Yangoupokpi-Lokchao Wildlife Sanctuary

Yangoupokpi-Lokchao Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area in the Chandel district, spanning varied terrain with hills and dense forests near the India-Myanmar border. The landscape contains different habitat types, from grasslands to thick woodland, supporting diverse animal life throughout its area.

The government of Manipur established this protected area in 1989 to safeguard the region's wildlife, particularly at a location where Indian and Myanmar territories meet. This timing reflected growing efforts across northeastern India to preserve natural areas facing pressure from human activity.

Seven forest villages within the sanctuary maintain ways of life shaped by their surroundings, with residents using woodland resources as they have for generations. The villages blend into the landscape, and visitors can see how people and nature coexist in this region.

The sanctuary is accessible from October through April when conditions favor wildlife viewing and photography. Arriving early in the morning offers the best chances to observe animals before they retreat during the heat of the day.

The sanctuary shelters Hoolock gibbons, the only ape species found in India, making it a remarkable refuge for this rare primate. Migrating elephants also cross the border seasonally, bringing large mammals from Myanmar into the area and creating a dynamic intersection of two ecosystems.