Wildlife Sanctuaries of India

Wildlife Sanctuaries

• Sanctuary is an area that is of adequate ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, natural, or zoological significance. The Sanctuary is declared for the purpose of protecting, propagating, or developing wildlife or its environment. Certain rights of people living inside the Sanctuary could be permitted.
• Further, during the settlement of claims, before finally notifying the Sanctuary, the Collector may, in consultation with the Chief Wildlife Warden, allow the continuation of any right of any person in or over any land within the limits of the Sanctuary.
• Wildlife sanctuaries of India are classified as IUCN Category IV protected areas.
• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 provided for the declaration of certain areas by the State government as wildlife sanctuaries if the area was thought to be of adequate ecological, geomorphological, and natural significance.
• As of March 2025, 573 wildlife sanctuaries were established in the country, which is 3.76 % of the geographical area of the country.
• Established in 1936, Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu was the first bird sanctuary in the country, and the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary was established later in 1940.
• The Andaman and Nicobar Islands have the largest number of wildlife sanctuaries (97).

Summary: State/UT-wise Wildlife Sanctuaries

List of Wildlife Sanctuaries of India

Nagarjuna Sagar-Srisailam WLS is calculated two times Andhra Pradesh & Telangana.

State-wise National Parks, Tiger Reserves, Wildlife Sanctuaries and Ramsar Sites of India