Department of Forests & Wildlife recently started installing trail camera in Sanctuary area to capture the images of wildlife and to monitor the habits of wildlife. This trail camera is helping the department to have idea an about the wildlife activities in the specific zones of Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary. These traps are allowing us a glimpse into a world humans are rarely privileged to experience. These camera traps are wildlife friendly because while capturing the photos wildlife doesn’t get disturb. Even during the night time camera captures images without flash using the latest technology. So Department is keeping an eye on the activities of wild animals without disturbing their routine activities.

Department of Forests & Wildlife is committed to provide ideal habitat to the wildlife in Forests areas of Chandigarh. SWLS is mainly comprises dry and deciduous tree species like Dalbergia sissoo, Accacia nilotica, Accacia catechu, Prosopis juliflora etc. but lacking fruit tree species. So department had decided to plant local fruit tree species in forest areas of Chandigarh. The purpose was to attract the animals and birds. Now there are abundance of natural food material inside the forest for wildlife. Department is also expecting that monkeys will naturally attract to these fruit growing plots which will help to control the monkey menace problem in city areas of Chandigarh.

There are wide variety of trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses and climbers. The prominent among them are: Acacia catechu (Khair), Acacia modesta (Phulai), Acacia arabica (Kikar), Acacia leucophloea (Raeru), Dalbergia sisoo (Shisham), Anogeissus latifolia (Chhal), Azadirachta indica (Neem), Bombax ceiba (Semal), Butea frondosa (Dhak), Bauhinia racemosa (Kachnar), Emblica officinalis (Amla), Morus alba (Tut), Lannea grandis (Jhingan), Diospyros montana (Kendu), Murraya koenigii (Kari patta), Prospois juliflora (Musket), Cassia fistula (Amaltas), Zizyphus jujoba (Ber), Vitex negundo (Chinese chaste) etc.

• Mammals: Leopard, Sambhar, Spotted Deer (Chital), Pangolin (ant eater), Wild boar, Jackal, small Indian Civet, Jungle Cat, Porcupine, Hanuman Langur, Rhesus Monkey, Indian Hare, Common Mongoose, Common rat, Squirrel
• Birds: There are more than 262 varieties of birds including aquatic birds. Prominent among them are Peacock, Red jungle fowl, Grey partridge, Cuckoos, Night jars, Golden Oriole, Kingfisher, Swifts, Hoopoes, Hornbills, Barbets, Woodpeckers, Rollers, Barn owls, Parrots, Doves, Plovers, Coots, Hawks, Geese, Swan, Ducks,
• Reptiles: Cobra, Rat snake, Common Krait, Russell’s viper, Indian Python and common Monitor (Gho) etc.
• Insects: Wide variety of Butterflies, Moth, Honey-bee and other micro-organisms are in abundance.

To sensitize the citizens about the flora and fauna of Chandigarh, department conducts trekking in Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary every month except June to September. Anyone can register himself/herself for the trekking. Interested participants either can register online or through manually submitting the registration form in the Office. Recently department had developed new trekking route to conduct monthly trekking so that participants can enjoy the Mother Nature without disturbing the wildlife.

The management plan for both Sukhna WLS and City Bird WLS was finalized and approved for 10 years (up to 2028-29). It aimed to restore and conserve the representative biodiversity of the area systematically, apart from augmenting the catchment capabilities of the area by reducing soil erosion and provide clear water to the lake, perennially. It is also proposed to check the vegetation of Leucinia and muscat (Prosopis juliflora) which have increased disproportionately (like weed).

It has also prescribed for removal of plantations of Eucalyptus & Prosopis juliflora, in stages, and in small patches at one time rejuvenating the patch with desired species before moving ahead. Eucalyptus needs to be removed by cutting and lifting the material from the sanctuary area as the timber, leaf litter may bring in allelopathic effect, suppressing growth of other desired species. The openings in the Eucalyptus has to be essentially smaller without creating bigger openings (which should scattered, over a larger area, not exceeding 15 stems per Ha) and replaced by taller sp.