Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary: Where Rare Species Thrive
Photo StoryUpdated : Apr 21, 2025
Shaped by military history and scientific discovery, this sanctuary in the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh is one of most the biodiverse places on Earth
Text by: Tarun Menon
Photos by: Dhritiman Mukherjee
Shaped by military history and scientific discovery, this sanctuary in the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh is one of most the biodiverse places on Earth
While eagles may nest in multiple places across its landscape, Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS) derives its name not from the raptor but from the 4th Infantry Division of the Indian Army (the Red Eagles Division) that was stationed here in the 1950s. Access to this sanctuary is through an unmetalled road, the Foothill-Chaku-Tenga (FCT) Road, built by the army, that cuts right through the heart of the sanctuary. This road has deep significance as it used to be the only motorable road that connected the Assam plains to Tawang and the border with China. When the Chinese marched into Tibet in 1959, the Dalai Lama escaped to India through the FCT road, and the spot where he spent the night is known as “Lama Camp”, now a flourishing birding camp. At another spot along the road, he planted a bonsum tree sapling (Phoebe hainesiana), and the now fully grown tree is a holy site for Buddhists living in the region.
Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary is also a “holy” site for birders; every serious birdwatcher I have spoken to, Indian or otherwise, hopes to make the pilgrimage here. Despite covering an area of only 217 sq km, the sanctuary is home to nearly 500 bird species, accounting for nearly 40 per cent of all bird species found in India. This is because it covers a large elevation gradient ranging from 500 m to 3,250 m above sea level, giving rise to numerous habitats and forest types. Tropical wet evergreen forests are found at lower elevations (below 1,000 m), transitioning to broadleaved subtropical forests between 800-2,000 m. Broadleaved temperate forests consisting of oak and rhododendrons can be found around 2,000-2,800 m, and above 2800 m, one encounters coniferous temperate forests. Various species of bamboo form separate habitats along the entire elevation gradient. It’s not just birds that benefit from this diversity of elevations and habitats; this small sanctuary also boasts nearly 400 species of butterflies, over 1,000 species of moths and numerous enigmatic mammals like the red panda, golden cat, marbled cat, and the clouded leopard. Elephants are known to roam these forests up to the highest point in the sanctuary, making it probably the only place in the world where wild elephants walk in the snow. Eaglenest WLS owes its existence to these magnificent creatures. In 2004, there were plans to convert the FCT road into a major highway. However, when a Supreme Court-appointed committee inspecting the project witnessed an elephant giving birth to a calf in the middle of the road, the plan was abandoned
One of the things that makes Eaglenest WLS so special is the continual discovery of species that are new to science. The two most significant ones are (1) the bugun liocichla (Liocichla bugunorum) and (2) the bompu litter frog (Letrobrachium bompu). (1) This colourful bird with a distinctive call had evaded birdwatchers and scientists until it was spotted in 1995 and described in 2006. It is critically endangered, with a handful of individuals known only from few locations within the Eaglenest landscape. The species gets its name from the Bugun tribe on whose traditional land it was first discovered. To conserve this bird, the community came together to declare 17 square kilometres of their land as the Singchung Bugun Village Community Reserve (SBVCR) which is adjacent to the northern boundary of Eaglenest WLS. (2) The Bompu litter frog was first described in 2011 from slow-moving perennial streams in the vicinity of Bompu Camp, the only tourist accommodation within the sanctuary. Its exquisite greyish-blue eyes help separate it from most species within its genus. Unfortunately, very little is known about the ecology and biology of this frog beyond its species description.
The Arunachal macaque (Macaca munzala) is another species from the region that was described only in the 21st century. Initially described from the Tawang region, this species can be found across Eaglenest WLS. Its scientific name comes from a local name given by the Monpa tribe that literally translates to “monkey of the deep forest”. The Arunachal macaque is generally shy, with forest populations fleeing as soon as they see humans. However, populations close to the edge of human settlements are less shy and are known to eat crops like cabbages and fruits.
Towards the eastern boundary of Eaglenest WLS lies the Sessa Orchid Sanctuary, and together, they are home to over 200 species of orchids. (1) This orchid is commonly known as bamboo orchid (Arundina graminifolia) because its long, slender stems and leaves closely resemble bamboo. (2) Dendrobium wardianum has distinctive pink tips on its otherwise white petals. It is widely distributed across East and Southeast Asia, and in Eaglenest, you will likely encounter it between 1,000 and 2,000 m altitudes.
With elephants present in Eaglenest WLS, it is rather unwise to walk around at night. However, with an experienced guide, you may witness some of the nightlife of the sanctuary. (1) For instance, you may see the particoloured flying squirrel (Hylopetes alboniger) swoop between trees or (2) hear the hooting of the elusive Himalayan owl (Strix nivicolum) which is even harder to spot. (3) Occasionally, after a rainy summer evening, many species of tree frogs (Rhacophoridae) descend into pools of water on the forest floor or in puddles on the road, like Zhangixalus burmanus photographed here, to mate and lay their eggs in foam nests.
Restricted to forests north of the Brahmaputra, Eaglenest WLS is one of the best places to spot the white-breasted parrotbill (Paradoxornis ruficeps). Various species of bamboo found across the elevation gradients in Eaglenest WLS harbour this species. This small “angry” bird can be seen using its eponymous parrot-like bill to twist and break bamboo stems to feast on the insects within.
Found across the breadth of the Himalayas, the Himalayan goral or the grey goral (Naemorhedus goral) is seen in the upper reaches of Eaglenest WLS at altitudes beyond 2,800 metres. These “goat-antelopes” lie extremely still on steep rocky cliffs, their natural camouflage making them impossible to spot. On detecting human presence, they assuredly race down treacherous slopes where even the slightest misstep could be fatal.
The northern treeshrew (Tupaia belangeri) is distributed across Southeast Asia, and in Eaglenest WLS, it is occasionally seen skulking in the shrubbery around Bompu Camp. Often mistaken for squirrels, treeshrews are neither squirrel nor shrew and are actually more closely related to primates. They belong to the order Scandentia. These diurnal mammals are generally omnivorous, feeding mainly on insects and fruit. India is home to two other treeshrew species, the Madras treeshrew (Anathana ellioti) from peninsular India and the Nicobar treeshrew (Tupaia nicobarica) from the Nicobar Islands.
Besides the bugun liocichla, arguably the most sought-after species in Eaglenest WLS are the (1) Sikkim wedge-billed babbler (Stachyris humei), a shy bird of the forest understorey that rarely comes out into the open, and (2) Blyth’s tragopan (Tragopan blythii). This vibrantly coloured pheasant’s loud, haunting wails at dawn and dusk will send shivers down your spine. (3) The Ward’s trogon (Harpactes wardi) is also in the bucket-list of birdwatchers. It is a high-elevation species generally seen sitting on moss-covered branches in wet temperate evergreen forests between 1,800 and 2,800 metres. On the IUCN Red List, the wedge-billed babbler and the Ward’s trogon are “Near Threatened”, while the Blyth’s tragopan is classified as “Vulnerable”. Photo: (2) Tarun Menon
About the contributors
Tarun Menon
is an avid naturalist, birdwatcher and a PhD student at the Indian Institute of Science. His interests lie in understanding the behaviour and adaptations of mountain birds.
is one of India's most prolific wildlife and conservation photographers. His work has been featured in leading publications. He is also a RoundGlass Ambassador, and an RBS Earth Hero awardee.
