Overa Wildlife Sanctuary

Overa Wildlife Sanctuary encompassing an area of 32.27 sq km is located at a distance of 76 km from Srinagar. Some of the major attractions of the sanctuary are Rhesus macaque, Leopard cat, Musk deer, Hangul, Langur, Leopard, Serow, etc. The best season to visit the sanctuary for viewing rare animals is from September to April.

Overa Wildlife Sanctuary in Jammu and Kashmir is a home to some endangered and uncommon species of birds and animals. The stunning landscapes with green hills and sprawling valleys makes it a favorite destination among tourists. The wide variety of plants cover the Overa Wildlife Sanctuary including Abies pindrow, Morus Alba, Pinus griffithii, Juglans regia etc. Some of the primary shrubs growing in the sanctuary are Desmodium tiliaefolium, Indigofera heterantha, Isdon spp., etc. The ground of the sanctuary is covered with Dicotlydonous herbs including Artemisia vulgaris, Anemone spp., Taraxacum officinale, etc.

If you visit Overa Wildlife Sanctuary you can view approximately 80 species of birds. The wide variety of avian species comprising of the Red billed chough, Himalayan whistling thrush, Bearded vulture, Indian mynah, Jungle crow, Griffon vulture, etc. The ideal time for bird viewing in the sanctuary is from March to August.

Serious efforts are being taken by the Government to conserve the wide variety of wildlife species. Overa Wildlife Sanctuary is located very close to Srinagar and Jammu. Srinagar is the nearest airport connected to the major cities of India and Jammu is the nearest railway station, which is very well linked with the other cities.