Aner Dam Sanctuary

 Here’s a detailed overview of Aner Dam Wildlife Sanctuary — a lesser-known but beautiful protected area in Maharashtra, India:

Aner Dam Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Shirpur taluka of Dhule district, Maharashtra, India, spanning the southwestern side of the Satpura hill ranges. It covers an area of 82.94 km² (32.02 sq mi) and was established on 13 November 1986. The sanctuary lies around the catchment area of the Aner River, particularly above the high flood level near the Aner Dam, and shares a common boundary with Yawal Wildlife Sanctuary in Jalgaon district and forest areas in Khargone district, Madhya Pradesh. It is part of the Aurangabad Wildlife Division, with the Range Forest Officer (Wildlife) based in Shirpur overseeing its management.

The sanctuary features Southern moist deciduous forest types, though much of the area consists of degraded scrub land with patches of wooded land. Common tree species include Acacia catechu (Khair), Acacia leucophloea (Hiwar), Acacia nilotica (Babul), Aegle marmelos (Bel), Albizzia lebbek, Anogeissus latifolia (Dhawda), Butea monosperma (Palas), Boswellia serrata (Salaia), and various Ficus and Terminalia species. Common shrubs include Vitex negundo, Zizyphus species, Cassia auriculata (tarwad), Carissa carandas, and Helicteres isora (murudsheng), while grasses such as Kusal, Bhuri, Rosa, Kunda, and Sheda are also present.

Fauna in the sanctuary includes leopards, wild cats, blackbucks, jackals, wolves, monitor lizards, porcupines, barking deer, and hares. Common resident birds are peacocks, egrets, herons, cormorants, crows, spot-billed ducks, eagle hawks, and owls, with migratory birds such as cranes, storks, and Brahminy ducks also visiting the area. The sanctuary faces threats from illicit cutting, forest fires, encroachment, hunting, trespassing, and the spread of invasive Lantana camara weeds.

The best time to visit is from November to February, when the climate is more predictable and comfortable. The sanctuary is open from sunrise to sunset. The nearest railheads are Nardona (40 km), Chailsgaon (125 km), and Dhule (70 km) on the Central Railway. The nearest airport is Aurangabad, approximately 215 km away. Access is via road from Shirpur (15 km) or Dhule (70 km), with regular buses available from Shirpur and Lasur Road Bus Stand. Accommodations include the Irrigation Bungalow at the dam site, Forest Rest Houses at Rohini and Chopda, and a PWD rest house in Shirpur.