Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary

Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary in the Indian state of Jharkhand. It was inaugurated in 1975 and provides habitat for an Indian elephant population.[1]

Geography

Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the Dalma Hills and covers around 195 km2 in East Singhbhum and Saraikela Kharsawan districts of the state of Jharkhand.[2]

Flora

The forest consists of wide variety of trees including mango, guava, lemon, mahuwa, jamun, sheesham, neem, baabul, bamboo, arjuna, karanj, kadam and sal.[3]

Fauna

Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary is home to wide variety of wild animals. During a waterhole census in May 2022, Indian elephant, sloth bear, golden jackal, barking deer, wild boar, porcupine, mouse deer, langur, pangolin, Indian giant squirrel and mongooses were spotted.[2] It hosts many species of birds including jungle fowl, Indian grey hornbill, Indian peafowl, kingfishers, common myna and Asian koel.[4]

There are thought to be 85 elephants in the sanctuary as of 2024.[5] They migrate to West Bengal during August and September and usually return in December and January.[6]

In 2016, pugmarks of a tiger were found, and a tigress with a cub was videographed.[7] In January 2025, a male tiger was in the sanctuary which migrated from Palamu Tiger Reserve through the forest corridor of Gumla and Khunti districts.[8]

External links