WILDLIFE

Wildlife in Himachal Pradesh

The breathtaking landscape, rare species of birds and animals and a range of adventurous activities make exploring the wildlife in Himachal Pradesh enchanting and thrilling. With an area of 14,668 sq km, Himachal Pradesh has about 26.3% of its total geographic area under forests. These are home to a wide range of flora (3295 species) and fauna (5721 species) spread across the Himalayan mountain ranges. Due to their endemic habitat and medicinal value as well as commercial significance, they are threatened into depletion. To conserve these, the forest department established and is managing many wildlife protected areas including 2 national parks and 33 wildlife sanctuaries. You can visit these national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in Himachal Pradesh to enjoy the variety of unique plants, birds and animals. Indianholiday.com brings you the details.

Great Himalayan National Park

Home to a wide range of endemic west Himalayan flora and fauna, the Great Himalayan National Park in the Kullu district is the largest national park in Himachal Pradesh. Distinct varieties of plant and animal species are found in the three major river valleys in the national park: Tirthan, Sainj and Jiwa.

Established in: 1984

Area and Altitude: It is not only spread across a large area (754.4 square kilometers) but also covers varying altitudes of the great Himalayan range (1,500 to 5,805 meters above sea level). The national park also covers the areas beyond the snow line at 4,000 meters elevation.

Forest Cover: This Park lies in the northwest Himalayan biogeographic zone and has 14 forest types including sub tropical broadleaf hill, alpine moist pasture and sub alpine dry scrub forests.

Climate and Visiting Season: The Great Himalayan National Park experiences temperatures as low as -10 degrees centigrade in the higher altitudes during winter and as high as 30 degrees centigrade during summer. Rainfall (1,500 millimeters) occurs usually from July to September. Though you can visit the park throughout the year, the visiting season is during summer and autumn months when you can take part in various adventure sports and other activities organized by the tourism and forest department. If you are traveling during winter, be prepared for snow, landslides and avalanches.

Pin Valley National Park

Pin Valley National Park is located in the rough and rugged Spiti region of Himachal Pradesh. The beautiful National Park in the rugged Himalayan terrains is the home to a number of endangered species. From 3,500m to 6,000 m the Park covers a wide area of the Lahul Spiti region in the Northern Part of Himachal Pradesh.

The Pin Valley National Park in Himachal Pradesh was declared a national park in the year 1987. Nestled amidst the cold desert of the Spiti Valley in Himalayas, this is the home of Snow Leopards and Ibex. Rich variety of flora and fauna allures wildlife buffs to the Pin Valley National Park. Rare birds like Himalayan Snowcock, Chukor, Snow Partridge and the Tibet Snow Finch are also seen in the Pin Valley National Park.

Sanctuary

Chail Wildlife Sanctuary

Chail Wildlife Sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh was a game reserve during the reign of Maharaja of Patiala. Situated 3 kilometers from his summer capital, Chail, the sanctuary area lies in the districts of Solan and Shimla. Indianholiday.com brings you details about the Chail Sanctuary.

Area and Altitude: It covers an area of 108.54 square kilometers and is spread across the Himalayan slopes at varying altitudes of 701 to 2,408 meters above sea level.

Forest Cover: This West Himalayan bio-geographic zone has Himalayan subtropical pine forest cover in the higher altitudes, and moru and ban oak forest cover in the lower altitudes. It is home to a number of bird species.

Climate and Visiting Season: The weather is pleasant during the summer season (28 degree centigrade) and winter has temperatures below freezing point (-4 degree centigrade). So, the best time to visit is during the months April to June and September to November.

Flora at the Chail Sanctuary: The ban oak and chir pine trees dominate the foothills of the Himalayan slopes. As you trek towards the peak, you will find rhododendron, robinia, cedar and blue pine trees. Check out the wild orchids as you walk around. They are stunning!

Fauna at the Chail Sanctuary:Chail Sanctuary is famous for the endangered cheer pheasant or Wallich's pheasant. This pheasant is gray and brown in color and has a long tail. You can identify it by the red patch around its eyes. Look out for the cheer pheasant in the grasslands of Blossom and Khari-un. Four other pheasant species, red junglefowl, koklass, kaleej and peafowl, can be found in the higher altitudes of the sanctuary.

If you are lucky, you may spot the red headed vulture and pallid harrier that belong to the near threatened category of the ICBN Red List. Other bird species include the grey winged blackbird, slaty headed parakeet, Himalayan bulbul, black headed jay, blue capped redstart, bar tailed tree creeper, green backed tit and white browed rosefinch. Look out for Eurasian bird species, the plain backed thrush, in the higher elevations of 2,700 to 4,000 meters.

