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{{Short description|Wildlife sanctuary in India}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Bir Bhunerheri Wildlife Sanctuary
| iucn_category = IV
| map = India Punjab#India
| relief = 1
| mapframe = Yes
| image =
| image_caption =
| mapframe-zoom = 11
| location = Patiala district, Punjab, India
| coordinates = {{coord|30|11|24|N|76|27|36|E|type:forest|display=inline,title}}
| nearest_city = Patiala
| area = 661.66 ha
| established = 1952
| governing_body = Department of Forests & Wildlife Preservation, Government of Punjab
}}

'''Bir Bhunerheri Wildlife Sanctuary''' is a [[List of wildlife sanctuaries of India|wildlife sanctuary]] located in the [[Patiala district]] of the Indian state of [[Punjab, India|Punjab]]. It covers approximately 661.66 hectares and is one of several small "bir" (forest) sanctuaries in the region.<ref name="IncredibleIndia">{{cite web |url=https://www.incredibleindia.gov.in/en/punjab/patiala/bir-bhunerheri-wildlife-sanctuary.html |title=Bir Bhunerheri Wildlife Sanctuary: Patiala's Natural Haven |publisher=Incredible India (Ministry of Tourism, Government of India) |access-date=22 October 2025 }}</ref><ref name="PunjabForest">{{cite web |url=https://forest.punjab.gov.in/en/wildlife/sanctuaries/ |title=Wildlife Sanctuaries |publisher=Department of Forests & Wildlife Preservation, Government of Punjab |access-date=22 October 2025 |archive-date=9 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240809085041/https://forest.punjab.gov.in/en/wildlife/sanctuaries/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==History==
The area known as Bir Bhunerheri was historically one of the ''bir'' (forest patches) associated with the erstwhile [[Patiala State|princely state of Patiala]]. Following India's independence, the Punjab Government notified these areas as reserved forests and wildlife sanctuaries. Bir Bhunerheri was officially declared a protected area in 1952.<ref name="PunjabPlan">{{cite web |url=https://moef.gov.in/uploads/2017/09/Punjab.pdf |title=Punjab State Action Plan on Climate Change — List of Protected Areas |publisher=Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India |access-date=22 October 2025 }}</ref><ref name="IncredibleIndia"/>

==Geography and ecology==
The sanctuary lies on the Patiala–Devigarh road, roughly 15 km from Patiala city. Its terrain features dry deciduous vegetation typical of central Punjab, with trees such as ''[[Dalbergia sissoo|Shisham]]'' (''Dalbergia sissoo'') and ''[[Vachellia nilotica|Kikar]]'' (''Acacia nilotica'').<ref name="MoEF_ESZ">{{cite web |url=https://moef.gov.in/uploads/2017/06/Bir%20Bhunerheri%20Wildlife%20Sanctuary%2C%20Punjab.pdf |title=Eco-Sensitive Zone Notification: Bir Bhunerheri Wildlife Sanctuary |publisher=Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India |access-date=22 October 2025 }}</ref>

==Conservation and threats==
The sanctuary is affected by pressures from nearby agriculture and urbanization. Forest officials and conservation groups have reported seasonal threats such as crop-residue (stubble) burning in adjoining farmlands, which harms local wildlife and vegetation.<ref name="Tribune">{{cite web |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/rising-stubble-burning-incidents-pose-danger-to-wildlife-in-12-sanctuaries---452700 |title=Rising stubble burning incidents pose danger to wildlife in 12 sanctuaries |publisher=The Tribune (Chandigarh) |date=31 October 2024 |access-date=22 October 2025 }}</ref> Protection and management activities are overseen by the [[Department of Forest and Wildlife (Punjab)|Department of Forests & Wildlife Preservation]], Government of Punjab.<ref name="PunjabForest"/><ref name="MoEF_ESZ"/>

In April 2025, the Punjab Cabinet declared the sanctuary — along with 12 other sanctuaries in the state as Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ), prohibiting any construction activity within 100 metres of its boundary.<ref name="esza">{{cite news |title=13 wildlife sanctuaries in Punjab declared eco-sensitive: No construction within 100 metres of sanctuaries; Cabinet clears Sukhna Lake plan, report to be sent to Centre |work=Dainik Bhaskar (English) |date=April 2025 |access-date=22 October 2025 |url=https://www.bhaskarenglish.in/local/punjab/news/13-wildlife-sanctuaries-in-punjab-declared-eco-sensitive-134831063.html }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Bir Aishvan Wildlife Sanctuary]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://forest.punjab.gov.in/en/wildlife/sanctuaries/ Department of Forests & Wildlife Preservation, Government of Punjab – Wildlife Sanctuaries] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240809085041/https://forest.punjab.gov.in/en/wildlife/sanctuaries/ |date=2024-08-09 }}
* [https://www.incredibleindia.gov.in/en/punjab/patiala/bir-bhunerheri-wildlife-sanctuary.html Incredible India – Bir Bhunerheri Wildlife Sanctuary]
* [https://moef.gov.in/uploads/2017/06/Bir%20Bhunerheri%20Wildlife%20Sanctuary%2C%20Punjab.pdf Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change – Eco-Sensitive Zone notification]
* [https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/rising-stubble-burning-incidents-pose-danger-to-wildlife-in-12-sanctuaries---452700 The Tribune – article on stubble burning and sanctuary threats]

[[Category:Wildlife sanctuaries in Punjab, India]]
[[Category:Geography of Punjab, India]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Punjab, India]]
[[Category:Environment of Punjab, India]]
[[Category:Nature conservation in India]]
[[Category:Protected areas of India]]
[[Category:Patiala district]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1952]]

Bir Bunerheri Wildlife Sanctuary - Revision history

Siddhant Babu: made entry - done