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The southern boundary
includes Mount Narsing and Mount Pandim. The western boundary
comprises of the mighty Khangchendzonga which presides over its
namesake park and the Nepal Peak. Being bounded by such formidable
features, it is no wonder that the park has remained ecologically
untouched and therefore has provided a natural protection to the
flora and fauna it shelters. The fauna includes the Snow Leopard,
Himalayan Black Bear, Red Panda, Baking deer and many other
species. Many places in this park have perhaps never been trod by
man and it is very likely that new species may be discovered here.
Khangchendzonga National Park (North Sikkim)
Best Season to Visit : March - May and September -
November.
Area : 1784 sq km
This park is the home to Snow leopard , Clouded leopard, Himalayan
Black Bear, Red Panda, Blue Sheep, Serow, Himalayan Tahr, Goral ,
Musk Deer, Barking Deer, Impeyan Pheasant, Satyr Tragopan, Blood
Pheasant, Osprey, Lammergeier, Sunbirds etc.
Mount Khangchendzonga (8585 m),Mount Narsing (5825 m), Mount Simvo
(6811 m) and Mount Siniolchu (6888 m) enhance the scenery. One of
the abiding charms of Sikkim for the nature lover, is the
constantly changing character of plant and animal life. Each of
the altitudinal zones of vegetation harbours characteristic fauna
of its own. Sikkim, which is less than 8000 sq. km. In area has
over 550 species and subspecies of birds, nearly 30% of the entire
bird fauna of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka
together. The wealth and variety of butterflies and flowerings
plants found here is perhaps unequalled in the world...More
Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary (North Sikkim)
Best Season to Visit : March to late May and September to
mid- December.
Area : 51.76 sq km
Distance : 20 km( from Gangtok )
Altitude : 1280 - 2652 m
Note : Entry to Sanctuary is permitted by the Chief
Wildlife Warden, Government of Sikkim, Gangtok .
This is located about 20 kilometers from Gangtok and covers an
area of about 5,200 hectares above the road between Singtam and
Dikchu with the highest point at a place called Tinjure at 7,000
ft. where a wooden observation tower of the Forest Department
exists. The Sanctuary is the home of Himalayan Black Bear, Red
Panda, Civet cat and many varieties of birds and butterflies. The
Binturong or Bear-Cat (Arctictis binturong) is a rare civet
reported from here.
Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary (South Sikkim)
Best Season to Visit : March - May and September -
November.
Area : 36.34 sq km
Distance :
Altitude : 10,600 ft
It is located in South Sikkim above the town of Rabongla and
covers an area of about 3,500 hectares with its highest point
being at Maenam. It shelters Red Panda, Goral, Serow, Barking
Deer, Marbled-Cat, Leopard-Cat, Civet-Cats, Blood Pheasant, Common
Hill Partridge, Magpies, Black Eagle, Blue necked Pitta, Sunbirds
and many other animals of the temperate forest.
Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary (North Sikkim)
Best Season to Visit : March - May and October - December.
Area : 43 sq km
Distance : 137 km (from Gangtok)
It is located near Yumthang in North Sikkim and contains a vast
variety of rhododendrons. The sanctuary is bounded on its southern
periphery by the Yakchey La and on the northern periphery by the
Yumthang Valley known for its alpine meadow and hot springs.
It is hemmed in on the east by the high rugged Chuba-Sagochen
mountain ranges and on the west by part of Chomzomei Tso extending
upto Lava pass. The picturesque Yumthang Chhu (river) flows
through the sanctuary, which is known for its unique abundance of
Rhododendron trees and shrubs, 40 species/varieties of which are
recorded from Sikkim alone. When in blossom the rhododendrons
provide a riot of colour to this small park.
The fauna here consists of the Serow, Goral, Blood Pheasant ,
Common Hill Partridge etc. also found here. The beautiful and
highly endangered Spotted Linsang or Tiger-Civet (Prionodon
pardicolor) has been reported from here.
The rare and endemic Rhododendron nevium, the State Tree occurs
only in this sanctuary which is also rich in ground flora such as
primulas, potentillas, gentians, saxifrages, poppies and aconites.
Brown Trout were introduced into Yumthang Chhu at Phunyi in 1978
and have been flourishing since. Lachung is the last frontier
village before reaching the sanctuary. There is a Forest Rest
House here, as well as one at Yumthang.
Kyongnosia Alpine Sanctuary (East Sikkim)
Best Season to Visit : April - August and October -
November.
