Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary

Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary, nestled in the Aravalli Range in Sirohi district of Rajasthan, is a lush haven of biodiversity and the only hill station sanctuary in the state. Established in 1980 and spanning around 288 square kilometers, it stretches across a plateau that rises dramatically from the plains, culminating at Guru Shikhar—the highest peak in Rajasthan at 1,722 meters.

The sanctuary’s terrain is sculpted by ancient igneous rocks, weathered into dramatic formations like the iconic Toad Rock, and its climate shifts from dry and hot at the base to cool and misty at the summit, especially during monsoon.

The sanctuary is a botanical treasure trove, home to over 820 species of flora including rare orchids, wild roses, and medicinal plants like Brahmi and Safed Musli. Its forests transition from subtropical thorn scrub to evergreen groves along watercourses, with bamboo thickets and fruit-bearing trees like jamun and mango dotting the landscape. Among its most prized plant species are Dicliptera abuensis and Ceropegia bulbosa, both endemic and listed in the IUCN Red Data Book.

Wildlife here is equally captivating. Leopards reign as apex predators, while sloth bears, sambar deer, wild boars, and chinkaras roam freely. The sanctuary also shelters jungle cats, civets, hyenas, jackals, and pangolins.