List of Wildlife Sanctuaries of India 2024, Check Area and Importance

There are 573 wildlife sanctuaries in India and largest wildlife sanctuaries is Ranthambore National Park. Check List of Wildlife Sanctuaries of India distributed in State and UTs.

Table of Contents

India, home to a rich tapestry of biodiversity, houses an extensive network of wildlife sanctuaries spread across its diverse landscapes. These sanctuaries play a critical role in conserving flora and fauna, maintaining ecological balance, and fostering eco-tourism. This article provides a comprehensive list of wildlife sanctuaries in India, highlighting their area and ecological significance.

Wildlife Sanctuaries in India

India is famous for its forests and diverse wildlife. A wildlife sanctuary is a protected area required to conserve plants and animals. Tourism is not allowed in these sanctuaries, as they serve as natural habitats. The Wildlife Protection Act of 1947 established these protected areas. India has about 553 wildlife sanctuaries covering 119776 km². Among them, 51 are tiger reserves specifically for the Bengal tiger.

Wildlife Sanctuaries of India are classified as IUCN Category IV protected areas. The Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972 allowed the State government to declare specific regions as wildlife sanctuaries if they were deemed to be of sufficient ecological, geomorphologic, and natural value.

Largest Wildlife Sanctuary in India

Ranthambore National Park, which is situated in Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan, is one of India’s biggest and most well-known tiger reserves. It was established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1955 and joined Project Tiger in 1973.

How Many Wildlife Sanctuaries are there in India?

India has total 573 Wildlife Sanctuaries, with 123,762.56 km2, or 3.76% of the nation’s land area (National Wildlife Database, Nov. 2023). Another 218 Wildlife Sanctuaries are proposed in the Protected Area Network Report covering an area of 16,829 km2. Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, in the state of Tamil Nadu, is the oldest bird sanctuary. It was founded in 1796.

List of Wildlife Sanctuaries in India 2024

We have provided the updated list of Wildlife Sanctuaries in India in the below table which includes the state and UT name and area covered:

S.No.	State & UT	State Area (km²)	No. of WLS	Area (km²)	% of State Area
1.	Andhra Pradesh	160229	13	6771.40	4.23
2.	Arunachal Pradesh	83743	13	7614.56	9.09
3.	Assam	78438	17	1728.95	2.20
4.	Bihar	94163	12	2851.67	3.03
5.	Chhattisgarh	135191	11	3760.28	2.78
6.	Goa	3702	6	647.91	17.50
7.	Gujarat	196022	23	16618.42	8.48
8.	Haryana	44212	7	118.21	0.27
9.	Himachal Pradesh	55673	28	6115.97	10.99
10.	Jharkhand	79714	11	1955.82	2.45
11.	Karnataka	191791	38	8216.69	4.28
12.	Kerala	38863	18	2156.21	5.55
13.	Madhya Pradesh	308245	24	7046.19	2.29
14.	Maharashtra	307713	49	7861.70	2.55
15.	Manipur	22327	7	708.14	3.17
16.	Meghalaya	22429	4	94.11	0.42
17.	Mizoram	21081	9	1359.75	6.45
18.	Nagaland	16579	4	43.91	0.26
19.	Odisha	155707	19	7094.65	4.56
20.	Punjab	50362	13	326.60	0.65
21.	Rajasthan	342239	25	5592.38	1.63
22.	Sikkim	7096	7	399.10	5.62
23.	Tamil Nadu	130058	33	7096.54	5.46
24.	Telangana	114840	9	5672.70	4.94
25.	Tripura	10486	4	603.64	5.76
26.	Uttar Pradesh	240928	26	5822.20	2.42
27.	Uttarakhand	53483	7	2690.12	5.03
28.	West Bengal	88752	16	1440.18	1.62
29.	Andaman & Nicobar	8249	97	395.60	4.80
30.	Chandigarh	114	2	26.01	22.82
31.	Dadra & Nagar Haveli	491	1	92.17	18.77
32.	Daman & Diu	112	1	2.19	1.96
33.	Delhi	1483	1	19.61	1.32
34.	Jammu & Kashmir	163090	14	1815.04	1.11
35.	Ladakh	59146	2	9000.00	15.22
36.	Lakshadweep	32	1	0.01	0.03
37.	Puducherry	480	1	3.90	0.81
	TOTAL	3287263	573	123762.56	3.76

Importance of Wildlife Sanctuaries of India

To protect endangered species.
To keep animals in their natural habitats and protect them there.
To monitor endangered species and help them reproduce and grow in number.
To provide research opportunities to study these animals and plants.
To help endangered animals live better lives.
To understand more about the animals that live there, biologists are allowed to conduct activities and research in wildlife sanctuaries.
A few sanctuaries take in injured and abandoned animals, heal them, and then release them back into the wild.
Animal refuges safeguard threatened animals and shield them from predators and people.

