Pakui Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the East Kameng District of the north-eastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh and its total area measures about 862 square kilometres. It was established by the Project Tiger and is safeguarded by the Department of Environment and Forest of Arunachal Pradesh. Pakke Tiger Reserve was proclaimed a wildlife sanctuary in the year 1977 and previously belonged to the Khellong Forest Division. The landscape of this tiger reserve is covered with undulating mountain slopes in the northern part and beautiful sloped valleys towards the southern end, towards the Valley of Brahmaputra River.
History of Pakui Wildlife Sanctuary
On 1st July, 1999, the Pakui Wildlife Sanctuary was initially declared as Pakke Reserve Forest and during 28th March, 1977 it was officially proclaimed a `Game Sanctuary`. In the year 2001, the area represented by Pakke Reserve was declared as `Pakui Wildlife Sanctuary`. Eventually, it was known as Pakke Tiger Reserve on 23rd April, 2002. It was the sixth tiger reserve of Project Tiger of the National Tiger Conservation Authority.
Flora of Pakui Wildlife Sanctuary
The flora of Pakui Wildlife Sanctuary comprises eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests, semi-evergreen forests and evergreen forests. The lowland regions of Pakui Wildlife Sanctuary are enriched with about 343 species of flowering plants or angiosperms. Cane, palms and bamboos are found in moist areas of the park. As many as eight species of bamboo are available in Pakui Wildlife Sanctuary. Five different commercial varieties of cane grow in the wet areas of this park including the Tokko (Livistona jenkinsian) which is widely employed by the regional inhabitants for the purpose of thatching roofs.
Fauna of Pakui Wildlife Sanctuary
Pakui Wildlife Sanctuary is home to as many as 40 species of mammals. Asiatic Jackal, Tiger, Leopard, Wild Dog, Clouded Leopard, Sambhar, Elephant, Gaur, Barking Deer, Capped Langur, Assamese Macaques, Mongoose, Civet, Weasel, Jungle Cat, Binturong, Yellow-Throated Marten, Wild Boar, Hog Deer, Rhesus Macaque, Malayan Giant Squirrel, Bison, Flying Squirrel, etc. are the various fauna of this national park. About 296 species of birds are present in this tiger reserve consisting of White-Winged Wood Duck, Ibisbill, Oriental Bay Owl, Hornbills, Green Pigeon, Pied Falconet, Red-headed Trogon, Asian Emerald Cuckoo, Jerdon`s Baza, Long-Tailed Broadbill, Crow-billed Drongo, Lesser Necklaced Laughing-Thrush, Ruby-cheeked Sunbird, Blue-naped Pitta, Maroon Oriole, White-browed Shortwing, White-cheeked Hill Partridge, White-bellied Yuhina, Lesser Shortwing, Collared Broadbill, Grey Peacock-Pheasant, Sultan Tit, Wreathed Hornbill, Daurian Redstart, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Warbler and many others. Pakui Wildlife Sanctuary also contains 30 species of amphibians and 36 species of reptiles. Pied Warty Frog, King Cobra, Asian Roof Turtle and others are some of the other creatures here.