Wildlife Sanctuaries in Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal Pradesh is located in the extreme northeastern part of India. It is a mountainous region that shares its border with Bhutan, Myanmar, Tibet, and the Indian states Nagaland and Assam. It is the remotest state of India, with most parts covered with forests. Its capital Itanagar is the largest town in the state. Titled the ‘Land of the Rising Sun’, Arunachal Pradesh is the first to greet the rising sun on Indian soil. The state possesses a rich ecosystem with various flora and fauna and offers many picturesque tourist spots. The state is nestled between mountain ranges, and major rivers like Dibang, Kameng, and Siang (Brahmaputra) flow through it.

Arunachal Pradesh is not only home to a plethora of tribes but also houses the greatest variety of mammals and birds in India. It has over 500 species of fauna and is considered a biodiversity hotspot. 

Wildlife Sanctuaries

Arunachal Pradesh is among the world’s 18 biodiversity hotspots. With over 5,000 species of flowering plants, 500 varieties of orchids, and diverse fauna, including the clouded leopard and snow leopard, the state also has a rich variety of over 850 plus bird species. The state of Arunachal Pradesh has eight wildlife sanctuaries, some of which are:

Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary

In Arunachal Pradesh, the Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary is the largest of eight wildlife sanctuaries. Located in the Upper Dibang Valley, it derives its name from the Dibang River flowing in the region. This wildlife sanctuary is home to rare species such as the red panda, red goral, musk deer, Asiatic black bear, and Mishmi takin, to name a few. Rare birds such as Blyth’s tragopan and Sclater’s monal can also be sighted here. A newly discovered flying squirrel from the area has been named Mishmi hill’s giant flying squirrel (Petaurista mishmiensis). 

Snow leopards and clouded leopards are housed here because of the wildlife sanctuary’s location at about 5000 metres. It is located in the Dihang-Dibang Biosphere Reserve, amid dense forests, snow-covered peaks, shimmering rivers, and deep gorges, serving as the best tourist attraction.

The vegetation found in the Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary is temperate in the lower altitudes up to 3500 m and alpine above 4000 m. Flora like sedum, Saxifraga,, rhododendron nivals, Tsuga abies, Saussurea, Arenaria, pheum, and magnolia trees are found here. During the flowering season of May and June, the sanctuary becomes very attractive with bright-coloured gregarious flowering.

Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary

This wildlife sanctuary is located by the Mehao lake, in the Lower Dibang Valley district. Some inhabitants of this sanctuary are hoolock gibbon, Royal Bengal tiger, clouded leopard, Fishing Cat, Himalayan Black Bear, Assamese Macaque, and goral, among others. Over 200 species of birds are also found in this sanctuary, like the Goosander, Himalayan Pied Kingfisher, Japanese Hawfinch, White-throated Redstart, and Great Pied Hornbill. Mehao sanctuary is also home to 232 species of butterfly. The Idu Mishims and Adis are the primary tribes inhabiting this state section.  

The flora in this region varies with altitude:

• Tropical Evergreen forests in the lower altitudes of about 900 m, sub-tropical and temperate forests from above 900 m to 1800 m altitude.
• Temperate broad-leaved forest in altitude ranges of 1800 m to 2800 m.
• Temperate conifer forest from 2800 m and above.

The important tree species in this region are Hoolock, Mekai, Khokan, Gamari, Simul, and Titachampa. In this region, the Dendrocalamus hamiltonii variety of bamboo is abundant. The area is also rich in orchid varieties.

Kane Wildlife Sanctuary

Housed in the West Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh, Kane Wildlife Sanctuary is bound by many small rivers and intersecting streams. It is mainly a hilly terrain with steep slopes covered by dense vegetation. The interior region is untouched due to a lack of roads, with most of the biodiversity unknown. The forest is a heterogeneous mixture of evergreen, semi-evergreen, and subtropical broadleaf hill forests. Here, bamboo trees are in abundance. The locals have sighted Rufous-necked Hornbill along with black bear, gaur, tiger, elephant, and wild dog. The White-winged Wood Duck is also an inhabitant of this wildlife sanctuary.

Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary

The Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary was originally a reserve forest bound in the East by the Pam River, Pachin in the South, and Chingke stream in the North. The town of Itanagar is located within this sanctuary. Animals like Sambar, barking deer, elephants, tigers, panthers, bears, and the state hornbills are commonly sighted here. The flora is a heterogeneous mixture of evergreen and semi-evergreen forests. Mixed bamboo forests are found in abundance in the terrain. However, much of the forest cover is lost due to human habitation and rare animals and bird sightings.

Conclusion

Arunachal Pradesh is among the 18 biodiversity hotspots of the world. It has eight wildlife sanctuaries, of which the Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary is the largest. The Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary houses rare species such as the red panda, red goral, Asiatic black bear, Mishmi takin, musk deer, and birds like Blyth’s tragopan and Sclater’s monal. 

The Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the Lower Dibang Valley district, is home to hoolock gibbon, Royal Bengal tiger, clouded leopard, Fishing Cat, Himalayan Black Bear, Assamese Macaque, goral, among others. Over 200 species of birds and 232 species of butterflies are also found here. The flora in this region varies with altitude, from tropical evergreen to subtropical temperate forests and conifer forests in higher altitudes. The Dendrocalamus hamiltonii variety of bamboo is found in abundance.

Much of the flora and fauna of Kane Wildlife Sanctuary remains unknown due to the lack of roads and hilly terrain. However, locals have sighted Rufous-necked Hornbill, black bears, gaur, tigers, and elephants. The Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary is home to Sambar, Barking deer, elephants, tigers, panthers, bears, and the state bird hornbills. The flora is a heterogeneous mixture of evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, with mixed bamboo forests in abundance.