The Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary which is also located in the Surjuga District is so called because of the 2 prominent features of this piece of land – the Tamor Hill and the Pingla Nalla (stream). Its terrain is also marked by the Moran River which passes it to finally drain its waters into the Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar in Uttar Pradesh. Bishrampur is the nearest railhead to the sanctuary. In the case of Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary too, Ambikapur makes a good halt for tourists who come to have a glimpse of the mixed wildlife of this sanctuary.

This is a slightly larger sanctuary than the Semarsot Wildlife Sanctuary and covers a ground of 608.55 sq. kms. The forest cover consists of a mix of Sal and other deciduous trees. An estimate of the 1997 census suggests that there were 11 tigers and 15 leopards in the sanctuary at that time. From December to March, the best time to visit this sanctuary, it is not uncommon to sight multi-hued migratory birds, a number of species of Indian deer, like the barking deer, 4-horned antelope, chitals and sambar deer. You may even catch glimpses of python, cobras, striped hyenas, jackals, brown and red varieties of jungle fowl, blue bulls, and green pigeons.

Both the Semarsot and Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary of Chhattisgarh are virgin natural reserves and instances of the rich wildlife of Chhattisgarh. Right in the heart of India, safe from commercial activities, these sanctuaries exert an appeal that is fresh, unadulterated and primal. A visit to these sanctuaries will refresh one and reinforce one’s zeal to preserve them.