ASOLA BHATTI WILDLIFE SANCTUARY (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env & Eco)

Context: The Delhi Ridge Management Board (RMB) recently approved a proposal to initiate a comprehensive biodiversity study at the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary in south Delhi.

• The proposal, drafted by Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, will also prepare a management plan for the sanctuary

Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary

• Coverage Area: 32.71 km2 area on the Southern Delhi Ridge of Aravalli hill range.
• Location: Delhi-Haryana border lies in Southern Delhi as well as northern parts of Faridabad and Gurugram districts of Haryana state.
• It is also part of the Sariska-Delhi Wildlife Corridor, which runs from the Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan to Delhi Ridge.
• Vegetation: Dry deciduous,
• Flora: Consists of Prosopis juliflora as the dominant exotic species and Diospyros montana as the dominant native species in the sanctuary.
• Fauna: Golden Jackals, Striped-Hyenas, Indian crested-Porcupines, Civets, Jungle Cats, Snakes, Monitor Lizards, Mongoose etc.

Wildlife Institute of India (WII)

• About: It is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• Establishment: 1982.
• Headquarters: Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
• Objective: It offers training programs, academic courses, and advisory in wildlife research and management.