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{{Infobox protected area
| name = Bhim bandh Wildlife Sanctuary
| alt_name =
| photo =
| photo_alt =
| photo_caption =
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| map = India |relief=1
| location = [[Munger District]], [[Bihar]], [[India]]
| nearest_city = Haweli Kharagpur, Munger
| coordinates = {{coord|25.23|N|86.28|E|display=inline,title}}
| area =
| established = 1976
| visitation_num =
| visitation_year =
| governing_body =
}}

'''Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary''' is a [[wildlife sanctuary]] in [[Bihar]] in the [[south-west]] of [[Munger District]] .

==Etymology==
During the [[Mahabharata]] period, when the [[Pandavas]] were on their exile, they had also come to this forest during that time. For his livelihood, [[Bhima]] built a dam to merge the two sources. That is why this place was named Bhimbandh.

==Geography==
Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the south west of [[Munger district]]. The forests cover an area or 681.99 km² on the hills and undulating tract of Kharagpur Hills. It is situated at a distance of 56 km from southern border of [[Munger]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mapsofindia.com/bihar/tourism/bhimbandh-sanctuary.html |title=Wildlife Sanctuaries in Bihar, National Parks of Bihar |publisher=Mapsofindia.com |date=2013-04-05 |accessdate=2015-12-24 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015092123/http://www.mapsofindia.com/bihar/tourism/bhimbandh-sanctuary.html |archivedate=2012-10-15 }}</ref> 20 km from [[Jamui]] [[Railway Station]] and 200 km from [[Patna Airport]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://discoverbihar.bih.nic.in/pages/wildlife.htm |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2009-04-10 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410061556/http://discoverbihar.bih.nic.in/pages/wildlife.htm |archivedate=2009-04-10 }}</ref>

Bhimbandh is situated south of the [[Ganges River]], at the northern edge of [[Chota Nagpur Plateau]] and west of [[Santhal_Pargana_division|Santhal Pargana]]. it is surrounded on all sides by densely inhabited non-forestry areas. In the valley portions and at the [[foothill]]s are several [[hot spring]]s of which the finest are at Bhimbandh, [[Sita Kund]] and Rishi Kund. All the hot springs maintain nearly almost same [[temperature]] all year round. Of them, the Bhimbandh springs have the hottest temperature (52 °C to 65 °C) and discharge (0.84-1.12 cum/sec) and constitute the best area for the exploration of geothermal energy potential.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://munger.bih.nic.in/Sri%20Krishna%20Vatika.htm |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2008-11-29 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410053820/http://munger.bih.nic.in/Sri%20Krishna%20Vatika.htm |archivedate=2009-04-10 }}</ref>

There are number of places of tourist interest near the Sanctuary, including Rishi Kund, [[Sita Kund]], Ha-Ha Punch Kumari, Rameshwar Kund, and Kharagpur Lake.<ref name="bharatonline.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.bharatonline.com/bihar/travel/munger/bhimbandh.html |title=Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary Munger - Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary Bihar India |publisher=Bharatonline.com |accessdate=2015-12-24 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016175636/http://www.bharatonline.com/bihar/travel/munger/bhimbandh.html |archivedate=2015-10-16 }}</ref>

==Climate==
The climate is normal for the [[Munger district]].
There are three distinct seasons in this zone, summer (March to May), monsoon (June to September) and winter (October to February). Average annual rainfall of this district is 1146 mm.

==Fauna==
Fauna include: [[tiger]] (8), [[leopard]] (36), [[peafowl]] (637), [[wild bear]] (1063), [[Indian hare]] (507), [[Langoor]] (3388), [[monkey]] (1612), sahil (57), [[bear]] (96), [[cheetal]] (187), [[barking deer]] (559), [[Red_junglefowl|Van Murgi]] (863), [[nilgai]] (255), [[Pythonidae|python]] (39), [[newala]] (36), [[gaur]] (39), and [[hyena]] (36) are the major fauna of the Bhimband.<ref>[http://www.atmamunger.com/Forest_page.htm ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707183153/http://www.atmamunger.com/Forest_page.htm |date=July 7, 2011 }}</ref> Other [[fauna]] include the [[jungle cat]], [[fishing cat]], and [[leopard cat]]. Small mammals include the rare [[hispid hare]], [[Indian gray mongoose]], [[small Indian mongoose]]s, [[large Indian civet]], [[small Indian civet]]s, [[Bengal fox]], [[golden jackal]], [[sloth bear]], [[Chinese pangolin]], [[Indian pangolin]]s, [[hog badger]], [[Chinese ferret badger]]s, and [[Hylopetes|particolored flying squirrel]].<ref>[http://munger.bih.nic.in/FLORA%20AND%20FAUNA%20AT%20BHIMBANDH.htm Main fauna of Bhimband] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410065023/http://munger.bih.nic.in/FLORA%20AND%20FAUNA%20AT%20BHIMBANDH.htm |date=April 10, 2009 }}</ref>

[[Crocodile]]s are found in ''Kharagpur lake'' and Kalidah near ''Rameshwar kund''. Among [[snake]]s, [[cobra]] and [[krait]]s are of common occurrence while [[Pythonidae|python]]s are occasionally seen.