Among the animal species, there are leopard, barking deer, goral, European red deer, sambhar, Asian black bear, langur, black naped hare and wild boar.

Things to do in Chail Wildlife Sanctuary

Vehicle safari is not possible in Chail Sanctuary since the region has an undulating terrain. Trekking is the best way to enjoy its natural beauty. Please do not litter while trekking in this protected area.

How to reach Chail Sanctuary

Chail is easily accessible by road from anywhere in the state and neighboring states. If you are traveling by train, get down at Kalka and board a bus or cab to Chail. The nearest international airport to Chail is Chandigarh (110 kilometers). You can avail of a bus or cab from Chandigarh to Chail.

Daranghati Wildlife Sanctuary

Daranghati Sanctuary is a popular wildlife sanctuary situated in the upper part of Shimla district of Himachal Pradesh. It lies at the northern (Manglad Gad) and southern (Nogli Gad) sides of the Dhauladhar mountain range in the valley where tributaries meet the Sutlej River. It used to be a game reserve of the Raja of Bushahr. The area around the sanctuary is dotted by a number of wooden temples that Himachal Pradesh is famous for.

Established in:1962

Area and Altitude: Manglad Gad and Nogli Gad cover a total area of 167 square kilometers with varying altitudes of 2,100 to 3,315 meters above sea level.

Forest Cover: Situated in the west Himalayan biogeographic zone, the forest cover of the sanctuary includes sub alpine, sub tropical broadleaf hill, alpine moist pasture and alpine moist scrub forests.

Climate and Visiting Season: The sanctuary experiences an annual temperature of -15 to 28 degrees centigrade. Rainfall (750 millimeters) occurs between the months of July and September. The best time to visit the sanctuary is during the months of May, June, October and November. If you are adventurous, December to February offers a challenging and exciting time. Be prepared for heavy snowfall during these months.

Fauna at the Daranghati Sanctuary: An endemic and vulnerable pheasant called western tragopan is the main attraction of this wildlife sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh. Tourists from India and the world over visit this sanctuary to get a glimpse of this bird, which is known as the "King of Birds" (jujurana). You can identify these birds by the white spots on its grayish black feathered body (for males) and deep red patch on its neck. During the months or May and June, you can find nests in the hollows of trees where they breed.

Other pheasants that you can easily spot are Himalayan monal, koklas and kaleej. Among the animals, musk deer, barking deer, goral, serow, Himalayan tahr, Himalayan blue sheep and ibex are common ungulates found in this sanctuary and Asiatic black bear, brown bear, leopard, red fox, Himalayan weasel, yellow throated marten, Himalayan palm civet, jungle cat, striped hyena are the common carnivores. Bears usually hibernate in the winter so you might not find any bear in this season, but do look out for the Himalayan blue sheep grazing on the higher altitude cliffs.

Things to do in Daranghati Sanctuary:

Adventure enthusiasts will love trekking to Daranghati from Sarahan or along the old silk route, from Shimla to Daranghati through Nakranda, Baggi, Sungri, Taklech and Kareri. You can stay at the rest houses at Daranghati and have a peaceful vacation amidst the Himalayan landscapes. Make sure you do not litter and harm any living being in the sanctuary.

How to Reach Daranghati Sanctuary:

The nearest railway station is at Shimla and airport is at Jubbarhatti (23 kilometers from Shimla). You can board a toy train from Kalka to Shimla and then drive to Sarahan (177 kilometers from Shimla). Buses and cabs are easily available for Sarahan from Shimla. Daranghati is just 35 kilometers trek from Sarahan. You can try other routes as well.

Kalatop Khajjiar Sanctuary

Situated in the northwestern part of the Chamba district, Kalatop Khajjiar Sanctuary is in the must visit list of every wildlife enthusiast. This wildlife sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh is replete with dense single stand and mixed forests providing home to various species of birds and animals. Its terrain is steep in some areas. Other attractions in the sanctuary are a lake in the center of Khajjiar sanctuary and a temple with a golden dome at its northern edge.

Established in: 1958

Area and Altitude: It covers an area of 61 square kilometers spread across the Himalayan mountain slopes of 1,158 to 2,768 meters above sea level.

Forest cover: It lies in the northwest Himalayan biogeographic zone and has the forest types of sub tropical broadleaved hill, sub alpine and alpine moist pasture forests.

