Ballabhpur Wildlife Sanctuary (popular as Deer Park) was established in 1977. This wooded area is located near
Bolpur
Bolpur is a city and a municipality in Birbhum district in the state of West Bengal, India. It is the headquarters of the Bolpur subdivision. Bolpur municipal area includes Santiniketan, Sriniketan and Prantik. The city is known as a Cultural a ...
Santiniketan
Santiniketan is a neighbourhood of Bolpur town in the Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum district in West Bengal, India, approximately 152 km north of Kolkata. It was established by Maharshi Devendranath Tagore, and later expanded by his son ...
in
Bolpur subdivision
Bolpur Subdivision is an administrative subdivision of Birbhum district in the state of West Bengal, India.
Overview
Bolpur subdivision is part of the Suri-Bolpur Plain, a sub-micro physiographic region. It covers the interfluves of the Mayurak ...
of
Birbhum District
Birbhum district () is an District#India, administrative unit in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the northernmost district of Burdwan division—one of the five Divisions of West Bengal, administrative divisions of West Bengal. The distr ...
in the
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
n
state
State may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State
* ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
* ''Our S ...
of
West Bengal
West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fourt ...
.
Geography and location
This wildlife sanctuary is located in Bolpur Santiniketan. It has an average elevation of .
With an area of 200 hectares, Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary located on the fringes of the University town of Bolpur is just the perfect getaway for your next weekend. Just a kilometer from the Viswa Bharati University area, this lush Wildlife Sanctuary is home to three large water bodies (Jheel) which hosts migratory as well as resident birds in plenty.
Climate
During the summer, the temperature can shoot well above and in winters it can drop to around . The annual average rainfall is , mostly in the monsoon months (June to October).
Fauna
This Wildlife Sanctuary is home to three large water bodies (Jheel) which hosts migratory as well as resident birds in plenty. The sanctuary was established in September 1967 and has one of the most successful deer conservation records in the state. It is home to numerous
Cheethals (Spotted Deer),
Blackbuck
The blackbuck (''Antilope cervicapra''), also known as the Indian antelope, is an antelope native to India and Nepal. It inhabits grassy plains and lightly forested areas with perennial water sources.
It stands up to high at the shoulder. Mal ...
and other resident animals like
jackals
Jackals are medium-sized canids native to Africa and Eurasia. While the word "jackal" has historically been used for many canines of the subtribe canina, in modern use it most commonly refers to three species: the closely related black-backed ...
and
foxes
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
. The whole sanctuary is a protected area with watchtowers and jungle paths for tourists to walk around and catch glimpses of deer and other wildlife.
Timings
It is open from 10 am to 4 pm. It is closed on Wednesday.
[Basak, Tapan Kumar, ''Rabindranath, Santiniketan and Sriniketan (An Introduction)'']
References
Wildlife sanctuaries in West Bengal
Tourist attractions in Birbhum district
Protected areas established in 1977
1977 establishments in West Bengal
{{India-protected-area-stub