Overa-Aru Wildlife Sanctuary

The Overa-Aru Wildlife Sanctuary is located in a protected part of the Aru Valley in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Declared as a sanctuary in 1981 this place is spread across 511 square kilometers. This is a perfect place for photographers, wildlife lovers, and nature enthusiasts. With a diverse range of abundant flora and fauna, this sanctuary is one of the must-visit places in Pahalgam.

The forest has a mixture of deciduous and coniferous trees such as Aesculus indica, Juglans regia, silver fir, blue pine, and so on. The Overa-Aru Sanctuary is also home to over 120 species of birds including the Egyptian Vulture, Kasmir flycatcher, European roller, and Tytler’s leaf warbler. There are also 15 species of rare mammals found in this region such as the Kasmir stag, Asiatic black bear, Kashmir musk deer, and common leopard among others. In addition to these, there are nearly 20 species of butterflies recorded in the sanctuary, out of which four species are on the IUCN Red List.