In India, several laws have been passed and sanctuaries and national parks have been established for the protection of the dwindling wildlife. India was probably the first country to enact a Wild Life Protection Act. The Wild Birds and Animals Protection Act was passed in 1887 and repeated in 1912.

For game protection in the states, in 1927, the Forest Act XVI was enacted. Indian Board for Wild Life was established in 1952 and this was followed by setting up of Wild Life Boards in different States in India. In 1972, a new Wild Life Protection Act was passed. Under this Act, possession, trapping, shooting of wild animals alive or dead; serving their meat in eating houses; their transport and export are all controlled and watched by special staff (Chief Wild Life Warden and authorized officers). This act prevents hunting of female and young ones. Under this Act the threatened species are absolutely protected and the rest afforded graded protection according to their state of population size.

In India, nearly 200 sanctuaries and national parks have been established for wildlife management. Sanctuaries are places where the killing and capturing of any animal is prohibited except under orders of the authorities concerned. National Parks are set up for preserving flora, fauna, landscapes and historic objects of an area. Some well known wildlife sanctuaries and national parks of India are:

Kaziranga Wild Life Sanctuary

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It was established in 1926 in the district of Sibsagar, subdivision Jorhat (Assam) on the southern bank of the Brahmaputra River. It covers an area of 430 sq. kms of the forest grasslands and swamps and supports a fauna of 700 Rhinoceros besides elephant, wild buffalo, bison, tiger, leopard, sloth bear, sambhar, swamp deer, hog deer, barking deer wild boar, gibbon and birds like pelican, stork and ring-tailed fishing eagles.

Mans Wild Life Sanctuary and Tiger Reserve

It is located in the district of Kamrup in Assam, convering an area of 540 sq. kms. and is situated at an altitude of 80 metres. The River Manas runs through this sanctuary. It contains the following wild animals: tiger, panther, wild dog, wild boar, rhinoceros, gaur, wild buffalo, sambhar, swamp deer and golden langur.

Jaldapara Wild Life Sanctuary

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It is situated in the Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal and covers an are of 65 sq. kms of grassland. Wild life fauna includes animals like rhinoceros gaur, elephant, tiger, leopard, deer and a variety of birds and reptiles.

Palamau National Park

It is situated in the Daltongunj district of Bihar and has an area of 345 sq. kms. The fauna of this include tiger, panther, sloth bear, elephant, chital, gaur, nilgari, tiger, chinkara, chowsingha and mouse deer. The Flora is thick tropical forests.

Hazaribagh National Park

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This national park was established in 1954 in Bihar. It has an area of 184 sq. km of thick tropical forests. The typical fauna of this park includes wild boar, sambhar, nilgai, tiger, leopard, sloth bear, hyena and gaur.

Simplipal National Park

It is situated in the district of Mayur Bhanj in Orissa and has an area of 2750 sq. kms. It is covered with dense sal forests and has been chosen for Project Tiger. Its typical fauna includes tiger, elephant, deer, pea fowl, talking mynas, chital sambhar, panther, gaur, hyena, and sloth bear.

Chilka Lake

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This largest inland lake has an area of 1000 sq. kms and is about 1000 kms from Bhubneshwar (Orissa). Its fauna includes waterfowl, duck, cranes, ospreys, golden plover, sand-piper, stone curlews, flamingoes, etc.

Kolameru Bird Sanctuary

This is a small bird sactuary near Tadepallegudam in Andhra state. It is a breeding place for pelicans and many marine birds visit this place.

Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary

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This small-sized but very old sanctuary extends over a lake of about 0.30 sq. kms. 85 kms from Madras. Many migratory birds regularly visit temporary lake. The regular visitors of this lake are birds like spoon bills, open billed storks, egrets, ibis, cormorant darter, grey heron, pelicans, snipes and dab chicks.

Guindy National Park

It is situated near Madras city and has mainly chitals and black bucks. A few albinos of black buck are also found here.

Point Calimer Wild Life Sanctuary

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This is situated at the southern tip of the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu abutting the Palk Strait. Its back water and lagoon is visited by flamingoes and pelicans. It is close to the Vedaranyam forest which has a fauna of numerous blacks bucks chitals and wild boars.

Mundanthural Sanctuary

It is situated in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu and was established in 1964. It covers an area of 520 sq. kms. The Tamaraparani River flows through the evergreen forests of the sanctuary. Panther, tiger, sambhar and chital form the major fauna of this sanctuary.

Periyar Wild Life Sanctuary

Situated in the state of Kerala, this sanctuary covers an area of 777 sq. kms. It was established in 1949 around the artificial lake which arose behind the dam built across the Periyar River in 1900. This sanctuary of great scenic beauty supports a fauna of wild elephants, gaurs, leopards, sloth bear, sambhars, barking deer, wild dogs, wild boars, black Nilgiri langur and water birds like grey hombills, egrets.