Climate and visiting season: This region gets heavy rainfall of 2,647 millimeters in the monsoon season. In winter, it has a temperature of around 10 degree centigrade and in summer, temperature is 35 degree centigrade. The visiting seasons are summer and autumn.

How to reach Kalatop Khajjiar Sanctuary

You can drive from Chamba to Khajjiar (43 kilometers) to reach the sanctuary. Buses are available in this route. Another route is from Dalhousie (6 kilometers). Pathankot (86 kilometers) has the nearest airport and railway station.

Maharana Pratap Sagar Sanctuary

Maharana Pratap Sagar Sanctuary, nestled in the beautiful Himalayas is one of the lake sanctuaries of Himachal Pradesh. Every year, thousands of avian species from far off Siberia and other countries make the Maharana Pratap Sagar Sanctuary their nesting grounds.

Nestled amidst the dense Alpine Forests with snow clad peaks on the backdrop, the Maharana Pratap Sagar Sanctuary has a beautiful lake which allures tourists from all over.

Explore the sprawling actress of greenery and also get a glimpse of the migratory ducks from Siberian region. Especially in the swamp area between Shahnahar Barrage and Pongdam the birds flock from all over. The sanctuary is fascinating as it is set amidst green valleys and the snowy Dhauladhar Range of the Himalayas in the background.

How to Reach Maharana Pratap Sagar Sanctuary:

Airport :- Gaggal Airport is the nearest airport.

Railhead :- Mukerian Railway Station is the nearest railhead.

The Maharana Pratap Sagar Sanctuary is located in Kangra Valley in Himachal Pradesh.

Manali Sanctuary

The Manali Wildlife Sanctuary is a must visit attraction near Manali, located in the Kullu district. The sanctuary's scenic landscape beside the Manalsu Nullah, a tributary of the Beas River, is home to rare species of birds and animals.

Established in: February 1954

Area and Altitude: The sanctuary is spread across a small area of 31.8 square kilometers within the altitude of 2,273 to 5,173 meters above sea level.

Forest Cover: The sanctuary lies in the northwest Himalayan biogeographic zone and has forests of sub tropical pine, alpine pastures, moist temperate deciduous and western mixed coniferous types.

Climate and Visiting Season: Manali Sanctuary experiences an annual temperature of -4 to 30 degree centigrade and mean annual rainfall of 1,080 millimeters. You can enjoy this sanctuary to the maximum between the months of October to February.

Flora at the Manali Sanctuary: Dense forests of oak and conifers dominate the sanctuary below the tree line. You can find here deodar, fir, horse chestnut, walnut, poplar, robinia, maple and willow trees. At higher altitudes, beyond the tree line, the area is covered by rhododendrons and junipers.

How to Reach Manali Sanctuary:

The well connected road network in Himachal Pradesh makes Manali accessible. You can board a train to Joginder Nagar (95 kilometers) or fly to Bhuntar (52 kilometers) and then drive to Manali. Buses and cabs are easily available.

Nature Park Kufri Sanctuary

Kufri Nature Park or the Himalayan Nature Park at Kufri is a popular summer sightseeing attraction for tourists visiting Kufri and Shimla (around 18 kilometers away). The Forest Department set up this nature park to spread awareness about the wide range of flora and fauna found in the Himalayas. The scenic view of snow covered Himalayan peaks and verdant landscape makes for a pleasurable experience.

Area and Altitude:The Himalayan Nature Park at Kufri is situated at 2,600 meters above sea level across an area of 90 hectares.

Climate and Visiting Season:The ideal visiting season is during the summer and autumn months. During winter you will find the area snow covered. The rainy season is risky due to landslides on the slopes. The nature park remains open to public on all days except Monday from 10 AM to 5 PM.

Flora at the Nature Park Kufri: Kufri Nature Park has a variety of trees including species of fir, oak, spruce, blue pine, deodar and holly. The park also has colorful herbaceous plants growing all around that include species of orchid, balsam, geranium, potentilla and primula.

how to Reach Nature Park Kufri: You can take a taxi from Shimla to reach the Nature Park at Kufri. Take the NH-22 from Shimla and drive south. The nearest railhead is at Kufri and airport is at Jubberhatti (22 kilometers from Kufri).

