Nestled in the undulating ranges of Kharagpur Hills, Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the south-west of Munger district in Bihar. It was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1976. According to one old Hindu mythology, Bhima, one of the Pandavas, built a dam (bandh) in this area. Hence, this sanctuary is referred to as ‘Bhimbandh’.

Flora
Vegetation cover: bamboo and sal forests and grassland
Trees: kendu, sal, Arjun, Mahua, Bahera, Paisar.

Fauna
Tiger, Barking Deer, Leopard, Small Indian Civets, Panthers, Fishing Cat, Golden Jackal, Bengal Fox, Python, Cobra, Parti-Colored Flying Squirrels, Bear, Narokole, Indian Gray Mongoose, etc.

Avian Fauna
Peacock, Greater Spotted Eagle, Quail, Malabar, Lesser White-fronted Goose,, Nightjars, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Vultures, Wood Pigeon, Mainas, Bulbul, Paradisefly, Asian Open bill stork etc.

Getting There
Bhagalpur Junction railway station is the adjoining railhead to Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary. The closest airport is at Patna. Munger-Jamui state highway passes close to the sanctuary. The closest bus terminal is 65 km away at Munger.

Tourist Information
Two forest rest houses and few tourist lodges located almost in the middle of the forest offer quality accommodation facilities to the tourists.
Hot springs, namely Rishi Kund, Bhimbandh and Sita Kund are some of the ideal tourist spots within the sanctuary. Other places of interest within the forests are Sringrishi, Kharagpur Lake and Ha-Ha Punch Kumari.

Additional Information
Location: Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary, Munger, Bihar – 811211
Area: about 682 sq km
Best time to visit: November to April
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