Parasnath Wildlife Sanctuary

About Parasnath Wildlife Sanctuary

Parasnath Wildlife Sanctuary was declared specifically to protect the forest surrounding India's most important Jain pilgrimage mountain — a recognition that the sanctuary of Shikharji and the ecological sanctuary of the surrounding forest are inseparable. The 49-sq-km protected area forms a buffer zone of sal and mixed deciduous forest around the hill's lower slopes and the approach corridors from Madhuban. The sanctuary's wildlife reflects the mixed deciduous forest ecology of the northern Chotanagpur plateau. Leopards use the forested hill terrain regularly and tracks are found across the sanctuary during Forest Department monitoring. Elephants move through the sanctuary seasonally as part of the larger Jharkhand corridor network, and their presence — evident from broken bamboo, dung, and the distinctive musky odour — is one of the more remarkable experiences for visitors in the cooler months. The bird community is exceptionally rich for a sanctuary of this size. The combination of varied elevation (from 200 metres at the base to 1,365 metres at the summit of Shikharji) and diverse vegetation — grassland, shrub, mixed forest, and rocky summit heath — creates multiple habitat types accessible in a single visit. Hornbills, paradise flycatchers, crested serpent eagles, and changeable hawk-eagles have all been recorded within the sanctuary. Access to the sanctuary forest is separate from the Shikharji pilgrimage circuit and requires Forest Department coordination. Eco-tourism in the sanctuary is an emerging offering from the Giridih Forest Division, with nature interpretation walks available on request. The sanctuary visit is best combined with a morning at Madhuban before an afternoon forest trail.