The Indian
peninsula is a continent in itself, whose
geographical diversity has encouraged the
flourishing of a whole range of wildlife with
over 350 species of mammals and 1200 species of
birds in the country.
While there is
an overlap in the habitats of many species, each
region has something special to offer – the
hangul is restricted to the valley of Kashmir in
northern India, the rhino is found in North-East
states of India and pockets along the
Brahmaputra river area, the black langur in the
western ghats, and western India is the home of
the last remaining Asiatic Lions.
Two of India’s
most impressive animals, the Bengal/Indian Tiger
and the Asiatic Elephant are found in most
regions, The tiger originated in Central Asia
and migrated over the great Himalayas to the
dense tropical forests, adapting itself well to
the plains.
A herd of elephants in the wild is a breathtaking sight.
These huge mammals are respected by all animals,
including the Tiger.
Widely distributed throughout India, the Indian Elephant is
slightly smaller than its African counterpart.
Generally, only the males have tusks.
Today, most of India’s wildlife finds refuge in over
two hundred sanctuaries and parks around the
country.
The following section gives a brief
description of some of the more important of
these.
The accommodation often needs to be booked in advance, either by direct application
to the hotel, resthouse etc. concerned, or through the local State TDC or the controlling
authority of the respective park. Brochures giving further information may be obtained from
Government of India Tourist Offices.
WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES AND NATIONAL PARKS
Northern India
Dachigam National Park (Kashmir) Broad valley;
mountain slopes; rare hangul deer, musk deer,
black and brown bear, leopard; heronry. Airport:
Srinagar 20km. Railhead: Jammu Tawi 311km.
Season: Aug - Dec. Accommodation: Srinagar:
Houseboats on Dal and Nagin Lakes.
Kishtwar National Park
(Kashmir) Snow Leopard, Antelope, Wild Yak, Tibetan Ass; Kishtwar
60km. Season: May - Oct.
Govind Sagar Bird
Sanctuary (Himachal Pradesh) Bird Sanctuary with crane, duck, goose,
teal. Airport: Chandigarh 135km. Railhead: Nangal 13km.
Accommodation: available at Bhakra.
Corbett National Park
(Uttar Pradesh) Himalayan foothills near Dhikala; Sal forest and
plains; tiger, elephant; leopard and rich bird life. Excellent
fishing in Ramganga river. Airport: Pantnagar 115 km. Railhead:
Ramnagar 51km. Season: November-May. Accommodation: Within the Park.
Dudhwa National Park
(Uttar Pradesh) Nepal border; tiger, sloth bear and panther.
Airport: Lucknow 251km. Railhead: Dudhwa 4kms. Season: November-May.
Accommodation:
Within the Park. November - May. Accommodation:
Within the Park: Sawai Madhopur.
Flower Valley National
Park (Uttar Pradesh) When in bloom this "roof garden" at 3,500
metres is a glorious blaze of colour. Location: Badrinath 44km.
Railhead: Rishikesh 280km. Season: June-July.
Sariska National Park
(Rajasthan) About 200km from Delhi. Forest and open plains: sambar
(largest Indian deer), cheetal (spotted deer), nilgai (Indian
antelope), blackbuck, leopard, tiger; good night viewing. Airport:
Jaipur 160km. Railhead: Alwar 35km (bus connections). Season:
February-June. Accommodation: Within the Park.
Ranthambhor (Sawai
Madhopur- Rajasthan) Hill forest, plains and lakes; simbar, chinkara
(Indian gazelle), tiger, sloth bear, crocodiles and migratory water
birds. Location: Railhead: Sawai Madhopur 11km. Airport: Jaipur
162km. Season:
Bandhavgarh National
Park (Madhya Pradesh) Situated in the Vindhya Mountains, this park
has a wide variety of wildlife including panther, sambar and gaur.
Airport: Jabalpur 166km. Railhead: Umaria 34km. Accommodation:
Forest Lodge in the park.
Keoladeo Ghana Bird
Sanctuary (Rajasthan) India’s most outstanding bird sanctuary; many
indigenous water birds; huge migration from Siberia and China;
crane, geese, stork, heron, snake bird, etc. Airport: Agra 52km
Railhead: Bharatpur 5km. Road: Jaipur 176km, Delhi 177km. Season:
September – February. Accommodation: Within the Sanctuary.
Kanha National Park
(Madhya Pradesh) Sal forest and grassland; only home of barasingha
(swamp deer), tiger, cheetal, gaur (Indian bison), monkey. Airport:
Nagpur 270km. Railhead: Jabalpur 170km. Season: November - March.
Accommodation: Within the Park; Kanha and Kisli.
Shivpuri National Park
(Madhya Pradesh) Open forest and lake; chinkara, chowsingha
(four-horned antelope), nilgai, tiger, leopard, water birds.
Airport: Gwalior 120km. Railhead: Jhansi 95km. Season: February-May.
Accommodation: Forest Rest House, Motel.
EASTERN INDIA
Kaziranga National Park
(Assam) Elephant grass and swamps; one horned Indian rhinoceros,
water buffalo, tiger, leopard, elephant, deer, rich bird life.
Elephant transport available within the park. Airports: Jorhat 96km,
Guwahati 217km. Railhead: Furkating 78km. Season: February-May.
Accommodation: Within the Park.
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
(Assam) On the Bhutan border, rain forest and grassland and river
banks; rhino, water buffalo, tiger, elephant, golden langur, water
birds; fishing permitted. Airport: Gauhati 176km. Railhead: Barpeta
40km. Season: January-March. Accommodation: Within the sanctuary.
Hazaribagh National Park
(Bihar) Sal forested hills; sambar, nilgai, cheetal, tiger, leopard,
occasionally muntjac (lager barking deer). Airport: Ranchi 100km.
Railhead: Hazaribagh 67km. Season: February-March. Accommodation:
Within the Park.
Sunderbans Tiger Reserve (West Bengal) Mangrove forests; tiger,
fishing cat, deer, crocodile, dolphin, rich bird life, Transport:
access and travel by chartered boat. Airport: Calcutta 48km. Season:
February – March. Accommodation: None available in or near the sanctuary.