Mudumalai Wild Life Sanctuary

This wildlife sanctuary was established in 1940 in North Western part of Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu. It is known for its rich forests and diversity of fauna that includes wild elephants, gaur, sambhar, chital, barking deer, mouse deer four-horned antelope, tiger, panther, bonnet monkey, langur, giant squirel, flying squirrel, wild dog, jackal, wild cat, sloth BiipniKSiBcf bns >bud jbsld /nsddmsa dtneq .ktido bear, porcupine, pangolin, flying-lizard, monitorlizard, rat snake, python and various birds.

Ranganthito Bird Sanctuary

It covers an area of 166 sq. kms and includes a series of islands in the Cauvery river 15 kms of the Bangalore-Mysore road, near Shrirangapatnam. Its avial fauna includes open bill strok, white ibis, erget, spoon bill, wild duck, pea fowl, night heron etc.

Bandipur Wild Life Sanctuary

This sanctuary was established in 1941 by the then ruler of Mysore (Kamataka State). It is situated 80 kms south of Mysore city enroute to Ootacamund. It has an area of 874 sq kms and is at an altitude of 1454.4 metres. Its forest is very thick and has plenty of rain fall. Its wild life fauna includes plenty of gaurs and animals like elephant, leopard, doth, bear, wild dog, chital, panther, barking deer, porcupine and lungur.

Cotigo Wild Life Sanctuary

It is located in South Goa and has an area of 105 sq. kms. It has wet evergreen forest of Elve and Berla trees and supports rich fauna of the following animals, gaur, sambhar, chital, hog-deer, barking deer wild boar, hyaena, panther, leopard, jackal, otter, porcupine, and birds like parakeet lorokeet, woodpecker, kingfisher, bulbul, jungle fowl, egret etc.

Bhagwan Mahadev Wild Life Sanctuary

It is located in North Goa and has an area of 240 sq kms and supports fauna almost similar to Cotigao Wild Life Sanctuary.

Sesan Gir

This famous wild life sanctuary for the Asiatic lion is situated in Gujarat state, 468 kms from Ahmedabad and 43 kms from Veraval. It has an area of 1295 km sq of semiarid country with patches of thorm scrub and deciduous trees. Its fauna includes Asiatic lion, spotted deer, blue bull (nilgai), fur-homed antelope, chinkara, striped hyena, wild boar, porcupine, langur, python, crocodiles and birds like green pigeon, partridge, rockgrouse etc.

Kanha National Park

This national park was established in 1955 in former Banjar Valley Reserve (Madhya Pradesh). This park has an area of 939.94 sq kms and includes hilly terrain and streams. It is 175 kms away from Jabalpur and has forests of sal trees. Its typical fauna includes animals like tiger, chital, panther, sambhar, black buck and barasingha.

Tandoba National Park

It is located in Chandrapur district (Maharashtra) and has an area of 116 sq. kms. Its fauna include tiger, sambhar, sloth bear, and bison, chital, chinkara, barking deer, blue bull, four-horned deer, langur, peafowl and few crocodiles.

Sariska

This is one of the most beautiful sanctuaries situated in the state of Rajasthan near Alwar. It has an area of 800 sq. kms and has dense Dohokara and Solar forests. Its fauna include tiger, leopard, spotted deer, jungle cat, four-horned antelope, langur, porcupine, hedgehog, peafowl etc.

Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary (Koeideo Ghana)

It is located in Bharatpur district in Rajasthan, has an area of 29 sq. kms. and harbours all kinds of indigenous birds like nesting water birds, water side birds and migratory birds. More than 328 varieties of birds including cormorants, spoonbills, white ibis, Indian darters, egrets, painted storks, open billed storks, great black necked stroks, etc. Many migratory birds like ducks, geese, Siberian cranes, etc. regularly visit this sanctuary. Drier parts of this marshy sanctuary have animals like spotted deer, black buck, sambhar, blue bull, wild boar and python.

Sultanpur Lake Bird Sanctuary

small sized (2 sq kms) bird sanctuary is located in Gurgaon district (Haryana) about 30 kms from Delhi. Its typical avian fauna includes crane, sarus, spot-bill, rudyshell and drake.

Shikari Devi Wild Lie Sanctuary

It is located in Mandi district in Himachal Pradesh. It has an area of 213 sq kms and has the following animals, snow leopard, flying fox, black bear, barking deer, musk deer, chakor, partridge, etc.

Bir Motibagh Sanctuary

It is located near Patiala in Punjab. The fauna includes black buck, blue bull, hog deer, hare, jackal and birds like peafowl, partridge, sparrow, boiler, myna, parakeet, pigeon, dove, etc.

Dachigam Wild Life Sanctuary

It was established in 1951 in Kashmir, 26 kms away from Srinagar. It has an area of 89 sq kms and has two levels: upper Dachigam at 3692.3 metres altitudes and Lower Dachigam at 1846.2 metres altitude. It mainly preserves hungul or Kashmir stag, musk deer, leopard, black buck bear, brown bear and babboon. bear, porcupine, pangolin, flying-lizard, monitor lizard, rat snake, python and various birds.

