Dhwanika Joshi at 23:24, 22 February 2026

2026-02-22T23:24:45Z

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{{Short description|Wildlife sanctuary in Manipur, India}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Jiri-Makru Wildlife Sanctuary
| iucn_category = IV
| image =
| image_caption =
| map = India Manipur#India
| relief = 1
| mapframe = yes
| map_width = 220
| map_caption = Location in Manipur, India
| map_alt = Location of Jiri-Makru Wildlife Sanctuary in Manipur, India
| location = Tamenglong district and Jiribam district, Manipur, India
| nearest_city = Jiribam
| coordinates = {{coord|24.8458|N|93.2913|E|type:forest|display=inline,title}}
| area_km2 = 167.34
| established = 
| governing_body = Forest Department, Government of Manipur
| designation = Wildlife sanctuary
| website =
}}

'''Jiri-Makru Wildlife Sanctuary''' is a [[List of wildlife sanctuaries of India|wildlife sanctuary]] located in western Manipur, India. It lies between the [[Jiri River|Jiri]] and Makru rivers, close to the Assam–Manipur border, and spans parts of [[Tamenglong district]] and [[Jiribam district]]. The sanctuary contains tropical wet evergreen and semi-evergreen forests and is recognised in conservation listings for its ecological importance.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jiri - Makru Wildlife Sanctuary, Manipur (Gazette notification) |url=https://moef.gov.in/uploads/2017/06/Jiri%20-%20Makru%20Wildlife%20Sanctuary%2C%20Manipur.pdf |publisher=Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change |accessdate=3 December 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Jiri - Makru Factsheet |url=https://www.keybiodiversityareas.org/site/factsheet/18295 |publisher=Key Biodiversity Areas |accessdate=3 December 2025}}</ref>

==History & Status==
The Government of Manipur issued an initial notification proposing the sanctuary on 22 September 1997. It is officially listed as a wildlife sanctuary by the Government of Manipur and appears in several Indian government sources and official protected area lists.<ref>{{cite web |title=Forest Department - About Us |url=https://forest.manipurforest.gov.in/about-us |accessdate=3 December 2025 |publisher=Forest Department, Government of Manipur}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Jiri - Makru Wildlife Sanctuary, Manipur (Gazette notification) |url=https://moef.gov.in/uploads/2017/06/Jiri%20-%20Makru%20Wildlife%20Sanctuary%2C%20Manipur.pdf |accessdate=3 December 2025 |publisher=Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change}}</ref>

Despite its official status, reports indicate that on-ground protection, management, and enforcement within the sanctuary remain limited. Local news and civil society sources note that there is minimal infrastructure, limited forest staff presence, and few measures to actively protect wildlife and habitat in practice.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bunning, Zeilad and Jiri-Makru: Wildlife sanctuaries, a term only on paper |publisher=The Sangai Express |date=6 February 2021 |url=https://www.thesangaiexpress.com/Encyc/2021/2/6/By-Our-Staff-ReporterIMPHAL-Feb-5-Three-proposed-wildlife-sanctuaries-Bunning-Zeilad-and-Jiri-Makru-in-Tamenglong-district-are-existing-only-on-paper-There-is-not-a-single-development-in-thes.amp.html |accessdate=3 December 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Why Phoklong villagers are opposing declaration of Jiri Makru as wildlife sanctuary |date=25 April 2021 |url=https://cramanipur.wordpress.com/2021/04/25/why-phoklong-villagers-are-opposing-declaration-of-jiri-makru-as-wildlife-sanctuary/ |accessdate=3 December 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=23 May 2025 |title=Tamenglong residents rally for protection of indigenous land |url=https://northeasttoday.in/northeast/manipur-mass-rally-in-tamenglong-demands-protection-of-indigenous-land-and-resources/ |accessdate=3 December 2025 |publisher=Northeast Today}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Bunning, Zeilad and Jiri‑Makru Wildlife sanctuaries, a term only on paper |publisher=The Sangai Express |date=6 February 2021 |url=https://www.thesangaiexpress.com/Encyc/2021/2/6/By-Our-Staff-ReporterIMPHAL-Feb-5-Three-proposed-wildlife-sanctuaries-Bunning-Zeilad-and-Jiri-Makru-in-Tamenglong-district-are-existing-only-on-paper-There-is-not-a-single-development-in-thes.amp.html |accessdate=3 December 2025}}</ref>

