Manshi Wildlife Sanctuary lies in the Kaghan Valley on the east bank of the Kunhar River, 12km north of Paras Village in Hazara District, North- West Frontier Province. It is close to the border with Azad State of Jammu & Kashmir. The sanctuary is accessible via Paras along a very poor track, which is impassable during winter snow. 34°48’N, 73”34’E. Declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1977. Originally designated a reserve for a five-year period ending in 1973, having an area of 2,321ha.

 

The mammals have not been surveyed, but arc known to include common langur Presbytis entellus and Royle’s pika Ochotona roylei (Wayre, 1971). Himalayan black bear Selenarctos thibetanus, Himalayan musk deer Moschus chrysogaster (V) and occasionally leopaid Panthera pardus (T) arc also prcsent (M.M. Malik, pers. comm., 1987). The avifauna is rich in species. Therc is prime habitat for koklass pheasant Pucrasia macrolopha and monal pheasant Lop/wp/wrjAS impejanus, both of which are numerous (Wayre, 1971; T.J. Roberts, pers. The sanctuary is one of the few known breeding locations in Pakistan for white-bellied redstart Hodgsonius phoenicuroides. Long-legged buzzard Buteo rufinus and lammcrgQierGypaetus barbatus also breed here (T.J. Roberts, pers. comm., 1986). Five species offish occur in Kaghan Valley but their distribution within the sanctuary is not specified (Mirza andHussain, 1985).