• Jan 25 2016
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Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary

Head northeast from Surat’s city to the border of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, where the Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary spreads over 608sq km. Established in 1982, the sanctuary is made up of a mixed forest of teak, riverine forest and deciduous dry jungles that are inhabited by leopards, sloth bears, pangolins, barking deer and a number of birds and reptiles. It was originally established for the protection of sloth bears. The Zarwani waterfall inside the jungle drops from a craggy rock face into a deep gorge.

Brief History: The sanctuary was first declared a protected area in 1982. An area of 150.87 sq. km was called the ‘Dumkhal Sanctuary’, specifically created for the protection of sloth bears. In the years 1987 and 1989, more land was attributed to conservation and the area of the sanctuary enlarged to 607.70 sq km. It was then renamed ‘Shoolpaneshwar Sanctuary’.