Simbalbara Wildlife Sanctuary

The great variety of flora and fauna in Himachal Pradesh has been drawing wildlife enthusiasts, photographers, bird watchers and adventure freaks to its green heights since long. With 32 Sanctuaries, 2 National Parks and 3 Games Reserves to boast of, the wildlife in Himachal is worth more than a peep. The forests in Himachal harbors 64 species of mammals, 463 species of birds, 43 species of reptiles and 516 species of aquatic fauna teeming among over 3240 species of plants. The Simbalbara Sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh is a major wildlife destination in Himachal Pradesh.

The Simbalbara sanctuary is located in the Paonta Valley of Sirmaur district in Himachal Pradesh on the lower hill of Shiwalik ranges in Indian Himalayas. Simbalbara wildlife Sanctuary provides shelter to animals like the Goral, Sambhar, Chittal, Spotted dear and many more distinct animals. This sanctuary is a bright example of the attempts to conserve wildlife by the Himachal Tourism Department. Forested by Sal trees and grassy glades, the sanctuary offers interestingly adventurous and picturesque trekking tracks alongside the gurgling stream. 

Churdhar Wildlife Sanctuary

Churdhar Wildlife Sanctuary is a picturesque sanctuary overlooking the Chur Peak, which is the highest outer Himalayan peak in Himachal Pradesh. It lies in the Sirmaur and Shimla districts. Pilgrims visiting the Lord Shiva temple and other temples nearby enjoy stopping over at the Churdhar Sanctuary.

Area and Altitude: The sanctuary is spread across an area of 66 square kilometers and is situated at an elevation of 2,000 to 3,647 meters above sea level.

Flora at the Churdhar Sanctuary: The main trees in the sanctuary are oak and deodar. You will find numerous herbs around the region that have medicinal properties. Some of them are Aloe vera (Dhrit Kumari), Wild Himalayan Cherry and Amaranthus spinosus (Chulai).

Fauna at the Churdhar Sanctuary: Among the various bird species that can be spotted at the sanctuary are Himalayan monal, Indian peafowl, red junglefowl, variegated laughing thrush and koklass pheasant. Musk deer is a vulnerable animal species found in the sanctuary. They are small, without antlers and sandy brown in color and can be found feeding in the alpine pastures. You can also expect to find barking deer, leopard, goral, wild boar, Asiatic black bear and pika.

How to reach Churdhar Sanctuary

You can reach Churdhar by trekking from Dadahu (48 kilometers), Sarain (9 kilometers), Nahura (16 kilometers) and Rajgarh (7 kilometers). The nearest airport and railway station is at Chandigarh (130 kilometers).

Kanwar Wildlife Sanctuary

Kanwar Sanctuary, lying in the Parvati valley and adjacent to Manikaran (2 kilometers), shares its boundary in the south with the Great Himalayan National Park. Nestled by the Shacha and Satupurna mountain peaks, this sanctuary has a number of lakes, springs and religious sites in the vicinity. You can stay at Kasol, Manikaran or Kullu to visit the Kanwar wildlife sanctuary

Established in: February 1954

Area and Altitude: It is situated at varying elevations of 1,800 to 4,833 meters spread across an area of 60.7 square kilometers. The terrain is rocky and steep.

Forest Cover: It lies in the biogeographic zone of the northwest Himalayas and includes the forest types of sub tropical broadleaf hill, temperate deciduous and mixed coniferous, west Himalayan sub alpine, alpine moist pasture, alpine dry scrub and alpine dry pasture forests.

Climate and Visiting Season: During summer (25 degree centigrade) the weather is perfect to visit the Kanwar Sanctuary. Winter (-10 degree centigrade) has heavy snowfall and animals and birds migrate or hibernate during these months. Rainfall (1000 millimeters) occurs during the monsoon months of July to September.

Flora at the Kanwar Sanctuary: The Kanwar forests are dense with ban oak, moru oak, cedar and pindrow yew trees in the lower altitudes and as you go higher you will find canopies of blue pine, kharsu oak and fir.

Fauna at the Kanwar Sanctuary: Kanwar Sanctuary is home to the near threatened species of Himalayan thar. You will find it grazing on the grasses, shrubs or small trees growing on high rocky cliffs. It looks like a goat with horns, big eyes and pointed ears. Another rare species found here is the snow leopard. You can also spot Tibetan wolf, brown bear, blue sheep, musk deer and ibex in the higher elevations. Other animals include barking deer, goral, serow, leopard, common giant flying squirrel, Himalayan palm civet, yellow throated marten, golden jackal and Himalayan weasel.

Among the birds, common ones include western tragopan, cheer pheasant and white cheeked tit.