Ranganthito Bird Sanctuary

It covers an area of 166 sq. kms and includes a series of islands in the Cauvery river 15 kms of the Bangalore-Mysore road, near Shrirangapatnam. Its avial fauna includes open bill strok, white ibis, erget, spoon bill, wild duck, pea fowl, night heron etc.

Bandipur Wild Life Sanctuary

This sanctuary was established in 1941 by the then ruler of Mysore (Kamataka State). It is situated 80 kms south of Mysore city enroute to Ootacamund. It has an area of 874 sq kms and is at an altitude of 1454.4 metres. Its forest is very thick and has plenty of rain fall. Its wild life fauna includes plenty of gaurs and animals like elephant, leopard, doth, bear, wild dog, chital, panther, barking deer, porcupine and lungur.

Cotigo Wild Life Sanctuary

It is located in South Goa and has an area of 105 sq. kms. It has wet evergreen forest of Elve and Berla trees and supports rich fauna of the following animals, gaur, sambhar, chital, hog-deer, barking deer wild boar, hyaena, panther, leopard, jackal, otter, porcupine, and birds like parakeet lorokeet, woodpecker, kingfisher, bulbul, jungle fowl, egret etc.

Bhagwan Mahadev Wild Life Sanctuary

It is located in North Goa and has an area of 240 sq kms and supports fauna almost similar to Cotigao Wild Life Sanctuary.

SesanGir

This famous wild life sanctuary for the Asiatic lion is situated in Gujarat state, 468 kms from Ahmedabad and 43 kms from Veraval. It has an area of 1295 km sq of semiarid country with patches of thorm scrub and deciduous trees. Its fauna includes Asiatic lion, spotted deer, blue bull (nilgai), fur-homed antelope, chinkara, striped hyena, wild boar, porcupine, langur, python, crocodiles and birds like green pigeon, partridge, rockgrouse etc.

Kanha National Park

This national park was established in 1955 in former Banjar Valley Reserve (Madhya Pradesh). This park has an area of 939.94 sq kms and includes hilly terrain and streams. It is 175 kms away from Jabalpur and has forests of sal trees. Its typical fauna includes animals like tiger, chital, panther, sambhar, black buck and barasingha.

Tandoba National Park

It is located in Chandrapur district (Maharashtra) and has an area of 116 sq. kms. Its fauna include tiger, sambhar, sloth bear, bison, chital, chinkara, barking deer, blue bull, four-horned deer, langur, peafowl and few crocodiles.

Sariska

This is one of the most beautiful sanctuaries situated in the state of Rajasthan near Alwar. It has an area of 800 sq. kms and has dense Dohokara and Solar forests. Its fauna include tiger, leopard, spotted deer, jungle cat, four-horned antelope, langur, porcupine, hedgehog, peafowl etc.

Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary (Koeideo Ghana)

It is located in Bharatpur district in Rajasthan, has an area of 29 sq. kms and harbours all kinds of indigenous birds like nesting water birds, water side birds and migratory birds. More than 328 varieties of birds including cormorants, spoonbills, white ibis, Indian darters, egrets, painted storks, open billed storks, great black necked stroks, etc. Many migratory birds like ducks, geese, Siberian cranes, etc. regularly visit this sanctuary. Drier parts of this marshy sanctuary have animals like spotted deer, black buck, sambhar, blue bull, wild boar and python.

Sultanpur Lake Bird Sanctuary

This small sized (2 sq kms) bird sanctuary is located in Gurgaon district (Haryana) about 30 kms from Delhi. Its typical avian fauna includes crane, sarus, spot-bill, rudyshell and drake.

Shikari Devi Wild Lie Sanctuary

It is located in Mandi district in Himachal Pradesh. It has an area of 213 sq kms and has the following animals, snow leopard, flying fox, black bear, barking deer, musk deer, chakor, partridge, etc.

Bir Motibagh Sanctuary

It is located near Patiala in Punjab. The fauna includes black buck, blue bull, hog deer, hare, jackal and birds like peafowl, partridge: sparrow, boiler, myna, parakeet, pigeon, dove, etc.

Dachigam Wild Life Sanctuary

It was established in 1951 in Kashmir, 26 kms away from Srinagar. It has an area of 89 sq kms and has two levels: upper Dachigam at 3692.3 metres altitudes and Lower Dachigam at 1846.2 metres altitude. It mainly preserves hungul or Kashmir stag, musk deer, leopard, black buck bear, brown bear and babboon.

Corbett National Park

It is one of India’s most famous wild life sanctuaries and was constituted in 1935 as the first national park in India. It is situated between Nanital and Gharwal districts in Uttar Pradesh. It has an area of 525 sq kms and is located within west-south bend of the river Ramganga. It supports a rich and diverse fauna of the following: tiger, panther, sloth bear, hyanea elephant, blue bull, swamp deer, barking deer, Indian antelope, porcupine birds like bulbul, wood pecker, bobber, and beef eater, and reptiles like crocodile, python etc.