Abohar Wildlife Sanctuary

Abohar Wildlife Sanctuary is an open wildlife sanctuary spread across 13 villages near Abohar in Fazilka District, Punjab. Established in 1975 and notified as a sanctuary in 2000, it covers private farmlands and semi-arid scrub of the Bishnoi community. It is notable for its large free-ranging population of blackbuck and nilgai, protected by the Bishnoi people, and offers wildlife viewing in a unique community-managed landscape.

Visitors can expect an open sanctuary landscape spread over private agricultural fields and scrubland across 13 Bishnoi villages around Abohar. There are no enclosed gates or zoo-like enclosures; wildlife roams freely among farmlands. Visitors can see herds of blackbuck and nilgai grazing, along with birds such as partridges and doves, and experience the rural setting and traditional Bishnoi villages that actively protect the animals.

The area was declared a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1975 and re-notified in 2000 covering 186.5 sq km across 13 villages. Its protection is rooted in the centuries-old tradition of the Bishnoi community, followers of Guru Jambheshwar, who have protected blackbuck and trees on their private lands for generations, making it a unique community-based conservation model in Punjab.

The sanctuary reflects the cultural and religious values of the Bishnoi community, who consider blackbuck sacred and protect wildlife and vegetation as part of their faith. The landscape of private farmlands coexisting with wildlife demonstrates a long-standing tradition of harmonious living between people and nature.