Thorangtlang Wildlife Sanctuary


Thorangtlang Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary located in Lunglei district in the Indian state of Mizoram. It preserves subtropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forest ecosystems and lies close to the India–Bangladesh border.

Location and geography

The sanctuary occupies hilly terrain in southern Mizoram, south of Aizawl and near Lunglei town. Elevations reach about 1,396 m, and the area forms part of the Naga–Mizoram mountain biogeographic zone. The region receives high annual rainfall and is drained by several small streams.

History

The forest tract was first recorded as Reserve Forest in 1982. A state notification declared part of it as Thorangtlang Wildlife Sanctuary on 23 April 2002, with an area of 50 km2. A subsequent notification on 2 November 2015 revised the sanctuary's recorded area to 180.0 km2. In June 2019, an eco-sensitive zone surrounding the sanctuary was formalised by the Government of India.

Flora and fauna

The sanctuary acts as a corridor for the migration of elephants from Bangladesh.
Important wild animals of the region include the Barking deer, Gaur/Indian bison, Himalayan black bear, Hoolock gibbon, Leaf monkey, Leopard, Rhesus macaque, Sambar, Tiger, and Wild boar ; while notable birds comprise the Bhutan peacock pheasant, Great Indian hornbill, Imperial pigeon, Khalij pheasant, Pied hornbill, Red jungle fowl, and Wreathed hornbill.
A study in the Journal of Threatened Taxa documented 36 species of pteridophytes within the sanctuary.

Conservation and management

Thorangtlang Wildlife Sanctuary is administered by the Forest Department of Mizoram. The eco-sensitive zone notified in 2019 aims to regulate development around the boundary and reduce pressure on the habitat. Recent management guidelines highlight community participation, scientific wildlife monitoring and habitat protection as priorities.

Visitor information

The sanctuary is accessible from Lunglei. Entry permissions and visitor arrangements are available through the Mizoram Forest Department and state tourism services.