NATIONAL PARK OF CHANDIGARH

Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary 

Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary is spreading over an area of 2600 hector is situated at one Km. in the North-East of Sukhna Lake. It forms the part of Sukhna lake catchment area falling in Shivalik hills.

 Shivalik hills are ecologically sensitive and geologically unstable and thus are highly prone to soil erosion during rains. The soil in the Shivaliks is sandy, embedded with pockets of clay which is highly susceptible to erosion by surface run off. Sukhna Lake was constructed in 1958 and in sixties & early seventies, the rate of siltation of the lake was very high due to high rate of soil erosion from its catchment area. Up to 1988, 66% of the original water holding capacity of the lake was lost due to siltation. In order to minimize & control soil erosion from hilly catchment area, various vegetative and engineering methods were adopted by Forest Department.

These soil & water conservation measures under-taken on sustained basis yielded very good results and the rate of siltation of the lake has reduced drastically. Soil conservation measures supplemented with massive a forestation led to the development of very good forest in hilly catchment area which is now an ideal habitat for wide variety of fauna. Consequently, this area had been notified as “Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary”.

SUKHANA LAKE

 There are wide variety of trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses and climbers. The prominent among them are Acacia catechu (Khair), Acacia modesta (Phulai), Acacia Arabica (Kikar), Acacia leucophloea (Raeru), Dalbergia sisoo (Shisham), Anogeissus latifolia (Chhal), Azadirachta indica (Neem), Bombax ceiba (Semal), Butea frondosa (Dhak), Bauhinia racemosa (Kachnar). Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary is an abode of wide variety of Mammals, birds, reptiles, butterflies and micro-organisms. 

The following animals are found here Sambar, Spotted Deer (Chittal), Pangolin (ant eater), Wild boar, Jackal, Small Indian Civet, Jungle Cat, Porcupine, Hanuman Langur, Rhesus Monkey, Indian Hare, Common-Mongoose, Common rat, Squirrel etc. 

There are more than 150 varieties of birds including aquatic birds. Prominent among them are Peacock, Red jungle fowl, Grey partridge, Cuckoos, Night jars, Golden Oriole, Kingfisher, Swifts, Hoopoes, Hornbills, Barbets, Woodpeckers, Rollers, Barn owls, Parrots, Doves, Jacanas, Plovers, Coots, Hawks, Geese, Swan, Ducks, Grebes, Black drongo, Tree pie, Jungle crow, Bulbul, Hill myna, Koel, Bee-eater, Common Myna etc.

 Traditional watchtowers & signage’s camouflaging the forests are constructed along the nature trails which add beauty to the trails. One can get wide view of Shivalik hills from these twelve watch towers. These watch-towers also help in detecting/ spotting forest fire, illegal poaching and felling. There are three beautiful rest houses namely Kansal Loghut, Kansal Inspection hut and Nepli Inspection hut inside the Sanctuary. Provision of Boating is also kept in water bodies near ‘Kansal Loghut’ and ‘Nepli Inspection hut’. Good forests, easy spotting of wildlife, picturesque water bodies, sprawling lawn of ‘Kansal Loghut’ and ‘Nepli inspection hut’ and serpentine nature trails are attracting Nature lovers and other visitors to Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary.

Chattbir Zoo

Chattbir Zoo is located at five km from Chandigarh on the Chandigarh Patiala Road Chandigarh Chattbir Zoo, is a famous zoological park which houses hundreds of different mammals, birds and reptiles.

One of the major attractions of Chatbir Zoo near Chandigarh is the lion safari. The work on zoo had started long back in the seventies and today it has been developed as a full-fledged zoological park. Royal Bengal tiger is the pride of Chattbir zoo and if you are fortunate enough, you might be able to catch its glimpse. Visitors are taken on the adventurous trips to the tiger reserves, where animals roam about freely. You can also find distinctive species of birds over here. The zoo is open on all days except for Mondays.