Birds' Paradise in Maenam - Tendong, Sikkim

The Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary is a treasure house of Medicine and it covers an area of 36.34 sq km. This sanctuary is located on the Maenam-Tendong ridge (2,100 m - 3,300 m ). The entry point is located at Ravangla, Sikkim. The distance from Siliguri station to Ravangla is 120 km via NH 31A and the journey takes almost 2 hour 30 minutes from Siliguri. Recreational tourism within the Sanctuary is picking up and the magnificent mountain views are a great attraction for tourists (having a trekking route to Maenam top also). Though this is store-house of Himalayan birds but the major attraction is Red Panda and Satyr Tragopan. In this region two distinct biomes are observed - (1) Sino-Himalayan Temperate Forest and (2) Sino-Himalayan Subtropical Forest. A collaborative biodiversity survey was carried out by World Pheasant Association (WPA)-India and the State Forest Department in 1996. Almost 143 types of bird species are found here.

The few major visible birds of this sanctuary - Common Hill Partridge, Red-breasted Hill-Partridge (Vulnerable), Greater Spotted Eagle (Vulnerable), Rusty-bellied Shortwing (Vulnerable), White-naped Yuhina, Darjeeling Pied Woodpecker, White-collared Blackbird, Red-tailed Minla, Chestnut-headed Tesia, Rufous-bellied Niltava, Fire-tailed Sunbird, Green-tailed Sunbird, Blanford’s Rosefinch, Grey-faced Leaf-Warbler, Rufous Sibia, Yellow-billed Blue Magpie, Maroon Oriole, Red-billed Leiothrix, Slaty-backed Forktail, White-tailed Robin, Short-billed Minivet, Indian Blue Robin, Black-winged Cuckoo-Shrike, Blue-naped Pitta, Verditer Flycatcher, Blue-fronted Redstart, Cutia etc.

Other illusive key fauna - Leopard, Leopard-Cat, Asiatic Black Bear, Yellow-throated Marten and Particoloured Flying Squirrel.

Note: This place is one of must visited sanctuaries for close observation of Eastern Himalayan wildlife and this sanctuary is also paradise for Bird Watchers and Photographers.

Exif Info of Photograph: Canon EOS 600D, 55 mm, 1/250s, f/7.1, ISO 200, Date: 10/09/2014

Thanks for sharing the information about this lesser known sanctuary. Quite a few varieties of bird species can be sighted here. How are the staying arrangements? There are safaris or you need to trek?

Thanks madam... M. Godbole...
There are lots of good quality hotels at Ranvangla. Trekking with guide is the best option inside the sanctuary but there are no arrangement of safari because of undulating terrain of dense vegetation and steep slope. I come to know that there are lots of Himalayan birds in this place due to its virginity.
Best season starts from November and end up to April.

http://www.sikkimstdc.com/Images/POI...Gallery/3.jpeg

Sikkim is the place I am planning to visit for last two years. unfortunately unable to manage so far. Thanks for the information. Is siligidi connected by flight routes??

One can take a flight to Bagdogra and from there drive down to Ravangla. Hopefully early next year I will be free to undertake one such trip.