Kathlaur Kushlian Wildlife Sanctuary
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Kathlaur Kushlian Wildlife Sanctuary | |
|---|---|
| Kathlour–Kushlian Wildlife Sanctuary | |
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
  Location in Punjab, India  Kathlaur Kushlian Wildlife Sanctuary (India) | |
 Interactive map of Kathlaur Kushlian Wildlife Sanctuary | |
| Location | Pathankot district, Punjab, India |
| Nearest city | Pathankot |
| Coordinates | 32°16′33″N 75°26′25″E / 32.275797°N 75.440341°E |
| Area | 758.40 ha |
| Established | 2007 |
| Governing body | Department of Forest and Wildlife (Punjab) |
Kathlaur Kushlian Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary in Pathankot district in the Indian state of Punjab.[1]
The area was notified as a wildlife sanctuary by the Government of Punjab in 2007 (Punjab Government Notification No. 34/13/2007/Ft-V/6133 dated 28 June 2007).[2][3] The notified protected area covers approximately 758.40 hectares (about 1,896 acres) of government forest land and includes lands in and around the villages of Kushalian and Kathlour and adjoining villages.[4]
Geography and habitat
The sanctuary lies near Pathankot (about 25 km from the city) and is situated on the floodplain of the River Ravi.[5] Habitats in the sanctuary include closed-canopy forest, grassland patches (Saccharum and native grasses) and water bodies that support mammals and a variety of birds.[6]
Flora and fauna
Conservation and threats
The sanctuary is managed by the Department of Forest and Wildlife (Punjab), Government of Punjab.[9] The official Gazette / MoEF notification also defines an Eco-sensitive Zone (100 m around the sanctuary boundary) and lists the zonal restrictions and coordinates in Annexure II/III of the PDF.[10] In June 2024 a large fire affected parts of the sanctuary area and the Punjab wildlife/forest authorities carried out an assessment of the damage.[11]
Tourism and visitor facilities
The sanctuary was developed for controlled eco-tourism and was opened to visitors in September 2021 after development works costing around ₹1.2 crore were completed.[12] District material lists visitor facilities such as a 5-km nature trail, observation towers and battery/golf-cart style low-impact vehicles for visitors to minimise disturbance.[13]
Location and access
The sanctuary lies along the Amritsar–Jammu bypass in Tehsil Pathankot; the nearest transport hub is Pathankot (railway station and airport access to the district).[14]