Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary
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| Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
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Oaks on a mountain slope in Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary
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| Location | Uttarakhand, India |
| Nearest city | Almora |
| Coordinates | 29°37′56″N 79°20′15″ECoordinates: 29°37′56″N 79°20′15″E |
| Area | 45.59 km² |
| Established | 1988 |
| Governing body | Department of Forest Uttarakhand |
Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Himalayas on top of the Jhandi Dhar hills. It is about 33 km north of the Almora town in Uttarakhand, India.
From a place called Zero Point in Binsar one can see the Himalayan peaks likeKedarnath Peak, Shivling, Trisul and Nanda Devi.
Binsar was the summer capital of the Chand Kings, who ruled over Kumaon from the 11th to 18th centuries AD. Binsar was established in 1988 for the conservation and protection of the shrinking broad leaf oak (Quercus) forests of the Central Himalayan region, and it has over 200 bird species.
Contents
[hide]Geography[edit]
The sanctuary is spread over 45.59 km² and situated at an altitude varying fro 900 to 2500 metres with an average height of 2412 metres. It is located 35 km from Almora in the state of Uttarakhand.
Fauna[edit]
Binsar has a museum about the flora and fauna of the region.
The fauna include leopard (Panthera Pardus), Nemorhaedus goral (goral), Chital (Axis axis), musk deer, serow (Capricornis sumatiensis), jungle cat(Felis chaus), Sus scrofa, black bear, pine marten, fox (Vulpes vulpes), langur ((Presbytis entellus), monkey (Macaca mulatta), porcupine, flying squirrel(Petaurista petaurista), and barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak). It has over 200 species of birds including tits, forktail, nuthatches, blackbirds, parakeets, laughingthrush, magpies, Kalij pheasant (Lophuraleucomelana), monal, koklas, eagles, woodpeckers, and Eurasian jays. Binsar is also home to many reptiles and a wide range of butterflies.
Flora[edit]
The sanctuary has pine forest at the lower level and oak and rhododendron at the higher altitude. It also has alpine flora, bryophytes, pteridophytes, and hanging mosses. Other plants include kaphal (Myrica esculenta), Pinus roxburghii, Engelhardtia spiicata, Macaranga pustulata,Quercus gloca, Quercus incana, Quercus leucotricophora (banjh), Quercus semicarpifolia,Quercus dilatata, Cedrus deodara, Alnus napalensis, Aesculus indica, Pinus wallichiana,Quercus lanuginosa, and Quercus floribunda.
Places of interest[edit]
Khali estate[edit]
The Khali estate was once the home of Sir Henry Ramsay, who was the commissioner of Kumaun from 1856 to 1884 and called by British authors the King of Kumaun. He also built his bungalow at Binsar. Vijay Laxmi Pandit, the sister of Jawahar Lal Nehru, also lived here.
Mary Budden estate[edit]
The Mary Budden estate located at 8000 feet is a restored colonial home with two cottages and a temple to Shiva.[1]
Binsar Mahadev[edit]
There are two Binsar in Almora. The Binsar Mahadev is located in a jungle around 20 km from Ranikhet and nearly 70 km from Almora. It is known for the temple of Lord Shiva. Every June "Yagya" is organised in which thousand of devotees visit there.
The Bineshwar Mahadev temple is a holy destination for Hindus. Binsar was named after the temple, which is dedicated to the God Shiva.
Kasar Devi temple[edit]
Kasar Devi temple is located around 9 km from Binsar. It housed Dutch monks from 1970 to early 1980s. It gained recognition in 1920 when Swami Vivekananda meditated there.
Places nearby[edit]
Other attractions[edit]
- Kathgodam
- Almora
- Zero Point
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