Bihar: Forests and wildlife

Bihar has 7,532.45 sq km of notified natural forest, which is 8.00% of its geographical area. Counting forest cover in and outside recorded forests (FSI report, 2024) and tree cover outside forests (ISFR 2023), green cover is 15.05% of the state's area. The state has 1 national park, 1 tiger reserve, 13 sanctuaries and 6 Ramsar sites.

Forest Cover

• Notified natural forest: 7,532.45 sq km (8.00% of the area of 94,163 sq km).
• Very dense forest: 387.00 sq km (0.41%); moderately dense: 3,284.21 sq km (3.49%); open forest: 3,861.24 sq km (4.10%).
• FSI report 2024 (LISS-IV imagery): forest cover in and outside recorded forest area is 12.55% of the state.
• ISFR 2023 (LISS-III imagery): tree cover outside forests is 2.5%.
• Most natural forests are notified as protected forests.

Forest Types and Trees

• West Champaran (terai of the Shivaliks) has moist deciduous Sal forest.
• South Bihar districts such as Kaimur, Rohtas, Aurangabad, Gaya, Jamui, Munger and Banka have dry deciduous Sal forest.
• The Someshwar and Dun ranges in Champaran get rainfall above 1,600 mm and support Sal forests.
• Important trees: Sal (Shorea robusta), Shisham, Teak, Gamhar, Kadamb, Semal, Arjun, Asan, Mahua and Kend.

Wildlife

• Terrestrial species include Tiger, Leopard, Bear, Hyena, Bison, Chital and Barking Deer.
• Rivers hold crocodiles, Gangetic turtles and the freshwater dolphin, the National Aquatic Animal.
• The dolphin is found in the Ganga, Kosi, Gandak, Mahananda and other rivers of the state.
• Bihar has a breeding population of greater adjutants in the Naugachia area of Bhagalpur district.

Valmiki Tiger Reserve

• In West Champaran; Valmiki National Park is the only national park and VTR the only tiger reserve in Bihar.
• Constituted as the 18th reserve under Project Tiger on 11 March 1994.
• Covers about 900 sq km, 17.4% of West Champaran district; it forms the eastern-most limit of the Himalayan Terai forests in India.
• The Gandak forms its western boundary; Someshwar Peak (2,884 feet) is its highest peak.
• Tigers: 10 in 2006 to 54 in 2023; the NTCA estimation of 2018 recorded a rise from 8 to 31.
• More than 250 bird species; seven forest types; reintroduction of the rhino is in its final stage.
• Awards: MEE-2018 rating "Very Good" (NTCA), RBS Earth Hero Award 2017, CATS accreditation 2021, India Biodiversity Award 2021, SKOCH Award 2024 for habitat management.

Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary

• Notified on 7 August 1991 under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
• Covers the Ganga from Sultanganj to Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur.
• The only protected area in India set aside exclusively for the Gangetic dolphin ("Susu"), listed as Endangered by the IUCN.

Other Sanctuaries

• Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary: the largest in Bihar; set up in 1979; about 1,539.86 sq km in Kaimur and Rohtas, in the Vindhya range.
• Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary (Munger): about 680 sq km on the northern edge of the Chota Nagpur Plateau; known for hot springs (Bhimbandh spring 52–65 °C).
• Udaipur Wildlife Sanctuary (West Champaran): set up in 1978; 8.74 sq km around Udaipur Jheel, an oxbow lake of the Gandak; Ramsar site (No. 2577) on 13 May 2025.
• Baraila Lake Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary (Vaishali): 197.91 hectares notified on 28 January 1997; 59 migratory bird species.
• Kanwar Lake, Baraila, Kusheshwar Nath, Udaypur lakes and Nagi and Nakti dams are declared bird sanctuaries.

Ramsar Sites and Reserves

• Bihar ranks third in India by number of Ramsar sites, with six.
• Sites: Kanwar Tal (Begusarai, 2020), Nagi and Nakti Bird Sanctuaries (Jamui, 2024), Udaypur Jheel, Gogabeel and Gokul Jalashay (Bhojpur) (all 2025).
• Gogabeel (Katihar): community reserve since 2019; 214.07 acres; an oxbow lake of the Mahananda; Ramsar site in November 2025.

Zoos and Green Cover Drives

• Rajgir Zoo Safari: the state's first zoo safari, on 191.12 hectares, opened 16 February 2022; Bihar's first aviary opened there on 8 March 2025.
• Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park, Patna is the only zoo in the state.
• Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali Abhiyan was launched on 2 October 2019; the forest department works on check dams and nurseries and tree plantation under it.