RAIPUR: Barnawapara, a wildlife sanctuary destination of Chhattisgarh, has been given a facelift to attract more visitors.

It has been done under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) under annual action plan 2021-22 for wildlife habitat upgradation work.

The Barnawapara Sanctuary is located under Balodabazar Forest Division, about 100 km away from capital city, Raipur.

Intensive lantana and eupatorium eradication work has been done in an area of 5,920 hectares. This includes work of eradication of lantana in a total 950-hectare area and eupatorium eradication work in a total area of ​​4, 970 hectares.

With availability of monsoon water, the grass has grown thus improving the grazing facility in the limits of the sanctuary. It provides a better watching experience of the wildlife.

The Barnawapara Sanctuary is spread over an area of 244.86 sq km. It has forest cover consisting of teak, sal, and mixed forests.

Apart from it, the area is dominated by other invasive herbaceous species like Eupatorium, Lantana, and Charotha. Due to their invasive nature, they create a shortage of fodder for the herbivore animals found in the Sanctuary area. Besides, it also affects the movement of animals.

To counter the invasive species of plants, the eradication work is undertaken under wildlife habitat upgradation work. It helps to keep a check on these species and improves the pastures for grazing.

In Barnawapara Sanctuary the commonly seen fauna (wild animals) are leopard, Indian bison (gaur), bear, sambar deer, spotted deer (chital), nilgai, wild boar, wild dog, striped hyena, fox, wolf, and mouse deer.