Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary [UPSC Notes]

The Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary in Delhi is gradually developing a “seed bank” of native plant species specific to the Aravallis, with the aim of bringing back species that have been lost and creating awareness around disappearing trees in Delhi. In this article, you can read more about the seed bank initiative of the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary and also other details about this sanctuary for the IAS exam environment and ecology segment.

Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary

Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area located in the southern part of Delhi, India. The sanctuary covers an area of approximately 6.5 square kilometres and is home to a variety of flora and fauna.

• The sanctuary is part of the Delhi Ridge, which is a green belt that helps in maintaining the ecological balance of the region. 
• The sanctuary is also an important habitat for several endangered species and is crucial for their survival.
• Flora: it has a rich variety of flora including more than 200 species of plants such as Dhau, Phulahi, Tendu, Khair, Ber and Neem. In addition, there are several species of grasses and shrubs in the sanctuary.
• Fauna: It is home to a variety of animals, including several species of mammals, reptiles, and birds. Some of the common animals found in the sanctuary are the Indian crested porcupine, black-naped hare, Indian gray mongoose, Indian palm civet, Indian peafowl, rock pigeon, and blue rock thrush. 
• The sanctuary also has several species of snakes such as the Indian rock python, common krait, and Indian cobra.
• Tourism and activities: It offers several activities for nature enthusiasts such as nature walks, bird watching, and wildlife photography. The sanctuary also has several hiking trails that offer scenic views of the surrounding area.

Asola Bhatti Sanctuary Seed Bank

The project is being implemented jointly by the Forest Department and the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and began in 2015, with a team collecting seeds from across the city and other states.

Objectives:

• To bring back the native species that have been lost over a period of time.
• Create awareness about the trees that are disappearing from the region.
• Make these trees available to people so that they can grow them.
• For tree mapping.

Steps taken:

• The nursery at the sanctuary is currently growing more than 100 species of native grasses, plants, and trees, and has produced around 3.5 lakh saplings for plantation by both government and private agencies in the city.
• Tree species like roheda (Tecomella undulata), kulu (Sterculia urens), bishtendu (Diospyros montana) are difficult to find. Species like salai (Boswellia serrata) and phalsa (Grewia asiatica) have been brought from Rajasthan and Haryana. 
• Other species are collected from other parts of Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Haryana. Trees are also lost due to invasive species like the vilayati kikar.
• The plan is to raise production to around 10 lakh saplings every year, with a facility for seed storage, and the objective is to eventually be able to share the seeds with other departments or states.
• Efforts are made to replicate old-growth forests by identifying intact forests with minimal disturbance, like Mangar Bani in Faridabad, and replicating them.

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