Things to do in Kanwar Sanctuary:

Nature trails and trekking are popular activities at the Kanwar Sanctuary. While spotting the rare birds and animals, please do not disturb them, call them or feed them. Also please do not litter. Apart from nature visits, you can visit a number of temples and springs of religious significance located on the edge of the sanctuary.  

How to Reach Kanwar Sanctuary:

Kanwar Sanctuary is accessible by road from Kullu (42 kilometers). You can reach Kullu by air from Bhuntar, 10 kilometers away, and by train from Joginder Nagar, 95 kilometers away. Board a bus or cab to reach Kullu. Kasol, where you can find camp sites and a forest rest house, is on the way from Bhuntar to Kullu (20.88 kilometers from Kullu).

Majathal Sanctuary

Majathal Sanctuary is a beautiful sanctuary situated in the Shimla and Solan districts. Its terrain is undulating and steep on the mountain ridge in the south. During your visit you can stay at the rest house located in the sanctuary.

Established in: 1962 (first notified) and March 1974 (re-notified)

Area and Altitude: It covers an area of 39.4 square kilometers on varying altitudes of 900 to 1,966 meters above sea level

Forest Cover: Majathal Wildlife Sanctuary has a forest cover typical to the lower elevations of the west Himalayan region. The forest is of Himalayan dry temperate type.

Flora at the Majathal Sanctuary: The sanctuary is thinly forested with grasses dominating the sanctuary and oak trees of ban, kharsu and moru species. Chir pine is the only conifer growing in this area.

Fauna at the Majathal Sanctuary: Majathal Sanctuary has a good population of the rare cheer pheasant and goral. Goral is a small goat like animal with cylindrical horns. Cheer pheasant is a long tailed bird with a crimson area around the eye. Other animals you can sight are Himalayan black bear, leopard, rhesus macaque, jungle cat, Himalayan palm civet, yellow throated marten, barking deer, sambar, Indian wild bear and langur. Bird watchers can look out for the oriental white backed vulture, black francolin and kaleej and koklas pheasants.

Things to do in Majathal Sanctuary

Nature trails and climbing on the steep and undulating terrain are popular adventures at Majathal Sanctuary. Jeep safaris may not be possible here. Other attractions include a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Harsingh. Please do not throw anything around in the sanctuary and help the area remain clean.

How to Reach Majathal Sanctuary:

Majathal Sanctuary is close to Kashlog on the Shimla-Bilaspur Highway. You can board a cab from Shimla to the sanctuary (76 kilometers towards the south east direction). The nearest airport is Jubbarhatti (23 kilometers away) and the nearest railway station is at Kalka (96 kilometers away).

Nature Park Gopalpur

Gopalpur Nature Park or the Dhauladhar Nature Awareness Park was established as a mini zoo to educate people about the Himalayan wildlife. It is located near Palampur, a picturesque town in the Kangra district that is famous for its sprawling tea gardens on the Dhauladhar mountain range.

Area and Altitude:It covers an area of 12.5 hectares of lush green landscape at an elevation of 1200 meters on the Dhauladhar Mountains.

Forest Cover:Dhauladhar Nature Park lies in the Himalayan biogeographic zone and has wet temperate forest cover.

Climate and Visiting Season: The best time to visit the Gopalpur Nature Park is during the summer months of April to June and winter months of November to February. During monsoon, the area is prone to landslides, so, you must avoid traveling at this time.

Flora at the Nature Park, Gopalpur:Flora of this nature park at Gopalpur include maple, oak, pine, walnut, deodar, fir, kali, bamboo, horse chestnut, khair and fruit trees of apple, raspberry, strawberry and cherry.

Fauna at the Nature Park, Gopalpur: The fauna in the nature park are kept in enclosures and visitors get a chance to learn about the rare animals and birds living on the Himalayan ranges. Birds in the park include kaleej, cheer, koklass and monal. Animals include barking deer, musk deer, black bear, tiger, hyena, sambar, wild boar and leopard.

Things to do in Nature Park, Gopalpur

Wildlife viewing is the main attraction of this nature park. Trekking enthusiasts can have a great time taking the route from Taklech to Gopalpur through Daranghati and Sharai Kothi. You can stay at the forest rest houses in Taklech and Gopalpur. There are a number of campsites here as well. In Palampur (10 kilometers away) you can enjoy bird watching, camping and paragliding. Nearby pilgrimage sites include the Chamunda Devi Temple (8 kilometers away) and the Buddhist monasteries at Dharamshala (13 kilometers away).

