Discover Untouched Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary [MAP]

Table of Contents

What is Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary famous for?

Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, is known for its diverse flora and fauna, including the clouded leopard, marbled cat, Asian golden cat, and leopard cat. It is home to several endangered species such as the capped langur, red panda, and Asiatic black bear, as well as the newly discovered Arunachal macaque. The sanctuary is also recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International, with the vulnerable Blyth’s tragopan being a notable bird species.

The sanctuary’s high altitude ridge serves as an important habitat for the Asian elephant, making it a significant area for elephant conservation. Additionally, the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund has identified Eaglenest and the Tawang region as deserving of conservation focus, while the Conservation International Himalaya Biodiversity Hotspot area covers the sanctuary.

Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary

Arunachal Pradesh Leaflet Map

Table 1: Basic Information about Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary

Information	Details
Location	West Kameng District, Arunachal Pradesh, India
Neighboring Protected Areas	Sessa Orchid Sanctuary, Pakhui Tiger Reserve
Altitude Range	500m (1,640ft) to 3,250m (10,663ft)
Area	217 sq. km
Notified as a Wildlife Sanctuary	18th October 1989
Notified under the Wildlife Act, 1972	Section 18
Part of	Kameng Elephant Reserve

eaglenest wildlife sanctuary MAP — eagle nest wildlife sanctuary MAP

Table 2: Fauna at Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary

Species	Details
Birds	Over 450 species; ‘Big Six’: Rufous-necked Hornbill, Beautiful Nuthatch, Blyth’s Tragopan, Ward’s Trogon, Wedge-billed Babbler, Bugun Liocichla
Mammals	Golden and Marbled Cats, Himalayan squirrels, Asian Elephant, Dholes, Himalayan Black Bears, Barking Deer, Red Panda
Reptiles, Amphibians, and Insects	Ludlow’s Bhutan Glory (a swallowtail butterfly species), Bompu Litter Frog, Anderson’s Mountain Lizard, Abor Hills Agama, McLelland’s Coral Snake, Pope’s Pit Viper

Table 3: Other Key Features of Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary

Features	Details
Mini Waterfalls	Series of mini waterfalls along the road to Bomdila
Kameng River	Flows through the thick lush green canopy of tropical vegetation
Birds Haven	Extraordinary variety and numbers of bird species
Name of Sanctuary	Named after Red Eagle Division of the Indian Army posted in the area in 1950s
Vegetation	Forest changes from tropical to sub-tropical with change in composition of crop

Location of Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary

Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary and Sessa Orchid Sanctuary are situated in an approximately rectangular area. Sessa Sanctuary is located in the northeast quadrant while Eaglenest is to the west. Eaglenest borders the Tawang district to the north and is bounded by the Bhalukpong-Bomdila highway to the east. Its western boundary is marked by the Bhutan border, and the southern boundary is located at about 27° N latitude.

Ridges in Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary

Eaglenest and Sessa ridges are the first significant barriers that the monsoon encounters as it moves northward from the plains of Assam. These ridges rise to 3,250 metres and 3,150 metres respectively. The southern slopes of these ridges receive over 3,000 millimetres of rainfall, while the northern slopes receive about 1,500 millimetres.

Drainage of Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary

The Tippi Naala or Tippi River, which flows into the Kameng River at Tippi village, drains the eastern half of Eaglenest and Sessa sanctuaries. Several smaller streams, such as Buhiri Nadi and Dihung Nadi, flow down from the western part of the area to join the Brahmaputra River separately.

Protected Area in Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary

Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary is part of the Kameng protected area complex (KPAC), which is the largest contiguous closed-canopy forest tract in Arunachal Pradesh. This complex includes several other sanctuaries, such as Pakke, Sessa, Nameri, and Sonai Rupai, as well as associated reserved forest blocks. The complex covers an area of 3,500 km2 and ranges from 100 metres to 3,300 metres in altitude.

Topography of Eaglenest and Sessa Sanctuaries

Feature	Description
Elevation	Eaglenest and Sessa ridges rise to 3,250 metres (10,663 ft) and 3,150 metres (10,335 ft) respectively.
Road Access	Eaglenest has an unpaved road running from its base to Eaglenest pass at 2,800 metres (9,186 ft) allowing good access to the entire altitudinal range, making it accessible to the military, scientists, and ecotourists.

Mammals in Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary

Species	Conservation Status
Clouded leopard	Vulnerable
Marbled cat	Near Threatened
Asian golden cat	Near Threatened
Leopard cat	Least Concern
Capped langur	Endangered
Red panda	Endangered
Asiatic black bear	Vulnerable
Arunachal macaque	Endangered
Gaur	Vulnerable

Note: Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary is also home to a new species of primate, the Arunachal macaque, discovered in 1997.

Extra Ordinary Flora in Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary

Species	Description
Elephant nettle	Poisonous plant found in abundance at the Sessni campsite

Biodiversity Conservation Efforts in Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary

Organization	Focus Area
Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF)	Eastern Himalayan region, North Bank Landscape, Tawang region
Conservation International	Himalaya Biodiversity Hotspot area
BirdLife International	Important Bird Area (IBA IN344)

Note: The area is identified as a critical global biodiversity hotspot and is particularly important for the conservation of the vulnerable Blyth’s tragopan bird species.

Asian Elephant in Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary

Information	Details
Altitude	Up to 11,000 ft, highest altitude that elephants reach in India
Importance	Area is extremely important for the continued well-being of the Asian elephant
Human-Elephant Conflict	Extensive clearing of forests in Assam has exacerbated elephant-human conflict in the plains; elephants may lead to depletion of their food resource by exceeding the rate of regeneration