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About Chilla Wildlife Sanctuary
Chilla sanctuaries harbour about
a third of the State's elephant population. Hence the proposal to es tablish
them as Rajaji National Park and link it up with Corbett National Park
by means of elephant corridors. This will involve the construction of
two special bridges over the recently-made Chilla Power Canal and the
protection of suitable intervening forest habitat. Gujars are in the
process of being resettled in accordance with national park policy
(Gupta, 1986). A recent study suggests, however, that the Gujars have
not had such a detrimental effect on their habitat as is commonly
believed. The need to develop a compromise of joint land-use for the
benefit of the land, local people and wildlife, rather than managing
the area exclusively for
conservation
purposes, is emphasised (A. Clark pers. comm.).
CLIMATE There are
three seasons in the Himalayan foothills: cool, hot and rainy. During
the cool season (November to February), days are warm (20-25*C),
nights are cold and humidity is low. Precipitation in December to
February totals 50-150mm. Temperature rises rapidly to 40-48*C in the
hot season (March to June) and rainfall increases with the occasional
thunderstorm. Humidity is high in the rainy season (July to October),
with over 750mm of precipitation in July to August, and there is
little temperature variation (Singh, 1956). Annual rainfall ranges
from 1200-1500mm and mean monthly temperature from 13.1*C in January
to 38.9*C in May (Tiwari, 1986).
VEGETATION
Based on Landsat imagery for 1986, approximately 84% of the proposed
national park is forested. Some 65% of forested land is under 20%
crown cover inChilla Sanctuary, whereas a similar percentage of
forested land exceeds 50% crown cover in Motichur Sanctuary. Canopy
cover is intermediate for forests in Chilla Sanctuary (Tiwari, 1986).
Of the five vegetation types of the Siwaliks, distinguished by
Champion and Seth (1968), four occur inChilla Sanctuary, namely: moist
Siwalik sal (Shorea robusta), dry Siwalik sal, northern
dry mixed deciduous and khair-sissu (Acacia catechu/Dalbergia
sissoo) forest. Details of species composition are given by A.
Clark pers. comm.).
FAUNA
The area is important as the western limit of the Asian elephant
Elephas maximus (E). Other large mammals recorded inChilla
Sanctuary include rhesus macaque Macaca mulatta, langur
Presbytis entellus, golden jackal Canis aureus,
sloth bear Melursus ursinus (I), striped hyaena Hyaena
hyaena, leopard Panthera pardus (V), tiger P. tigris
(E), wild boar Sus scrofa, Indian muntjac Muntiacus muntjak,
spotted deer Cervus axis, sambar C. unicolor and nilgai
Boselaphus tragocamelus (A. Clark pers. comm.). The goral
Nemorrhaedus goral is also present (Green, 1987).
HOW TO GET THERE
Rail:
Nearest railway station
is at Haridwar, 7 km.
Bus: Bus service
operates between Haridwar and main tourist centre of the sanctuary,
Chilla.
LOCAL
TRANSPORT
Elephants: available for wildlife viewing.
WHERE TO STAY
UTTARANCHAL Government Tourist Accommodation
Tourist Lodge (UPSTDC) Chilla |
