Places · Behali
Behali Reserved Forest
বিহালী
A semi-evergreen foothill forest north-east of Chariali. An elephant corridor and birding hotspot with over 280 recorded bird species.
Behali was declared a Reserved Forest in 1917. Only about 60–80 km² of its original forest cover remains, by different estimates, out of 140 km² notified. A proposal to make it a wildlife sanctuary was published in the Assam Gazette in May 2022.
It forms part of the Sonitpur Elephant Reserve and a corridor between Nameri and Kaziranga. It is recognised as an Important Bird Area. Surveys have recorded 282 bird species, 275 butterflies and 49 mammals.
A Yamfly butterfly photographed at Behali during a 2025 photo walk. Photo: Lorensonowal, CC BY 4.0
_-_Yamfly_WLB_DSC_5691.jpg){kind=link}
The forest also holds archaeological remains, including the Rajgarh rampart and the Maidam Pukhuri tank.
Before you go
Access can change because of forest protection rules and the Assam–Arunachal border. Check locally before you visit, and go with someone who knows the area.