Wildlife Sanctuaries of India 2026: List, Map, Area, Importance

Wildlife Sanctuaries of India 2026: Check the complete list of 573 wildlife sanctuaries with state-wise details, map, total area, largest and smallest sanctuaries, legal provisions, and their importance for biodiversity conservation and UPSC exam preparation.

Table of Contents

Wildlife Sanctuaries in India are specially declared zones to preserve wild animals, plants, and their natural habitats. They ensure that biodiversity prospers without too much human intervention. As of 2026, there are 573 Wildlife Sanctuaries in India, which comprise 1,23,762.56 sq. km, which is close to 3.76% of the total area of the country.

Wildlife Sanctuaries are very relevant for UPSC aspirants in terms of Environment & Ecology, Geography, and Current Events because many questions are often asked in this topic in both the prelims and mains exams.

What is a Wildlife Sanctuary?

A Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area notified by the State Government under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, where wildlife and their habitats are safeguarded.
Human activities like hunting, poaching, tree felling, and exploitation of forest resources are strictly regulated or prohibited.

Key points:

Declared under Section 18 of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
Managed by State Forest Departments
Falls under IUCN Category IV
Limited human activity allowed
Focus on in-situ conservation

Constitutional & Legal Provisions for Wildlife Sanctuary

Article 48A – Directs the State to protect and improve forests and wildlife.
Article 51A(g) – Makes it the fundamental duty of every citizen to protect wildlife.
Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 – Main legislation governing sanctuaries.
Chief Wildlife Warden – Overall authority of sanctuary management.
Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) may be declared around sanctuaries.

How Many Wildlife Sanctuaries are in India?

As of 2026, there are 573 Wildlife Sanctuaries in India.

They together cover an area of about 1,23,762.56 square kilometres, which is nearly 3.76% of India’s total geographical area. This figure is officially used in most government and exam-oriented sources and is very important for UPSC Prelims. Quick facts for revision:

Parameter	Data
Total Wildlife Sanctuaries	573
Total Area	1,23,762.56 sq km
% of India’s Area	3.76%
IUCN Category	IV
Largest Concentration	Andaman & Nicobar Islands
Largest Sanctuary	Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary (Gujarat)

List of Wildlife Sanctuaries in India 2026

We have provided the updated list of Wildlife Sanctuaries in India in the table below, which includes the state and UT name and area covered:

S.No	State / UT	No. of Wildlife Sanctuaries	Area (km²)	% of State Area
1	Andhra Pradesh	13	6,771.40	4.23
2	Arunachal Pradesh	13	7,614.56	9.09
3	Assam	17	1,728.95	2.20
4	Bihar	12	2,851.67	3.03
5	Chhattisgarh	11	3,760.28	2.78
6	Goa	6	647.91	17.50
7	Gujarat	23	16,618.42	8.48
8	Haryana	7	118.21	0.27
9	Himachal Pradesh	28	6,115.97	10.99
10	Jharkhand	11	1,955.82	2.45
11	Karnataka	38	8,216.69	4.28
12	Kerala	18	2,156.21	5.55
13	Madhya Pradesh	24	7,046.19	2.29
14	Maharashtra	49	7,861.70	2.55
15	Manipur	7	708.14	3.17
16	Meghalaya	4	94.11	0.42
17	Mizoram	9	1,359.75	6.45
18	Nagaland	4	43.91	0.26
19	Odisha	19	7,094.65	4.56
20	Punjab	13	326.60	0.65
21	Rajasthan	25	5,592.38	1.63
22	Sikkim	7	399.10	5.62
23	Tamil Nadu	33	7,096.54	5.46
24	Telangana	9	5,672.70	4.94
25	Tripura	4	603.64	5.76
26	Uttar Pradesh	26	5,822.20	2.42
27	Uttarakhand	7	2,690.12	5.03
28	West Bengal	16	1,440.18	1.62
29	Andaman & Nicobar Islands	97	395.60	4.80
30	Chandigarh	2	26.01	22.82
31	Dadra & Nagar Haveli	1	92.17	18.77
32	Daman & Diu	1	2.19	1.96
33	Delhi	1	19.61	1.32
34	Jammu & Kashmir	14	1,815.04	1.11
35	Ladakh	2	9,000.00	15.22
36	Lakshadweep	1	0.01	0.03
37	Puducherry	1	3.90	0.81

Wildlife Sanctuary in India MAP

10 Largest Wildlife Sanctuaries in India

The 10 largest Wildlife Sanctuaries in India span vast areas and encompass diverse ecosystems like deserts, forests, and wetlands. These expansive sanctuaries are crucial for the conservation of large mammals, unique habitats, and endangered species. Notable examples include the Kutch Desert and Indian Wild Ass Sanctuaries in Gujarat, which are the largest.

