the speckled wood pigeon and bay woodpecker. Mammals Some of the exotic species from North-East India are present in this wildlife sanctuary. The red panda, the state mammal of Sikkim and one of the most elusive creatures from northern forests lives here. Asiatic black bear, yellow-throated marten, takin and red fox are also present in this wildlife sanctuary. Some very commonly seen mammals in this sanctuary are the Himalayan striped squirrel and hoary-bellied squirrel of the Callosciurus genus. Sightings of a Bengal tiger in the Sanctuary has been reported through two images captured by camera traps laid by the forest Officials. The camera captured two images of the tiger on the night of 6 December 2018 - at 6.23 pm and at 7 pm, near Goru Jurey, at an altitude of 9,583 feet, according to the DFO of the region. The official also stated that there had been oral narratives of tigers freely roaming in the forests of Sikkim until the late 1980s. And in January 2019, the camera also recorded a snow leopard in the same spot. This very elusive and shy animal had earlier been captured on camera in the northern and western parts of Sikkim. However, this is the first photographic capture of a snow leopard in East Sikkim. This image capture of both the Bengal tiger and the snow leopard in exactly the same location confirms the overlap in the migratory routes used by the two big cats inside Pangolakha, having migrated from the neighbouring Neora Valley National Park of West Bengal, according to a report by the Divisional Forest Officer. The State Forest Department has set up Eco-Development Committees (EDCs) around all wildlife protected areas. In this IBA, EDCs have been set up in the villages of Mankhim, Dalepchand, Lingtam, Phadamchen, Zuluk and Gnathang. See also Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary Gorumara National Park Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary References External links Forests, Environment & Wildlife Management Department | Government of Sikkim Wildlife sanctuaries in Sikkim Pakyong district Protected areas established in 1999 1999 establishments in Sikkim