Common [[bird]] species are [[peafowl]], [[grey partridge]], [[quail]], [[Malabar grey hornbill|Malabar hornbill]], [[Oriental_pied_hornbill|pied hornbill]], [[swallow]], [[nightjars]], [[drongo]], [[paradise flycatcher]], [[kingfisher]], [[bulbul]], [[mynas]], [[pigeon]], [[Common wood pigeon|wood pigeon]], [[blue jay]], [[owl]], [[falcon]], [[Kite (bird)|kite]], [[eastern imperial eagle]], [[greater spotted eagle]], [[white-tailed eagle]], [[Pallas's fish eagle]], [[grey-headed fish eagle]], [[lesser kestrel]] and [[vulture]].

Birds such as the [[lesser white-fronted goose]], [[ferruginous duck]], [[Baer's pochard]] [[duck]] and [[lesser adjutant]], [[greater adjutant]], [[black-necked stork]], and [[Asian openbill]] [[stork]] migrate from [[Central Asia]] to the park during winter.<ref name="bharatonline.com"/>

The main animals found at Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary are [[tigers]], [[panthera|panthers]], [[wild boars]], [[sloth bear]], [[sambar deer]], [[Spotted deer|chitals]], [[four-horned antelope]] and [[nilgais]]. However, the sanctuary is more famous for its bird life rather than the land animals. It is home to more than 100 species of resident birds, which stay here all year around. The number increases in the winter migratory season when there is an influx of birds from the [[Central Asia]] region.

==Flora==
There are two major [[biome]]s present in Bhimbandh, [[grassland]] and forest. The [[sanctuary]] area has mainly [[Sal tree|sal]] forest, forest, [[Bamboo]] forest, grassland and many small forests of many miscellaneous species of [[flora]]. The top [[Canopy (forest)|canopy]] of Bhimbandh mainly consists ''[[Shorea robusta]]'' (sal), ''[[Diospyros melanoxylon]]'' (kendu), ''[[Boswellia serrata]]'' (salai), ''[[Terminalia tomentosa]]'' (Asan), ''[[Terminalia_bellirica|Terminalia belliriica]]'' (Bahera), ''[[Terminalia arjuna]]'' (Arjun), ''[[Pterocarpus marsupium]]'' (Paisar). The top [[Canopy (forest)|canopy]] of Bhimbandh mainly ''[[Madhuca indica]]'' (Mahua) and ''[[Holarrhena antidysenterica]]''. Bhimbandh's [[Soil|ground]] [[Flora]] includes ''[[Flemengia chappar]] and [[Zizyphus xylopyrus]]''. [[vine|climber]] [[flora]] include ''[[Bauhinia vahlii]]'' and ''[[Smilex protifrera]].'' Creeper [[flora]] includes ''[[Butea superba]] and [[Butea parviflora]].''<ref>[http://munger.bih.nic.in/FLORA%20AND%20FAUNA%20AT%20BHIMBANDH.htm Main flora of Bhimband] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410065023/http://munger.bih.nic.in/FLORA%20AND%20FAUNA%20AT%20BHIMBANDH.htm |date=April 10, 2009 }}</ref>

==Administration==
Administered under [[Munger district]], this village lies within the Gangta police station, has an area of 4137 acres. The villagers in Bhimbandh are mainly engaged in the field of agriculture. The Government of Bihar recently{{when|date=October 2020}} allotted Rs 9 crore for the promotion of tourism in the area.
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar visited in 2017 and instructed the officials to channel the hot spring to use in irrigation.

==Transport==
Visitors can access this place by road from Munger town or from [[Bhagalpur_Junction_railway_station|Bhagalpur Junction Railway Station]]. Bariarpur station on Jamalpur Bhagalpur section is the nearest rail station as also the nearest road link on NH 80.
Road Route: Bariarpur - galimpur - Kharagpur - Gangta - Bhimbandh - Jamui.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150506061511/http://munger.nic.in/ Directory of Indian Government Websites, Munger]

{{Protected areas of Bihar|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Chota Nagpur dry deciduous forests]]
[[Category:Wildlife sanctuaries in Bihar]]
[[Category:Munger district]]
[[Category:1976 establishments in Bihar]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1976]]

Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary - Revision history

UpdateBot at 02:24, 10 June 2022