How to Reach Nature Park, Gopalpur

Gopalpur Nature Park is easily accessible from Palampur by road. You can take the Palampur-Dharamshala highway to reach the nature park. Public transport and cabs are available. To reach Gopalpur by train, you will have to get down at Pathankot railway station and then take the road to Gopalpur. Gaggal (Kangra) has the nearest airport.

  

Nature Park Manali

Nature Park Manali is located 2 kms from Manali and it is a beautiful wildlife sanctuary of Himachal Pradesh. Sprawling acres of greenery nestled amidst the snowy Himalayas allures tourists to the Nature Park in Manali. Dense woodlands of Deodar, Kail, Horse chestnut, Walnut and Maple add to the beauty of the green Nature Park in Manali. The Alpine Forests etched on the slopes of Himalayas makes it a dream destination for the tourists.

Walk through the Nature Park in Manali and you can come across a rich variety of flora and fauna. One can get a glimpse of the Musk deer, Monal and Brown bear in Nature Park Manali.

The Nature Park Manali generates awareness about wildlife amongst the tourist. One of the most beautiful Himalayan Nature Parks, the Manali Nature Park educates the visitors and refreshes their senses amidst the green mountain valleys.

How to Reach Nature Park Manali:

Airport :- Bhuntar Airport is the nearest airport.

Railhead :- Pathankot Railway Station is the nearest railhead.

The Nature Park Manali is just 2 kms from Manali and one can opt for different transportation facilities like buses and taxis in order to reach the park. The tourists also take buses and taxis from Kullu to reach Nature Park Manali.

So this vacation, plan a Himachal Pradesh Tour and make a trip to one of the most beautiful wildlife sanctuaries in Himachal Pradesh. The3 Nature Park Manali rejuvenates and refreshes the tourists who wish to take a break from the fast paced life in the plains.

Renuka Sanctuary

Introduction
The mind blowing range of flora and fauna that adorn the slopes of the Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh attracts thousands of wildlife enthusiasts and adventure freaks to its depths every year. The wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in Himachal Pradesh are numerous and are home to an astonishing plethora of wildlife. To have a feel of the wildlife scenario in Himachal, there are at present 32 Sanctuaries, 2 National Parks and 3 Games Reserves in the state. These forests harbor about 64 species of mammals, 463 species of birds, 43 species of reptiles and 516 of aquatic fauna teeming among over 3240 species of plants. The Renuka Sanctuary named after the town of Manali, is a major tourist junction for nature lovers.

Renuka Sanctuary- Fast Facts
The Renuka sanctuary is located in Sirmour district in Himachal Pradesh. The total area of the sanctuary is about 402.80 hectares and is comprised of the Renuka Reserve Forest and has been declared as Abhayaranya. Also, an area of roughly about 300 hectare outside the sanctuary has been declared as a buffer belt.

Renuka Sanctuary- Myth
Renuka is an abode of temples of mother and son duo of Renukaji and her son Lord Parshuram. Mythologically Renukaji is worshipped as an incarnation of Goddess Durga. She was the wife of Rishi Yamdagini and her son Parshuram is believed to be the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Legend has it that in order to obey the command of his father Parshuram had to sever the head of his mother. However, after killing his mother, Parashuram begged his father to perjure life in his mother, for which the Rishi agreed. Sahastarvahu, the emperor wanted to marry her and once when Parshuram was away, he killed Rishi Yamdagini and his four sons to marry Renukaji.

To escape the clutches of this emperor Renukaji killed herself by jumping into a pond then known by the name of the Ramsarover and vanished into it. Since then the lake is worshiped as Renuka Lake.

Wildlife in Renuka Sanctuary
The vegetation inside the sanctuary comprises mainlyof Anogeissus, Lucinea, Terminalia, Khair, Shisham, Carrie, Cordia and a number of climbers in moist depressions.

The fauna includes Leopard, Samber, Spotted Deer, Barking deer, Jackal, Hare, Jungle cat, Plam Civet, Porcupine, Blue jay, Black Partridge, Drongos, Hill Crow, Scarlet Minivet, Bulbul, Common Coots, Greenm Pigeons. The Renukaji Zoo is the oldest zoo in Himachal Pradesh, and was initially started during 1957 with rescued, stray and deserted wild animals from the forests. The first animal brought here was a male spotted deer named Moti. To accommodate the increasing number of animals, the concept of an open park was conceived and the park was established in 1983. At present the Lion Safari, zoo, Aviary and Sanctuary is under control of the administrative control of Shimla Wildlife Division.