Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary
Facts and practical information
Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary is located on the foothills of the Himalayas, between the Teesta and Mahananda rivers. Situated in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India; it comes under Darjeeling Wildlife division and can be reached from Siliguri in 30 minutes. Sukna, the gateway to the sanctuary, is only 13 km from Siliguri and 28 km from Bagdogra airport. The sanctuary sprawls over 159 km2 of reserve forest and was started as a game sanctuary in 1955. In 1959, it got the status of a sanctuary mainly to protect the Indian bison and royal Bengal tiger, which were facing the threat of extinction. ()
West Bengal
Best Ways to Experience the Park
Wildlife
AnimalsSee what popular animal species you can meet in this location.
Bengal tiger
The Bengal tiger, scientifically known as *Panthera tigris tigris*, is indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. Regrettably, these majestic creatures face significant threats such as poaching, habitat loss, and fragmentation.
Mammals
Asiatic Black Bear
The Asian black bear, also known as the Asiatic black bear, moon bear, and white-chested bear, is a captivating medium-sized bear species native to Asia. These bears are highly adapted to an arboreal lifestyle, spending substantial time in trees.
Mammals
Gaur
The gaur, also known as the Indian bison, is a massive and impressive wild cattle species native to South and Southeast Asia. Unfortunately, it has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986, with an estimated global population of up to 21,000 mature...
Mammals
Sambar deer
The sambar is a large deer species native to the Indian subcontinent, South China, and Southeast Asia. Since 2008, it has been listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List, primarily due to hunting, insurgency, and habitat destruction.
Mammals
Clouded leopard
The clouded leopard is a captivating medium-sized wild cat inhabiting the Himalayan foothills, Southeast Asia, and southern China. Since 2008, it has been classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. With fewer than 10,000 mature individuals remaining and no single...
Mammals
West Bengal