Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary | Rajasthan | 20 Mar 2025

Why in News? 

A wildfire that broke out in Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajasthan is posing a serious threat to the existence of wildlife. 

Key Points 

• About the Sanctuary: 
  • This sanctuary is located in the Aravalli mountain range in the Udaipur district of Rajasthan , which is famous for  its rich biodiversity and the historical Sajjangarh Palace . 
  • The sanctuary is spread over an area of 5.19 square kilometres and a rocky wall called Kishan Pol was built to protect it. 
• Wildlife and flora: 
  • The sanctuary is the natural habitat of many wildlife including  chital, panther, nilgai, jackal, wild boar, hyena and sambar . 
  • Apart from this, a wide range of birds and reptiles are also found here . 
• Jiyan Lake:  
  • The Jiyan Lake ( also known as Tiger Lake or Bari Lake ) located here serves as a water resource for the sanctuary.  
  • Built by Maharana Raj Singh in 1664, this lake is spread over 1.25 square miles and has a water storage capacity of 400 million cubic feet . 
• Historical Importance: 
  • It is a part of the Sajjangarh Palace (also known as the Monsoon Palace) built in the year 1884. The palace is named after Maharana Sajjan Singh, one of the rulers of the Mewar dynasty . 
  • In the year 1987, this area was converted into a wildlife sanctuary .