Renuka sanctuary
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The sanctuary is situated in Sirmour district in Himachal Pradesh. The sanctuary is well connected by the network of motorable roads. The total area of the sanctuary is about 4.028 square kilometres. The entire sanctuary is comprised of only Renuka Reserve Forest and has been declared as Abhayaranya. Also, an area of roughly about 3 square kilometres that lies outside the sanctuary has been declared as a buffer belt.
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[edit] Religious aspect
The area is well recognized by its religious and cultural value. Renuka is an abode of temples of mother and son duo of Renukaji and Lord Parshuram. Mythologically Renukaji is an incarnation of Goddess Durga. She was the wife of Rishi Yamdagini. Parshuram believed to be the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He was the yongest of the five sons of the couple. It is believed that in order to obey the command of his father, parshuram had to serve the head of his mother. After killing his mother, he begged his father to prejure life in his mother, for which the Rishi agreed. Renukaji was considered extremely beautiful. Sahastarvahu, the emperor wanted to marry her and once when Parshuram was away, he killed Rishi Yamdagini and his four sons to marry Renukaji.
To escape the clutches of the emperor Renukaji jumped into small pond also known by the name of the Ramsarover at that time, and vanished into it. Ever since the lake is worshiped as Renuka lake.
[edit] Geographic aspect
The sanctuary falls in the bio-geographical zone IV and biogeographical province IV as per the classification done by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII). According to forest types classification, the area falls uner group 5B/C2 i.e. dry mixed deciduous forest and group 5/051 i.e. dry Sal forest.
The forest bears mixed crop of Anogeissus, Lucinea, Terminalia, Khair, Shisham, Carrie, Cordia and a number of climbers in moist depressions.
The fauna includes Leopard, Samber, Spotted Deer, Barking deer, Jackal, Hare, Jungle cat, Plam Civet, Porcupine, Blue jay, Black Partridge, Drongos, [Hill Crow, Scarlet Minivet, Bulbul, Common Coots, Greenm Pigeons. Renukaji Zoo is the oldest zoo in Himachal Pradesh, which was initially started during 1957 with rescued, stray and deserted wild animals from the forests. The first animal brought here was a male spotted deer named Moti. To accommodate the increasing number of animals, an open park was conceived and the park was established in 1983.Black Buck and Nilgai were brought from Pipli Zoo. A pair of Mithun, gifted by Rajiv Gandhi, the Prime Minister of India in 1985, was brought from Arunachal Pradesh and another was brought from Nagaland in 1986. A pair of lions was brought to the zoo from Zunagarh in 1975.
The periphery of the area is fenced by inter-channeled chain fence to restrict the illegal entry of villagers to the area. At present the Lion Safari, zoo, Aviary and Sanctuary is under control of the administrative control of Shimla Wildlife Division.[1]
