Chandra Prabha Wildlife Sanctuary
| Chandra Prabha Sanctuary | |
|---|---|
  | |
| Location |
Chandauli, Uttar Pradesh,  India |
| Nearest city |
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India |
| Coordinates | 25°42′N 83°16′E / 25.7°N 83.27°ECoordinates: 25°42′N 83°16′E / 25.7°N 83.27°E |
The Chandra Prabha Wildlife Sanctuary (also known as Chandraprabha) is situated in the eastern region of Uttar Pradesh. It is well endowned with beautiful picnic spots, dense forests, and scenic waterfalls like Rajdari and Devdari that attract tourists every year to its vicinity. Chandra Prabha Wildlife Sanctuary is situated about 70 kilometres from the historic city of Varanasi.
History
The sanctuary was established in May 1957. Asiatic lions were introduced at Chandra Prabha in 1958. The exercise was successful in the beginning, with the number of lions rising from three to 11 by 1969. However, the following year the lions were found missing. The plan was again revived in 1993 although the Indian Government is yet to take a decision in this regard.
Location
Chandra Prabha sanctuary is spread over an area of 78 km² and lies on Naugarh and Vijaigarh hillocks in the Vindhya forest range in Chandauli.
Getting In
Chandra Prabha sanctuary is just 65 km from the city center of Varanasi. The most convenient way to reach the park is by hiring a taxi and driving down. The journey takes approximately two hours. The nearest rail junction is Varanasi, which is well connected to most parts of India.
Attractions
A variety of wild animals are found at Chandra Prabha. These include blackbucks, chital, sambhar, nilgai, wild boar, porcupine and Indian gazelle. The reptilian species include gharial and python.
The park is a bird watchers' paradise, as one can see around 150 species of birds. The wild vegetation comprises mahua, saagun, amaltas, tendu, koraiya, ber etc. In terms of flora, it is a typical dry deciduous forest composed of gneiss and laminated stone.