Eagle's Nest Wildlife Sanctuary

Birds of Eagle's nest Sanctuary

                  Eagle's Nest Wildlife Sanctuary

              It is a sanctuary for both birds and wildlife lovers. Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary situated in the West Kameng district of western Arunachal Pradesh, is a bio-diversity paradise. Eagle's Nest acquired its name from the Indian army regiment named "Eagle" which were deployed here years ago.  Eagle's nest is the centrepiece of the Kameng Protected Area Complex, 3,500 sq. km. of mostly contiguous forests spread across two states and five protected areas. This area has been notified vide notification dtd.18.10.89 u/s 18 of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 as Eagle Nest Wildlife Sanctuary covering an area of 217 Sq.Km
            Eagle's Nest prime attraction is that it is considered amongst the topmost birding destinations in the World  as some species found nowhere else in the country .

Eagle's nest sanctuary in map

            On the way towards Bomdila, there are series of mini water falls all along the road.  Down hill get a sight of flowing Kameng River through the thick lush green canopy of tropical vegetation. Steep uphill mountainous range with deep valley along the Kameng River  is a dome for the variety of birds.  The border of the Sanctuary is up to Diji Nallah after which the terrain and landscape has a local variation. Eaglenest has a wide range of forest types – from tropical evergreen forests in the lower elevations, to temperate broad-leaved forests in the mid altitudes, to conifers and rhododendrons at the highest elevations. Most parts of Eagle's nest is   covered extensively by bamboo. Eaglenest is one of the last strong-holds for species such as the Asian yew (Taxus wallichiana) and the Anise tree (Illicium griffithi).
             A unique feature of this wildlife sanctuary is that within itself the entire elevational range is covered containing all habitats and species. Eagle's nest Wildlife sanctuary is not only an exotic experience in birding but is also a photographer's delight . Pictures of some rare birds, butterflies and mammals can be quite exhilarating. It is also home for many species of amphibians, snakes & lizards, mammal species like Bengal Tiger, Clouded leopard, Red Panda, Arunachal Macaque, Gaur & endangered capped Langur.

                   Flora and Fauna of Eagle's nest

             Over 700 species of birds are known from a 100 sq. km. region centered around Eaglenest. The most important discovery remains that of the Bugun Liocichla (Liocichla bugunorum), found nowhere else in the world, but only on a one sq. km. patch of forest on Bugun community land. Other spectacular and rare bird species include Ward’s Trogon (Harpactes wardii), Beautiful Nuthatch (Sitta formosa), and Wedge-billed Babbler (Sphenocichla humei).

Bugun liocichla

Ward's Trogon

             
            Commonly sighted mammals include elephant, wild dog, serow, capped langur and gaur. The recently discovered Arunachal macaque is also found in Eagle's nest, as are the rare spotted linsang, red panda, slow loris, clouded leopard and golden cat.
             About 32 snake species have been recorded till date. Highlights include the rediscovery of the Darjeeling false wolf snake (Dinodon gammiei) after a gap of 80 years. Ten snake species recorded from here had never been photographed in India before research began in Eagle's nest.
            Twelve species of lizards and 35 species of frog have been recorded till date, but several more certainly await discovery. The lizard Mictopholis austeniana was rediscovered in Eaglenest after 130 years, whereas frogs of the genus Occidozyga and Theloderma have been rediscovered after over a century. The Bongpu Litter Frog (Leptobrachium bompu), a species new to science, was discovered in Eaglenest in 2009.
            Of the 1,250 species of Butterflies recorded in India, 250 species have been reported from Eaglenest, with many more still waiting to be revealed. Eagle's nest is one of the best locations to see one of India’s prettiest butterfly – the Bhutan Glory (Bhutanitis lidderdalei). The best months to see butterflies are April-June and September-October.
           Of the 10,000 moth species estimated to exist in India, more than 400 species have currently been identified in Eagle's nest. An equal number are yet to be identified! Eagle's nest is likely to be home to more than 1,000 moth species.

                    How to go Eagle's nest sanctuary

          The nearest airport is Tezpur (about 150km away).  But as flights are infrequent, it's a better to fly to Guwahati and then travel 335km, or 8-9 hours by road.
               Rail
       The nearest railway station is Bhalukpong (around 94km away).
               Road
       The drive from Tezpur to Tenga, a town about 17km from Eaglenest, takes around 3.5 hours.
            The most convenient way to get to Eagle's nest is to hire a car and driver from Tezpur or Guwahati. It would be useful to retain the vehicle through the duration of your stay in Eagle's nest.  There are also buses and share-taxis available from Guwahati and Tezpur up to Tenga. But you will have to hire a vehicle to travel from Tenga to Eaglenest.

                       Where to stay

        Accommodation is available at all the ranges. A Forest Rest House is available in Ramalingam and PWD Inspection Bunglows are available at Dedza (Jamiri) and Tenga. One can also stay at Bompu camp which is an Eco camps arranged  by Tukpen Village Council ( TVC).