Saturday, September 13, 2008

Wildlife in Uttar Pradesh : Dudhwa National Park - 5

Guys, covering an area of about 500 sq. kms., Dudhwa National Park, along the Indo-Nepal border in Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh, is best known for the Barasingha or Swamp Deer. Among the big cats, tigers abound at Dudhwa. There are also a few leopards. The other animals found in large numbers, are the Indian one-horned rhinoceros and the wild elephant. Other animals found in Dudhwa are jungle cats, leopard cats, fishing cats, jackals, civets, sloth bears, sambar, otters, crocodiles and chital.

Among reptiles, pythons and monitor lizards are fairly common. Dudhwa is also a bird-watcher's paradise. Dudhwa, perhaps, houses the greatest number of owls and storks. The great Indian horned owl, the forest eagle owl, the brown wood owl and the jungle owlet are found in plenty. The storks, which abound here, are the black-necked stork, white-necked stork, black stork, painted stork, white stork, open-billed stork and adjutant stork.

In a bid to save the Indian one-horned rhinoceros, seven rhinos from Assam and Nepal were introduced into Dudhwa in 1984-85. Currently, 13 rhinos can be spotted in Dudhwa.

When to visit:

The best time to visit is November to May

Where to stay:

Dudhwa Forest Home, Log Huts, Dormitory, tent, rest houses at Soniapur, Sathiana

How to get there:

The nearest town in Palia (10 kms). From Delhi (430 kms). By rail upto Shahajahanpur and onwards by road. From Lucknow (250 kms). By rail upto Mailani, and onwards by road.

Contact :

Field Director, Project Tiger, Dudhwa National Park, Lakhimpur-Kheri, Uttar Pradesh. Tel No. : 262701

Related Links :

01. Nature and WildLife of India : WildLife Protection Act 1972 - 1
02. Wildlife in Jammu and Kashmir - 2
03. Corbett National Park (Project Tiger) : Wildlife in Uttaranchal - 3
04. Rajaji National Park - 4

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