Rank	Sanctuary	Area (sq km)	State
1	Kutch Desert WLS	7,506.22	Gujarat
2	Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary	4,954	Gujarat
3	Desert National Park	3,162	Rajasthan
4	Nagarjunsagar–Srisailam WLS	3,568	Andhra Pradesh
5	Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary	1,222	Maharashtra
6	Manas WLS	950	Assam
7	Achanakmar WLS	914.02	Chhattisgarh
8	Bhadra WLS	492.46	Karnataka
9	Koyna WLS	423.55	Maharashtra
10	Sundarbans WLS	362.4	West Bengal

10 Smallest Wildlife Sanctuaries in India

The 10 smallest Indian Wildlife Sanctuaries have very little geographical area but play a great importance in the conservation of region-specific flora and fauna. These sanctuaries are extremely vital for the protection of bird species, wetlands, and fragile ecosystems. Their small areas notwithstanding, they are among the great contributors to biodiversity conservation and ecological balance.

Rank	Sanctuary	Area (sq km)	State
1	Kutch Bustard Sanctuary	2	Gujarat
2	Nangal WLS	3	Punjab
3	Mayureshwar WLS	5.14	Maharashtra
4	Mahavir Swami WLS	5.4	Uttar Pradesh
5	Bondla WLS	7.98	Goa
6	Thol WLS	7	Gujarat
7	Chilika (Nalaban) WLS	15.53	Odisha
8	Pobitora WLS	38.8	Assam
9	Bor WLS	61.1	Maharashtra
10	Kinnerasani WLS	635.4	Telangana

Wildlife Sanctuaries vs National Parks (Comparison)

Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks are significant protected areas in the context of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. These two have the same objective to conserve biodiversity, but there is some differences in the extent of human interference and management practices. National Parks receive greater protection, while in Wildlife Sanctuaries, human habitation and rights to the place persist.

Feature	Wildlife Sanctuary	National Park
Human Rights	Some allowed	Completely prohibited
Boundaries	Flexible	Fixed
Grazing	Sometimes allowed	Not allowed
Protection Level	High	Very High

State-wise Wildlife Sanctuaries of India List

Below is the complete List of Wildlife Sanctuaries in India according to the states.

