About Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary:
- It is a protected area located in Chandigarh, near the famous Sukhna Lake at the foothills of the Shivalik range.
- The lake was created by the architect Le Corbusier in 1958 by diverting the Sukhna Choe, a seasonal stream that flows down from the Shivalik hills.
- The sanctuary was developed as a result of afforestation done for soil conservation around Sukhna Lake.
- Spreading over an area of 2600 hectares, Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1998.
- The place is quite unstable geographically and becomes prone to soil erosion by surface runoff during rains.
- It has sandy soil of Shivalik with pockets of clay embedded at places.
- Apart from the Sukhna Lake, there are around 150 small and large water bodies in the sanctuary that form its catchment area.
- Vegetation: It is characterized by a mix of forests, grasslands, and wetlands, with the Sukhna Lake forming an important part of the ecosystem.
- Flora: The common flora of the sanctuary includes Khair, Phulai, Kikar, Shisham, Moonj, Amaltas, Jhingan, Amla, Rati, Vasaka, and many more.
- Fauna:
- Squirrels, Common-Mongoose, Indian Hare, Porcupine, Jungle Cat, Jackal, Wild boar, etc, are the mammals found in the sanctuary.
- It is known to have the most number of sambar (a type of antelope) found in a group or cluster than anywhere else in the country.
- Peacock, Hill myna, Jungle crow, Black drongo, Parrots, Doves, and others are the common birds of this region. Migratory birds also flock around this place.
