Behali Wildlife Sanctuary

• Recent Event: Recently hosted a special ‘Butterfly Walk’ to celebrate the rich diversity of these “living jewels” of the forest ecosystem.

• Butterfly Diversity: Documentation of 85 butterfly species, including rare ones like the Wizard, Painted Courtesan, and Common Acacia Blue.

• Objective: Raise awareness among youth and local communities about butterfly conservation and inspire future generations to connect with nature.

Location & Background

• State/District: Situated in Biswanath district, Assam, in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas.

• History: Originally notified as a Reserve Forest in 1917.

• Sanctuary Status: In May 2022, it was preliminarily notified as a Wildlife Sanctuary covering about 157.25 sq km under the Borgang Forest Range in the Sonitpur East Forest Division.

Rivers & Streams

• Major Rivers:

  • Borgang River – forms the western boundary

  • Buroi River – forms the eastern boundary

• Other Streams: Behali, Bedeti, Bihmari, Borajuli, Dikal, Diring, Kochujan, Kolaguri, Naharjan, Nasbor, Sauldhowa, Sukansuti, etc.

Flora

• Botanical Diversity: About 308 native angiosperm (flowering plant) species recorded.

• Rare & Endangered Plants:

  • Tupistra stoliczkana (rediscovered after more than a century)

  • Citrus indica (endangered, rare)

  • Chlorophytum assamicum (critically endangered)

  • Aristolochia assamica

  • Peliosanthes macrophylla var. assamensis

Fauna

• Wildlife: Rich diversity of snakes, amphibians, turtles, and lizards.

• Notable & Threatened Species:

  • Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus)

  • Great Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill, Rufous-necked Hornbill

  • White-winged Duck (Asarcornis scutulata)

  • Indian Bison (Bos gaurus)

  • Dhole (Cuon alpinus)

  • Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa)

  • Bengal Slow Loris (Nycticebus bengalensis)

  • King Cobra, Southeast Asian Box Turtle, etc.

• Wildlife Corridor: Acts as a corridor for elephants and other wildlife, linking Nameri National Park and surrounding forests.

• Recognition: Declared an Important Bird Area (IBA) and a Key Biodiversity Area (KBA).

Threats

• Encroachment, deforestation, forest fragmentation, and boundary disputes near the Assam–Arunachal Pradesh border.

Q1. Consider the following statements about Behali Wildlife Sanctuary:

1. It is located in Biswanath district of Assam.

2. The Borgang River forms its eastern boundary, while the Buroi River forms its western boundary.

3. It was upgraded from a Reserve Forest to a Wildlife Sanctuary in 2022.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only