Wildlife Sanctuaries of India State Wise List
S No.	States	Wildlife Sanctuaries
1.	Assam	Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary
		Dihing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary
		East Karbi Anglong Wildlife Sanctuary
		Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary
		Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary
2.	Bihar	Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary
		Gautam Budha Wildlife Sanctuary
		Pant (Rajgir) Wildlife Sanctuary
		Valmiki Wildlife Sanctuary
3.	Chhatisgarh	Bhairamgarh Wildlife Sanctuary
		Badalkhol Wildlife Sanctuary
		Bhoramdev Wildlife Sanctuary
		Udanti Wild Buffalo Wildlife Sanctuary
4.	Goa	Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary
4.	Goa	Madei Wildlife Sanctuary
5.	Gujarat	Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary
		Porbandar Lake Wildlife Sanctuary
		Jambugodha Wildlife Sanctuary
		Wild Ass Wildlife Sanctuary
		Ratanmahal Wildlife Sanctuary
		Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary
		Sasan Gir Sanctuary
		Mitiyala Wildlife Sanctuary
6.	Haryana	Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary
		N Khaparwas Wildlife Sanctuary
		Kalesar Wildlife Sanctuary
7.	Himachal Pradesh	Bandli Wildlife Sanctuary
		Daranghati Wildlife Sanctuary
		Dhauladhar Wildlife Sanctuary
		Talra Wildlife Sanctuary
		Pong Dam Lake Wildlife Sanctuary
		Nargu Wildlife Sanctuary
9.	Jharkhand	Lawalong Wildlife Sanctuary
		Parasnath Wildlife Sanctuary
		Palkot Wildlife Sanctuary
10.	Karnataka	Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary
		Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary
		Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary
		Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary
		Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary
		Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary
		Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary
11.	Kerala	Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary
		Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary
		Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary
		Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary
		Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary
		Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary
12.	Madhya Pradesh	Bori Wildlife Sanctuary
		Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary
		Ken Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary
		National Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary
		Orcha Wildlife Sanctuary
13.	Maharashtra	Koyana Wildlife Sanctuary
		Painganga Wildlife Sanctuary
		Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary
		Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary
		Great Indian Bustard Wildlife Sanctuary
14.	Manipur	Yangoupokpi-Lokchao Wildlife Sanctuary
15.	Meghalaya	—
16.	Mizoram	Dampa Wildlife Sanctuary (TR)
		Ngengpui Wildlife Sanctuary
		Baghmara Pitcher Plant Wildlife Sanctuary
17.	Nagaland	Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary
17.	Nagaland	Rangapahar Wildlife Sanctuary
18.	Odisha	Baisipalli Wildlife Sanctuary
		Chilika (Nalaban) Wildlife Sanctuary
		Hadgarh Wildlife Sanctuary
		Satkosia Gorge Wildlife Sanctuary
19.	Punjab	Abohar Wildlife Sanctuary
		Harike Lake Wildlife Sanctuary
		Jhajjar Bacholi Wildlife Sanctuary
20.	Rajasthan	Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary
		Jawahar Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary
		Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary
		Ramsagar Wildlife Sanctuary
		Shergarh Wildlife Sanctuary
21.	Sikkim	Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary
		Kitam Wildlife Sanctuary (Bird)
		Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary
22.	Tamil Nadu	Indira Gandhi (Annamalai) Wildlife Sanctuary
		Karaivetti Wildlife Sanctuary
		Pulicat Lake Wildlife Sanctuary
		Vedanthangal Wildlife Sanctuary
		Kalakad Wildlife Sanctuary
23.	Tripura	Gumti Wildlife Sanctuary
		Rowa Wildlife Sanctuary
		Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary
24.	Uttarakhand	Askot Musk Deer Wildlife Sanctuary
		Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary
		Govind Pashu Vihar Wildlife Sanctuary
		Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary
		Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary
25.	Uttar Pradesh	Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary
		Ranipur Wildlife Sanctuary
		Sohagibarwa Wildlife Sanctuary
		Sur Sarovar Wildlife Sanctuary
		Chandraprabha Wildlife Sanctuary
		National Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary
26.	West Bengal	Sunderbans Wildlife Sanctuary
		Chintamani Kar Bird Sanctuary
		Haliday Island Wildlife Sanctuary
		Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary
		Lothian Island Wildlife Sanctuary
		Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary

Union Territories Wildlife Sanctuaries of India List

Here’s the complete list of Wildlife Sanctuaries in the Union Territories of India:

S No.	UTs	Wildlife Sanctuary
1.	Andaman and Nicobar Islands	Bamboo Island WLS
		Barren Island WLS
		Chanel Island WLS
		Peacock Island WLS
		Turtle Islands WLS
2.	Jammu & Kashmir	Gulmarg WLS
		Limber WLS
		Nandini WLS
3.	Lakshadweep	Pitti WLS (Bird)
4.	Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu	Dadra & Nagar Haveli WLS
4.	Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu	Fudam WLS

Importance of Wildlife Sanctuaries of India

To protect endangered species.
To keep animals in their natural habitats and protect them there.
To monitor endangered species and help them reproduce and grow in number.
To provide research opportunities to study these animals and plants.
To help endangered animals live better lives.
To understand more about the animals that live there, biologists are allowed to conduct activities and research in wildlife sanctuaries.
A few sanctuaries take in injured and abandoned animals, heal them, and then release them back into the wild.
Animal refuges safeguard threatened animals and shield them from predators and people.

Wildlife Sanctuaries in India FAQs

How many wildlife sanctuary are there in India?

There are 573 existing wildlife sanctuaries in India covering an area of 123,762.56 km2, which is 3.76% of the geographical area of the country (National Wildlife Database Centre, Nov. 2023).

Which is the 1st wildlife sanctuary in India?

The first wildlife sanctuary established in India is Manas National Park, also known as Manas Wildlife Sanctuary.

Which is the largest wildlife sanctuary of India?

The Ranthambore National Park, located in the state of Rajasthan, is the largest wildlife sanctuary in India. It serves as a national reserve for the tigers.

Which is the famous wildlife sanctuary in India?

Corbett National Park, located in Uttarakhand, is widely regarded as the oldest wildlife sanctuary in India, established in 1936. It's famous for its Bengal tiger population and was named after Jim Corbett.

Which is the largest wildlife sanctuary in the world?

Northeast Greenland National Park is the largest terrestrial protected area in the world, encompassing a massive 972,000 sq.kms. (375,000 sq mi) in eastern Greenland.