Wildlife in Rajasthan : Bharatpur National Park - 6

Guys, Bharatpur National Park is situated in eastern Rajashtan, about 176 kms. away from Delhi, and 50 kms, west of Agra, is the Keoladeo Ghana or Bharatpur National Park. It is one of the most spectacular bird sanctuaries in India.

Nesting indigenous water-birds as well as migratory water birds and water side birds. It is also inhabited by sambar, chital, nilgai and boar. More than 300 species of birds are found in this small park of 29 sq. kms. of which 11 sq. kms are marshes and the rest, scrub land and grassland.

Crane: Of all the exotic migrant birds that arrive in Bharatpur every year, the most sought after is the Siberian Crane or the great white crane, which migrates to this site every year, covering a distance of more than half the globe. These birds, numbering only a few hundred, are on the verge of extinction. They arrive in December and stay till early March.

When to visit:

The park is open throughout the year, although most visitors choose to come between October and February, when wintering wildfowl assemble in thousands on the lakes. The breeding season is between August and October.

Where to stay:

Accommodation is available at the Forest Lodge (ITDC), Saras Tourist Bungalow (RTDC), Shanti Kutir, Forest Rest House and private hotels near the park.

How to get there:

The nearest railhead is Bharatpur (2 kms) and the nearest airport is at Agra (52 kms).

Contact :

Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan

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

Rajaji National Park - 4

Guys, Rajaji National Park is situated at the edge of the sprawling Dehradun valey, The Rajaji National Park was founded in 1966 and covers an area of about 820 kms.

The wildlife here includes elephant, tiger, panther, bear, chital, sambar, wild boar, kakar, python, monitor lizard and a wide variety of avian fauna.

Where to stay:

The sanctuary has 10 forest guest houses and there are many hotels and tourist complexes around Rajaji National Park at Haridwar. Rishikesh, Deharadun and Mussoorie which make it very convenient to visit the Park.

How to get there:

Rajaji National Park is accessible from many directions by road, rail and air. Bus services and overnight trains are available for Deharadun and Haridwar from Delhi and Lucknow. It is very well connected by road form Saharanpur which in turn is very well connected by rail to Delhi, Lucknow, Amritsar, Jammu Tawi and Kolkata. Jolly Grant Airport which is only a few kilometers away from the northern boundary of the Park, has a daily 50 minutes flight from Delhi.

Contact:

Director, Rajaji National Park, 5/1 Ansari Marg, Dehradun - 248001. Tel. No. : 24225

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