==Geography and ecology==
Jiri-Makru lies in the West Manipur Hills between the Jiri and Makru rivers, both part of the [[Barak River|Barak river]] system. The forested terrain includes [[Mizoram–Manipur–Kachin rain forests|tropical wet evergreen and semi-evergreen vegetation]], with an elevation ranging from roughly 80 to 500 metres.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jiri - Makru Factsheet |url=https://www.keybiodiversityareas.org/site/factsheet/18295 |publisher=Key Biodiversity Areas |accessdate=3 December 2025}}</ref>

==Flora and fauna==
The sanctuary is listed as an important habitat for forest birds and several mammal species typical of the Manipur hills. The sanctuary also hosts the rare [[Hoolock gibbon]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Choudhury |first=A.U. |title=The Distribution and Status of Hoolock Gibbon (''Hoolock hoolock'') in North East India |journal=Primate Conservation |year=2006 |url=https://bioone.org/journals/primate-conservation/volume-2006/issue-20/0898-6207.20.1.79/The-Distribution-and-Status-of-Hoolock-Gibbon-Hoolock-hoolock-in/10.1896/0898-6207.20.1.79.pdf |accessdate=3 December 2025}}</ref> The sanctuary has a highforest‑bird potential, though comprehensive species‑level bird surveys remain lacking.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jiri - Makru Wildlife Sanctuary (site factsheet) |url=https://www.keybiodiversityareas.org/site/factsheet/18295 |publisher=Key Biodiversity Areas |accessdate=3 December 2025}}</ref> Other mammals include [[Asian black bear|Asiatic black bear]], Leopard, Sambar deer, Barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak), Gaur, Serow, wild pig, civets, pangolin, and species of small carnivores including linsangs, jungle cats, martens, slow loris and hog badger.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jiri - Makru Wildlife Sanctuary (site factsheet) |url=https://www.keybiodiversityareas.org/site/factsheet/18295 |publisher=Key Biodiversity Areas |accessdate=3 December 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=A Road To Nowhere |url=https://sanctuarynaturefoundation.org/article/a-road-to-nowhere |publisher=Sanctuary Asia / Sanctuary Nature Foundation |accessdate=3 December 2025}}</ref>
==Conservation and local issues==
Local communities and civil society groups have raised concerns regarding the need to balance forest protection with customary land-use rights. Regional news reports have highlighted calls for improved conservation measures and clearer administrative processes relating to Jiri-Makru and neighbouring protected areas.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tamenglong residents rally for protection of indigenous land |url=https://northeasttoday.in/northeast/manipur-mass-rally-in-tamenglong-demands-protection-of-indigenous-land-and-resources/ |publisher=Northeast Today |date=23 May 2025 |accessdate=3 December 2025}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Protected areas of India]]
* [[List of wildlife sanctuaries of India]]
* [[Shirui National Park]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{cite web |title=Jiri - Makru Wildlife Sanctuary, Manipur (Gazette notification) |url=https://moef.gov.in/uploads/2017/06/Jiri%20-%20Makru%20Wildlife%20Sanctuary%2C%20Manipur.pdf |publisher=Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change |accessdate=3 December 2025}}
* {{cite web|title=Jiri - Makru Factsheet |url=https://www.keybiodiversityareas.org/site/factsheet/18295 |publisher=Key Biodiversity Areas |accessdate=3 December 2025}}

[[Category:Protected areas of Manipur]]
[[Category:Wildlife sanctuaries of India]]
[[Category:Tamenglong district]]
[[Category:Jiribam district]]
[[Category:Protected areas with year of establishment missing]]

Jiri-Makru Wildlife Sanctuary - Revision history

Dhwanika Joshi at 23:24, 22 February 2026