Nagzira wildlife sanctuary

Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary
Nagzira National Park
IUCN category II (national park)
Tiger at Nagzira National Park
Location	Bhandara district and Gondia district, Maharashtra, India
Nearest city	Bhandara, Gondia 25 kilometres (16 mi) E
Coordinates	21°14′38″N 79°59′09″E / 21.243942°N 79.985962°E / 21.243942; 79.985962Coordinates: 21°14′38″N 79°59′09″E / 21.243942°N 79.985962°E / 21.243942; 79.985962
Area	152.81 square kilometres (59.00 sq mi)
Established	1970
Governing body	Maharashtra Forest Department

Nagzira wildlife sanctuary is located between Bhandara district and Gondia district of Maharashtra at . Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary is locked in the arms of nature and adorned with a picturesque landscape, luxuriant vegetation and serves as a living outdoor museum to explore and appreciate nature. This sanctuary has a number of fish, 34 species of mammals, 166 species of birds, 36 species of reptiles and four species of amphibians. The invertebrate fauna includes, besides a number of insects and ant species. Wild animals found here are the tiger, bison, sambar, nilgai, chital, wild boar, sloth bear, Barking Deer, Mouse Deer and wild dog. Nearly 30,000 tourists visits this sanctuary annually. Wild animals to spot are the tiger, panther, bison, sambar, nilgai, chital, wild boar, sloth bear and wild dog. There are also tigers, leapord and one elephant named Rupa.

There is a temple of 'Nag' (Snake) which is exactly in the middle of nagzira and a temple of Mahadev. There was also a village inside the forest called as 'Nangthana' that adds up to the name of the forest. Nagzira got its name from this temple and 'zira' (zara) in marathi means a perennial source of water that comes out from a hill in pongezara, Nagzira. .

The Gond kings once ruled these forests in the vicinity of the Bhandara. In 1970, 116.54 km² (45.00 sq mi) was declared a Wildlife Sanctuary. In 2012, state government announced to merge this sanctuary with another national park to include in Saving tiger project