped increase in the number of Chir birds in the nearby areas.