Area : 31 sq km
Distance : 26 km from Gangtok
Altitude : 3350 m
It is situated around the area adjoining the Tsomgo (Changu) lake
along the Nathula Road. Sanctuary abounds in alpine flowers like
Poppies, Primulas and Rhododendron. Musk Deer, Serow, Himalayan
Black Bear, Red Panda, Lesser Cats, Blood Pheasant, Satyr Tragopan,
Impeyan Pheasant are some of the species found. This floristic
sanctuary has a breath-taking variety of flowers between May and
August.
The earliest to flower are the different species of Rhododendron,
though they each have slightly varied timings of peak flowering.
In the open areas, you can see a flowering succession of variously
coloured primulas, blue poppies, and Clematis in June; purple
irises, pale yellow poppies (Meronopsis paniculata) and
Friti1laria together with the little local strawberry Fragaria
dotting the ground in July. The season ends in August in a blaze
of golden senecios and bright purplish-pink Pedicularis
siphonantha. The last to flower is Polygonum which covers the
landscape, after which the area awaits its first snowfall.
Many rare and highly endangered plants, some of great medicinal
value are found here such as Podophyllum emodii, Aconitum spp. and
Nardostachys grandiflora. The orchid Cypripedium elegans in
particular is endemic to this area. Some solemn, majestic silver
firs, Abies densa, stand sentinel over the area towering above the
thickets of rhododendron and fields of tiny flowering plants.
There are also dense bushes of bamboos at the lower altitudes,
mostly belonging to the genus Arundinaria which forms an ideal
habitat for animals like the Red Panda, Ailurus fulgens that
thrive on their shoots. These bushes also play an important role
in soil conservation.
Bird life is represented by different types of laughing thrushes
in shrubs and on the forest floor; the ubiquitous blue whistling
thrush, redstarts and forktails near waterfalls and hill-streams;
mixed hunting parties comprising small species such as warblers,
tit-babblers, tree-creepers, white-eyes, wrens, rose finches,
yellow- bellied fantail flycatchers, minlas and yuh~nas in
rhododendrons and silver firs; raptors such as black eagle,
blackwinged kite and kestrel patrolling the skies and pheasants
such as monals and blood pheasant, now becoming rare. Many
migratory birds also use Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary as a stopover
before going down to the Indian plains or back to Siberia.
Animals, though present are very difficult to spot during a casual
visit; but as this is the only safe refuge available to them from
the disturbance of nearby army cantonments, you may expect to see
signs of musk deer, serow, goral, common langur and the red panda
in the higher ranges of the sanctuary. There are records of
leopard and black bear too. So look carefully for animal tracks
and signs such as pugmarks, browsed branches, droppings, small
trails and dens in rocks and tree snags. The forest will then come
alive for you and with practice you will soon be able to identify
the animal making these signs.
Animals and birds breed late at this altitude sometime between May
to August. A lot of the smaller species use underground dens and
nests or lake over abandoned or disused burrows. It is not
uncommon to find small rivulets formed from melting ;now of the
winter months. Often the dense rhododendron bushes around these
water bodies serve is ideal sites for nesting of birds and you
should be careful not to disturb the hidden occupants by avoiding
walking into these bushes. Do study elements of this unique high
altitude lake ecosystem.
Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary (West Sikkim)
Best Season to Visit : March - May and September -
November.
Area : 104 sq km
Altitude : 1600 m – 3600 m
This Rhododendron Sanctuary has been recently established and lies
in the West corner of Sikkim. Mountains scarred by landslides
suggest that development activities are taking a toll on the
environment and the flora and fauna are definitely being affected.
The loss of top soil, soil instability, degeneration of
agriculture land and shrinking of catchments areas of the rivers
are issues that are cause for concern. The alpine areas of Sikkim
in particular which look so powerfully big and formidable are
ironically most vulnerable and sensitive to environment
degradation. High altitude soil is not readily regenerative and
therefore overgrazing of yaks and sheep in alpine meadows has led
to many stretches of land becoming barren. Man has realized that
forests form an indispensable part of our life support system and
placed their conservation high on the agenda. Perhaps in the
thousands of species of flora in Sikkim, some of them unique to
this state and not found elsewhere, are some which await to be
discovered to provide life saving drugs to fight diseases like
cancer and AIDS that are stalking mankind. It is truly said that
in the wildness is the preservation of the world. The best
protection for the species is the people who know and care about
them. The need for development and the preservation of the ecology
have to be balanced and one should not be allowed to overwhelm the
other...more
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