The Punjab Forest Department has launched a ₹5.36-crore eco-tourism master plan for the sanctuary, formerly known as the Jhajjar-Bachauli Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the Rupnagar district. It is being developed as the state’s first dedicated leopard tourism destination.
Sanctuary Overview
- Location: Shivalik foothills, near Anandpur Sahib, Rupnagar (Punjab).
- Area: 289 acres (spanning Jhajjar, Bachauli, and Lamlehri villages).
- Forest Type: Tropical dry deciduous forest.
- Ecological Significance: Acts as a vital transit corridor for migratory leopards within the Shivalik landscape.
- Initiatives: Implementation of low-impact, sustainable infrastructure, including leopard safaris, solar-powered facilities, and chain-link fencing to mitigate human-wildlife conflict.
Key Biodiversity
- Apex Predator: Common Leopard (Panthera pardus).
- Other Fauna: Sambar, Barking Deer, Nilgai, Wild Boar, Jackal, and Indian Pangolin.
- Reptiles: Indian Rock Python, Common Cobra, and Monitor Lizard.
- Flora: Khair, Shisham, Eucalyptus, Neem, and Amla.
IASPOINT Booster Facts
- Legal Status: Notified in 1998 under Section 18(1) of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
- Leopard Status: Categorized as ‘Vulnerable’ (IUCN Red List) and protected under Schedule I of the WPA, 1972.
- Landscape: Part of the ‘Shivalik Hills and Gangetic Plains’ landscape for national leopard estimation.
- Renaming: Renamed to honor the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, who founded Anandpur Sahib.
- Other Punjab Sanctuaries: Harike Wetland, Abohar Wildlife Sanctuary (Blackbucks), and Kathlour-Kushlian.