The word Dachigam denotes all the ten villages that were occupied to form the wildlife sanctuary. It was declared as a protected area for the wildlife in the year 1910. Later in the year 1981 it was recognised as a National Park. The wildlife reserve is located at a height of 5500 feet to 14000 feet. Thus it has an uneven terrain ranging from grasslands, steep slopes and cliffs. The park was built to supply pure drinking water to the residents of Srinagar. You will find a large number of flora and fauna in the wildlife reserve. The Kashmiri Stag also known as Hangul is the most famous animal you will find in the park. Other species include musk deer, leopard cat, Himalayan brown bear, Jungle cat, otter, hill fox and long tailed marmot. Among the birds you will find rich diversity. Some of them are black bulbul, redstart, wagtail, owlet, golden oriole, vulture and Cinnamon sparrow. There is rich vegetation in the Dachigam Wildlife sanctuary. You will find alpines, waterfalls, grasslands and pastures. The Mansar Lake flows through the middle of the park. When visiting the wildlife reserve, you will discover rich flora and fauna living peacefully I the natural habitats.