Pualreng Wildlife Sanctuary
| Pualreng Wildlife Sanctuary | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
Pualreng WS Pualreng Wildlife Sanctuary (in Mizoram) | |
| Location | Kolasib district, Mizoram, India |
| Nearest city | Aizawl |
| Coordinates | 24°08′10″N 92°50′17″E / 24.136°N 92.838°E[1] |
| Area | 50 km2 (19 sq mi)[2] |
| Established | 29 July 2004[3] |
| Governing body | Environment, Forests & Climate Change Department, Government of Mizoram |
Pualreng Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary in the Kolasib district in the Indian state of Mizoram. It was notified on 29 July 2004 and it covers approximately 50 km² of tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forest in the northeastern hill ranges.[4][5]
Geography and Climate
The sanctuary ranges up to 750 m above sea level and receives 2,000–3,900 mm of annual rainfall. Summer temperatures reach 20–30 °C, while winters drop to 10–20 °C.[4]
Biodiversity
Pualreng’s forests support a rich assemblage of mammals including hoolock gibbon (Hoolock hoolock), slow loris (Nycticebus sp.), common langur (Semnopithecus sp.), Himalayan black bear (Ursus thibetanus), leopard (Panthera pardus), sambar (Rusa unicolor), barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak), binturong (Arctictis binturong) and Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla).[4]
Over 100 bird species have been recorded, notably Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis), Wreathed Hornbill (Rhyticeros undulatus), Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris), kalij pheasant (Lophura leucomelanos), Bhutan peacock-pheasant (Polyplectron bicalcaratum) and red junglefowl (Gallus gallus).[4][6]
A 2021 study on Reptiles & Amphibians documented interspecific amplexus between two frog species (Polypedates teraiensis and Hydrophylax leptoglossa), underscoring the sanctuary’s amphibian diversity.[7]
Conservation and Threats
A 2022 remote-sensing assessment revealed a >10% decline in forest cover (≈5.2 km²) from 2006–2018 due to illegal clearing, grazing, and reservoir submergence.[1] In November 2024, a joint operation seized smoked wild-animal meat in the sanctuary, leading to convictions under the Wildlife Protection Act.[8]
Tourism and Access
Accessible from Aizawl (≈115 km) via NH 54 and local roads, the sanctuary is best visited between October and April. Entry and guided tours are managed by the Forest Department.[9]
References
- ^ a b Vanlalnunpuia, P. C.; Lalzarzovi, S. T.; Lalbiaknii, P. C.; Pachuau, Joney Lalnunpuii (2022). "An Evaluation of Anthropogenic Impacts Using Remote Sensing Approach on Forest Coverage of Pualreng Wildlife Sanctuary, Mizoram, India". Applied Ecology and Environmental Sciences. 10 (1): 19–24. doi:10.12691/aees-10-1-4.
- ^ "Pualreng Wildlife Sanctuary". Environment, Forests & Climate Change Department, Government of Mizoram. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ^ "Mizoram Protected Areas Database". Wildlife Institute of India. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Pualreng Wildlife Sanctuary". Environment, Forests & Climate Change Department, Government of Mizoram. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ^ "Mizoram Protected Areas Database". Wildlife Institute of India. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ^ "Mizoram Tourism". mizoramtourism.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2025. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ^ "Interspecific amplexus of frogs at Pualreng Wildlife Sanctuary". Reptiles & Amphibians. 13 May 2021.
- ^ "Operation seizes smoked wild meat in Pualreng Sanctuary". Lamtluang News. 29 November 2024.
- ^ "Pualreng Wildlife Sanctuary". Environment, Forests & Climate Change Department, Government of Mizoram. Retrieved 4 July 2025.