Jaisamand Wildlife Sanctuary

Jaisamand Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area in the Salumbar district of Rajasthan, India, located on the northern and eastern shores of Jaisamand Lake, in aravalli hills about 50 km south of Udaipur. It covers an area of approximately 52.34 km² and is administered by the Rajasthan Forest Department under the Department of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Government of Rajasthan.^[1]

Jaisamand Wildlife Sanctuary
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
Location in Rajasthan, India Show map of Rajasthan Jaisamand Wildlife Sanctuary (India) Show map of India
Location	Salumbar district, Rajasthan, India
Nearest city	Udaipur
Coordinates	24°16′N 74°00′E
Area	52.34 km2 (20.21 sq mi)
Established	1955
Governing body	Rajasthan Forest Department, Government of Rajasthan

History

The area was once a royal hunting ground of the Maharanas of Mewar.^[2] It was officially declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1955 by the Government of Rajasthan under forest notification F39(2)Forest/55.^[3][4]

Geography and ecology

Jaisamand Wildlife Sanctuary is situated within the Aravalli hill range and lies in the Khathiar–Gir dry deciduous forests ecoregion. The sanctuary includes undulating terrain with forested hills, valleys, and water bodies fed by the Jaisamand Lake, which is one of the largest artificial lakes in Asia.^[5]

Flora

The vegetation is predominantly dry deciduous forest. Major species include teak (Tectona grandis), palash (Butea monosperma), salar (Boswellia serrata), and dhak trees, alongside scrub and grasslands.^[6]

Fauna

Mammals found in the sanctuary include Indian leopard (Panthera pardus), chital (Axis axis), nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus), chinkara (Gazella bennettii), wild boar (Sus scrofa), striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena), Indian grey mongoose (Herpestes edwardsii), jungle cat (Felis chaus) Sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) and golden jackal (Canis aureus). Over 200 bird species have been documented, including migratory waterfowl and resident forest birds.^[7][8]

Management

The sanctuary is managed by the Rajasthan Forest Department. Protection efforts focus on habitat conservation, anti-poaching operations, and awareness programmes aimed at preserving biodiversity and maintaining ecological corridors within the Aravalli landscape.^[9][10][11]