Gautam Buddha Wildlife Sanctuary is a forest and wildlife reserve in the North Indian state of Bihar (Gaya District) and Jharkhand (Kodarma District). The name of the Sanctuary probably comes from the neighboring town of Gaya  also its neighbour Bodhgaya, which are closely related to Buddha and his Enlightenment. The forest of the sanctuary is located on the hill and undulating tracts lying north of the hilly terrain which is an extension of Chhotanagpur plateau.

The Sanctuary was established in 1976, and covers an area of 259 km². Prior to becoming a wildlife Sanctuary, the area was a private hunting reserve. It is spread partly over the rich plains of Ganges and partly over a plateau of the Chotta Nagpur region. The rich and diverse ecology of this area, with several ecosystems co-existing together have created an intense biodiversity in the region. The forest cover density varies and the type of forest, according to location.

 

 

Animals in Gautam Buddha Wildlife Sanctuary :-

Important mammals : Leopard, Indian Elephant, Common Langur, Wild Dog, Giant Squirrel, Barking Deer, Hyaena, Nilgai, Sambhar, Wild Pig, Jackal, Fox, Pangolin, Porcupine.

Important Birds : Vulture, Eagle, Peafowl, Red Jungle Fowl, Pheasant, Indian Roller, Golden Oriole, Red Vented Bulbul, Indian Tree Pie, Brahminy Myna.

Important Reptiles: Chameleon, Python.

A census conducted around the time the sanctuary came into existence had confirmed presence of tigers and other animals. The last census conducted in 2014 confirmed 200 deer, 89 sambhars and 15 sloth bears. Recently, 4 peacocks were also spotted in the sanctuary with other habitats.

 

Safari

The visit to the Gautam Buddha Sanctuary is a combination of driving through the forest roads, short treks to scenic vantage points, which enable the visitors to get a good experience of the wilderness.

 

Where to Stay

The Forest Department maintains a couple of rest houses of the Gautam Buddha Wildlife Sanctuary and the nearby towns of Bodh Gaya and Gaya have all kinds of accommodation options for tourists.

 

Weather and Best Time to Visit

The climate of the region is a mixture of sub-tropical and deciduous temperatures. The summers are hot and dry with heavy rains in the monsoon and low temperatures in the winter. Subsequently the best time to visit the Gautam Buddha Wildlife Sanctuary is in the winter, between November and March, completely avoiding summer and rain.

 

 

 

 How to Reach

By Air

The closest airport is in Gaya (65 km) and is domestic in nature, and connects to Patna and all the surrounding airports. Patna has the closest international airport, from where one can fly or drive to Gaya and then Bodh Gaya to reach the Sanctuary

By Train

The nearest railway station is at Gaya, and being a popular tourist and religious destination, it is connected efficiently to the rest of India.

By Road

The National Highway No. 2 cuts through the Gautam Buddha Wildlife Sanctuary and connects all the neighboring cities and states.

From Jharkhand Side

How to reach: Nearest railway station Koderma 30 kms & nearest airport Ranchi 170 kms.

 

Important Information

• The Gautam Buddha Wildlife Sanctuary is under the management and care of the Divisional Forest Office at Gaya and the prior permission for visiting the sanctuary is obtained from there.

• All the trips into the Sanctuary are regulated by the Range Officer, who has an office of Gaya, any queries and special arrangements, if needed, rest with him.