Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary

A golden langur

Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary (सक्रसिला) (Assamese: চক্ৰশিলা অভয়াৰণ্য) is a wildlife sanctuary falling under Dhubri and Kokrajhar districts of Assam, India.^[1][2] It is famous for the golden langur and is the second protected habitat for golden langur in India.^[3][4]

History

Chakrashila Hill was first declared as reserve forest in 1966 and on July 14, 1994 it was recognized with the status of sanctuary by the Government of Assam.^[5] A local environmental activist group, Nature's Beckon played a vital role for this recognition.^[6]

Location

Conservation drive for golden langur by Nature's Beckon

The sanctuary covers an area of 45.568 km² (4556.8 hectares). It is around 6 km from Kokrajhar town, 68 km from Dhubri town and 219 km from Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, Guwahati. The sanctuary is mainly a hilly tract running north-south and there are two lakes (Dheer Beel and Diplai Beel) on either side, which are integral to the eco-system of the sanctuary. The lower hilly reaches are covered with sal coppice regeneration while middle and upper reaches are covered with mixed deciduous forests. The sanctuary has some tourist accommodation facility at Choraikhola, Kokrajhar and also provides facilities for bird watching, forest trekking, and wildlife and nature photography.

Animals at the sanctuary

Different kinds of mammals and birds, twenty-three species of reptiles including snakes, lizards and turtles, more than forty species of butterfly are found in this sanctuary.^[7] Some species of mammals recorded in this sanctuary are Indian short-tailed mole, Indian flying fox, short nosed fruit bat, Indian false vampire, Indian pipistrelle, rhesus macaque, Chinese pangolin, Asiatic jackal and Bengal fox. Hornbills are also spotted here. It is also a safe haven for a variety of endangered animals.

Birds

A total of 119 species of birds have been recorded in the Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary. This number includes three globally threatened species.^[8] Some of the species recorded here include black francolin (Francolinus francolinus), jungle bush quail (Perdicula asiatica), lesser whistling duck, cinnamon bittern, Indian pond heron, cattle egret, purple heron, red-necked falcon, red-headed vulture, greater spotted eagle, and bronze-winged jacana.

Black francolin

Lesser whistling duck

The red-necked falcon

References

Protected areas of Assam
National parks	Dibru-Saikhowa National Park Kaziranga National Park Manas National Park Nameri National Park Orang National Park
Wildlife Sanctuaries	Amsang Wildlife Sanctuary Bherjan-Borajan-Padumoni Wildlife Sanctuary Borail Wildlife Sanctuary Bordoibuam-Beelmukh Wildlife Sanctuary (Proposed) Bornadi Wildlife Sanctuary Bura Chapori Wildlife Sanctuary Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary Dipor Bil Wildlife Sanctuary (Proposed) East Karbi-Anglong Wildlife Sanctuary Garampani Wildlife Sanctuary Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary Marat Longri Wildlife Sanctuary Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary Nambor-Doigrung Wildlife Sanctuary North Karbi-Anglong Wildlife Sanctuary Panidihing Bird Sanctuary Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary
Reserved forest	Kakoijana reserved forest