Even after nearly two and half a year of its coming into existence, Nandhaur wildlife sanctuary is still struggling for funds to carry out conservation works.
“Since norms for developing a wildlife sanctuary are different from those of a reserve forest division, its financial requirements are huge to meet certain parameters of a wildlife sanctuary,” the wildlife experts here maintain.
However, no fund has been granted to the said wildlife sanctuary since its creation in December 2012. The fund crunch comes as a setback for the Haldwani forest division under whose jurisdiction is the Nandhaur wildlife sanctuary as it incapacitates it from even carrying on routine conservation works.
Keeping in view the fact that special funds are granted to tiger reserve parks, the officials have applied for the same status for Nandhaur wildlife sanctuary, hoping that this would end the fund crunch problem.
Things are encouraging as the sanctuary has a good presence of tigers aside from other wildlife species. Trapping of about two dozen tigers on cameras last monsoon has lent further credence to demand for the coveted status.
Meanwhile, management plan for Nandhaur wildlife sanctuary has been submitted to the Government of India for funds to carry out necessary conservation works.
“We hope funds would come in due course”, said P C Arya, SDO, Nandhaur wildlife sanctuary, adding that they have been getting on with the routine works in the sanctuary with their existing resources.
Nandhaur sanctuary is known for its huge natural resources, flora and fauna and rich presence of tigers, the wildlife experts maintain. With abundance of variety of forests like sal, shisham, bamboo, teak, chir pine and riverine forests, Nandhaur wildlife sanctuary is home to tiger, leopard, elephant, Sloth Bear, Mahaseer and Great Pied Hornbill, to name a few.
More so, a motley crowd of over 300 variety of birds, including lesser Fish Eagle, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Goosander, Great Hornbill, Red-headed Trogon, Crow-billed Drongo, Rufous Sibia, Short-billed Minivet, Siberian Rubythroat and White-bellied, adds to the wild populace of the sanctuary, the wild life specialists say.