The sanctuary is a chook watchers paradise and draws lots of migratory birds in the course of iciness, a few from as a long way off as Siberia and the Arctic. It is a shelter for a massive range of resident and migratory birds. Some 45,000 geese had been recorded right here in the course of the height migratory season. The wigeon, not unusualplace teal, pintail, shoveller and brahminy geese are normally visible in the course of the iciness. The lake is in particular well-known for diving geese, inclusive of the crested pochard, not unusualplace pochard and tufted geese which arise in very massive numbers. Around 375 chook species had been recorded; forty species have been lengthy distance migrants which byskip thru or iciness at Harikelake. Apart from avifauna, a few 7 species of turtle and 26 species of fish had been recorded. The mammals determined at Harike consist of the easy Indian otter, the jungle cat, jackal, Indian wild boar and the not unusualplace mongoose.

The most important troubles dealing with the Sanctuary are encroachments at the wetland habitat, sizable infestation of water hyacinth weed that is slowly chocking the gadget and decreasing the to be had floor vicinity, siltation and the ensuing fall withinside the extent of water, drainage of untreated and poisonous commercial effluents into the gadget from large towns like Ludhiana ,Jallandhar and Kapurthala, unlawful fishing and poaching of birds etc.

The wetland inhabits some of uncommon and jeopardized faunal species, inclusive of testudine, turtle and the easy Indian otter. One also can witness diving geese, scaup duck, falcated teal, whiteheaded stifftailed duck, spot jungle cat, mongoose, jackal and Indian wild boar —not often visible somewhere else in India—may be noticed right here.

The wetland includes wealthy flora inclusive of Eichhornia crassipes, Azolla sp, lotus, Ipomoea aquatica, Najas, Hydrilla, Ceratophyllum, Potamogeton, Vallisneria, Charales, and lots more. There are 26 species of fish which can be recorded which include Rohu, Catla, Puntius, Cirrhina Channa, Mystus, Notopterus ornata, Cyprinus, and Ambassis ranga. Recently, Indus dolphin (Platanista gangetica minor), which turned into speculated to have emerge as extinct in India after 1930 turned into additionally noticed withinside the Beas River in Harike wetland vicinity.

The sort of fauna consists of Cotton Pygmy Goose, Tifted Duck, Yellow topped Woodpecker, Yellow eyed Pigeon, Watercock, Pallass Gull, Brown headed Gull , Black headed Gull, Yellow legged Gull, Indian Skimmer, White winged Tern, White rumped Vulture, Hen Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Eurasian Hobby, Horned Grebe, Black necked Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, White browed Fantail, Brown Shrike, Common Woodshrike, White tailed Stonechat, White topped Penduline Tit, Rufous vented Prinia, Striated Grassbird, Cettis Bush Warbler, the Sulphur bellied Warbler and Diving duck…to call a few.