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Source – This post on Dalma wildlife sanctuary has been created based on the article “Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary to offer ‘canopy walk’ facility by mid-Feb” published in “The Times of India” on 21 January 2024.
Why in the news?
Dalma wildlife sanctuary is setting up canopy walk facility to encourage eco-tourism.
About Dalma wildlife sanctuary
| Aspect | Detail |
| About | The Sanctuary gets its name from the “Dalma mai“, a local goddess who is revered and worshiped by the local people. |
| Location | The sanctuary lies on the Chota nagpur Plateau of Jharkhand, contiguous with the steel city Jamshedpur. It is situated around the Dalma hills. |
| Type of forest | It has “Dry peninsular sal” and “Northern dry mixed deciduous Forest“. |
| Flora | It has very rich floral diversity. Medicinal plants like Ananatmula, Satawari, Sarpgandha etc. are abundant in the sanctuary. |
| Fauna | The sanctuary is known for its elephants. Beside elephants the sanctuary has considerable population of other wildlife like barking deer, wild boar, giant squirrel sloth bear etc |
| Significance of recent move | 1) The facility will aid nature lovers, particularly, the bird watchers who can spend long hours and can record behavioral pattern of birds. 2) It would provide employment to local people. |
| Issues | Famous for holding many elephants and other animals, which come downhill during the monsoons and winter and enter nearby villages and towns of Jharkhand and West Bengal. This occasionally leads to conflicts between man and elephants |
Some important points about wildlife sanctuaries
1) The State Government may designate some areas as wildlife sanctuaries under the Wild Life (Protection) Act of 1972 if they are thought to be of significant ecological, geomorphological, and natural value.
2) India’s wildlife sanctuaries cover 122564.86 km2 or 3.73% of the country’s total land area.
3) There are 567 wildlife sanctuaries in the country.
4)They are IUCN Category IV protected areas.
UPSC Syllabus- Environment & Ecology
