A biodiversity paradise? Or a Birder’s Heaven? Or a combination of both? Find out what makes Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary a treat to all nature lovers of the world. Featuring some of the rarest and most threatened creatures known to man which inhabit the peaceful sanctity of the Sanctuary. Lying on the foothills of the Himalayas, the landscapes within provide some of the most scenic views of the region. In this chapter, we will learn what we need to know about the EagleNest Wildlife Sanctuary.

Location Of EagleNest Wildlife Sanctuary

EagleNest Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Kameng District of Western Arunachal Pradesh spread over an area of 218 sq. km. It is a protected area lies in the foothills of the Himalayas. The sanctuary connects with Sessa Orchid Sanctuary in the North-East and Pakhui Tiger Reserve to the East across Kameng River. It is also a part of the Kameng Elephant Reserve. The range of altitude variation within the Sanctuary differs from 500m to 3250m. The forests here are usually covered with a thick mist during winters. The EagleNest Wildlife Sanctuary is a biodiversity paradise and is considered amongst the topmost Birding destinations in the World. Some of the rarest species of birds are found here with a total of 700 different species of birds only. It is a wonderful destination for Bird lovers and Bird Watchers all over the world. 

The Sanctuary is also home to several different species of Mammals, Reptiles, Butterflies, and Moths. The difference in elevation provides wonderful avenues to get the perfect picture of the surrounding forests. So apart from a jungle-safari, trekking is also possible within the safe zone of this Sanctuary. Vehicles like Jeeps are not allowed inside throughout some specific months in a year. But one can take a bike ride or bicycle ride and also take a walk through the Sanctuary. There are camping facilities around the Sanctuary as well.

How To Reach EagleNest Wildlife Sanctuary?

BY AIR:

The nearest airport to the Sanctuary is Tezpur Airport, located around 150km away. But the flights going to and fro this airport is very few. A better option would be to fly to Guwahati Airport and then take a long drive towards the Sanctuary (335km approx).

BY TRAIN:

The Bhalukpong Station is around 94km away making it the nearest Railway Station to the Wildlife Sanctuary. Cab and bus facility is available for hire near the Railway Station.

BY ROAD:

Tenga is the nearest Town to the Wildlife Sanctuary lying 17km away, which is easily accessible from Tezpur. You can also opt to hire a cab from Tezpur or Guwahati as well. The roads are in good condition and connect well with the surrounding cities.

Best Time To Visit EagleNest Wildlife Sanctuary

The landscapes at EagleNest Wildlife Sanctuary lies at high altitude and in a hilly region. For Bird watchers, March and April are the best months to visit the Wildlife Sanctuary. This is also when the rhododendrons are in full bloom. Camps can get cramped during this time, so do make sure you book your vacation well in advance.

November to February is also a good time to visit. That's if you can bear the chilly weather during the day and especially at night. Due to the abundance of birds at Eaglenest, bird activity is still quite high. The camps aren’t as busy at this time.

The sanctuary is not open to the public during the monsoon season, from June to September. There are frequent landslides and floods during this time. 

Flora EagleNest Wildlife Sanctuary

The 218 sq. km of EagleNest Wildlife Sanctuary includes a wide variety of forest types. From Tropical Evergreen Forests in the lower Elevations to temperate forests in mid-altitudes and conifers and Rhododendron at higher elevations. Some parts of the Sanctuary are even covered in extensive thickets of Bamboo trees and vastly growing shrubs. 

Fauna EagleNest Wildlife Sanctuary

Let's look at some of the animals and birds which can be spotted within EagleNest Wildlife Sanctuary.

MAMMALS:

The Sanctuary provides a habitat for many mammals including some endangered species. Clouded Leopard, Marbled Cat, Asian Golden Cat, Leopard are some examples. Endangered species like Capped Langur, Red Panda, Asiatic Black Bear and the vulnerable Arunachal Macaque and Gaur are found here. Asian Elephants can also be spotted wandering the lengths of the forests at EagleNest Sanctuary.

BIRDS:

There are over 600 species of birds found within the EagleNest Wildlife Sanctuary, part of which are migratory Birds. Quite rightly the Sanctuary is considered a "Birder's Paradise". Some of the birds found within are Cormorants, Herons, Black Stork, Ducks, Hawks, Eagles, Kites, Falcons, Pheasants, and Vultures. There are other birds like- Junglefowl, Quail, Peafowl, Rails, Plovers, Pigeons, Owls, Swifts, Kingfishers, Hornbills, Parrots, Woodpeckers, etc. The list goes on but it is fun to listen to the calls of the birds while visiting the sanctuary. 

REPTILES:

EagleNest Wildlife Sanctuary is home to 34 species of amphibians, 24 species of snakes and 7 species of Lizards. For instance, Agamids, Geckos, Skinks, Abor Hills Agama, Darjeeling False-Wolf Snake, Anderson's Mountain Lizard, Gunther's Kukri Snake, Slug snake, etc. Abor Hills Agama is one of the species which was re-discovered at the Sanctuary after 125 long years. The Darjeeling False-Wolf Snake is another rare species found within the Sanctuary which was rediscovered after 80 years.

BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS:

There are over 250 species (out of 1250 species of Butterflies found in India) within the blissful surroundings of the Sanctuary. Some of them are-Bhutan glory, grey admiral, scarce red-forester, dusky labyrinth, tiger brown, jungle-queen, white-edged bush-brown, and white owl. Another 200 species of Moths have been recorded at EagleNest Wildlife Sanctuary. The best time to capture some moments of the Butterflies is during Spring and Autumn Seasons. 

Accommodation around EagleNest Wildlife Sanctuary

There are no hotels near the EagleNest Wildlife Sanctuary apart from the ones at Tenga. However, there are smaller camps where you can rest for the night after a long journey inside the Sanctuary. Some of these camps provide tent facilities and are great sites for stargazing. 

LAMA CAMP 

It is a permanent campsite offering tented facilities for accommodation. On a clear day, you can get a spectacular view of the snowy peak of Gori Chen range in Tibet. The most recent discovery in the bird species, the Bugun Liocichla, is also found around Lama Camp.

BONGPU 

This campsite also offers tented accommodation and is located within Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary. The lower elevations of Eaglenest (Sessni, Khellong) can be accessed from Bongpu. Some smaller animals around Bongpu are the newly discovered Bongpu Litter Frog, Blyth’s Tragopan, Wedge-billed Babbler and Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler.

RAMALINGAM 

It is in the community forest about 8 km. away from Tenga. It has a Forest Rest House as well as a tourist camp. It is a good site to look for animals of open habitats which may be difficult to see within the sanctuary.