Introduction

Himachal is home to several rare breeds of pheasants. These roly-poly birds are visually stunning and have a rare plumage. The best known among these pheasants are the monal, the khalij, the koklas and the great western tragopan. Till recently, the monal was also the state bird of Himachal and the role has now been taken by the great western tragopan. This bird, the tragopan ( Tragopan melanocephalus ) is locally called the ‘Juju Rana’, or the king of birds. Local lore has it that when God finished making the world, he was still not happy with what he had made. The perfect creature had still not been created. He then took a color from every creature he had made and then brought into the world the delicately colored Great Western Tragopan. For a long time, these birds were hunted and their meat was prized – and the feathers were used to decorate clothing that varied from brooches to adornments on caps. Their habitat was also greatly encroached upon and the oak and cedar woods which support them were bordered by villages, farms and orchards.

In Sarahan, an unusual and challenging program was started to try and breed these birds in captivity before they became endangered, or worse, extinct. The bird finds a mention as an ‘endangered species’ in the Red Data Book of International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This is also a Schedule I species in India’s Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. The Western Tragopan is found in across the Western Himalaya from Northwest Pakistan, Jammu and Kashmir and futher east, in Himachal Pradesh and in the Tehri Garhwal and the Kumaon regions of Uttarakhand. The Sarahan peasant breeding center is an effort to raise the species' population to a sustainable level. This is located about a kilometer from the temple complex and is close to the Sarahan’s high-altitude sports stadium and helipad

Special Attributes

Unique breeding center for pheasants

Nuisance

The site is very peaceful and free of irritants.

Dressing restrictions

Comfortable

Connectivity

Taxis and walking

Enjoyed by

Nature and wildlife lovers

Exposure

None

Avoidable Season

April, June, July

Facilities

Parking

Things Not Allowed

No such restriction

Tip

Carry a good camera along, there are also superb views en route

Type of site

Breeding center