Wildlife Sanctuary MAP

State-wise Wildlife Sanctuaries of India List

S No.	States	Wildlife Sanctuaries
1.	Assam	Nambor WLS
		Dihing Patkai WLS
		East Karbi Anglong WLS
		Chakrashila WLS
		Amchang WLS
2.	Bihar	Kaimur WLS
		Gautam Budha WLS
		Pant (Rajgir) WLS
		Valmiki WLS
3.	Chhatisgarh	Bhairamgarh WLS
		Badalkhol WLS
		Bhoramdev WLS
		Udanti Wild Buffalo WLS
4.	Goa	Bondla WLS
4.	Goa	Madei WLS
5.	Gujarat	Kutch Desert WLS
		Porbandar Lake WLS
		Jambugodha WLS
		Wild Ass WLS
		Ratanmahal WLS
		Thol Lake WLS
		Sasan Gir Sanctuary
		Mitiyala WLS
6.	Haryana	Bhindawas WLS
		N Khaparwas WLS
		Kalesar WLS
7.	Himachal Pradesh	Bandli WLS
		Daranghati WLS
		Dhauladhar WLS
		Talra WLS
		Pong Dam Lake WLS
		Nargu WLS
9.	Jharkhand	Lawalong WLS
		Parasnath WLS
		Palkot WLS
10.	Karnataka	Someshwara WLS
		Bhadra WLS
		Bhimgad WLS
		Brahmagiri WLS
		Cauvery WLS
		Pushpagiri WLS
		Sharavathi Valley WLS
11.	Kerala	Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary
		Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary
		Aralam WLS
		Chimmony WLS
		Idukki WLS
		Malabar WLS
12.	Madhya Pradesh	Bori WLS
		Gandhi Sagar WLS
		Ken Gharial WLS
		National Chambal WLS
		Orcha WLS
13.	Maharashtra	Koyana WLS
		Painganga WLS
		Bhimashankar WLS
		Tungareshwar WLS
		Great Indian Bustard WLS
14.	Manipur	Yangoupokpi-Lokchao WLS
15.	Meghalaya	—
16.	Mizoram	Dampa WLS (TR)
		Ngengpui WLS
		Baghmara Pitcher Plant WLS
17.	Nagaland	Fakim WLS
17.	Nagaland	Rangapahar WLS
18.	Odisha	Baisipalli WLS
		Chilika (Nalaban) WLS
		Hadgarh WLS
		Satkosia Gorge WLS
19.	Punjab	Abohar WLS
		Harike Lake WLS
		Jhajjar Bacholi WLS
20.	Rajasthan	Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary
		Jawahar Sagar WLS
		Mount Abu WLS
		Ramsagar WLS
		Shergarh WLS
21.	Sikkim	Fambong Lho WLS
		Kitam WLS (Bird)
		Maenam WLS
22.	Tamil Nadu	Indira Gandhi (Annamalai) WLS
		Karaivetti WLS
		Pulicat Lake WLS
		Vedanthangal WLS
		Kalakad WLS
23.	Tripura	Gumti WLS
		Rowa WLS
		Trishna WLS
24.	Uttarakhand	Askot Musk Deer WLS
		Binsar WLS
		Govind Pashu Vihar WLS
		Kedarnath WLS
		Sonanadi WLS
25.	Uttar Pradesh	Hastinapur WLS
		Ranipur WLS
		Sohagibarwa WLS
		Sur Sarovar WLS
		Chandraprabha WLS
		National Chambal WLS
26.	West Bengal	Sunderbans Wildlife Sanctuary
		Chintamani Kar Bird Sanctuary
		Haliday Island WLS
		Ballavpur WLS
		Lothian Island WLS
		Mahananda WLS

Union Territories Wildlife Sanctuaries of India List

Here’s the complete list of Wildlife Sanctuaries in the Union Territories of India:

S No.	UTs	Wildlife Sanctuary
1.	Andaman and Nicobar Islands	Bamboo Island WLS
		Barren Island WLS
		Chanel Island WLS
		Peacock Island WLS
		Turtle Islands WLS
2.	Jammu & Kashmir	Gulmarg WLS
		Limber WLS
		Nandini WLS
3.	Lakshadweep	Pitti WLS (Bird)
4.	Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu	Dadra & Nagar Haveli WLS
4.	Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu	Fudam WLS

Wildlife Sanctuaries in India FAQs

How many wildlife sanctuary are there in India?

There are 573 existing wildlife sanctuaries in India covering an area of 123,762.56 km2, which is 3.76% of the geographical area of the country (National Wildlife Database Centre, Nov. 2023).

Which is the 1st wildlife sanctuary in India?

The first wildlife sanctuary established in India is Manas National Park, also known as Manas Wildlife Sanctuary.

Which is the largest wildlife sanctuary of India?

The Ranthambore National Park, located in the state of Rajasthan, is the largest wildlife sanctuary in India. It serves as a national reserve for the tigers.

Which is the famous wildlife sanctuary in India?

Corbett National Park, located in Uttarakhand, is widely regarded as the oldest wildlife sanctuary in India, established in 1936. It's famous for its Bengal tiger population and was named after Jim Corbett.

Which is the largest wildlife sanctuary in the world?

Northeast Greenland National Park is the largest terrestrial protected area in the world, encompassing a massive 972,000 sq.kms. (375,000 sq mi) in eastern Greenland.