India > Wild Life > East Zone

Betla National Park

Palamu shot to lame as early as 1932 for its tiger census - the first of its kind in the world. In 1974 it became one of the country's earliest tiger reserves. Endowed with thick tropical forests and a rich variety of fauna, the core area of the sanctuary has been declared as Betla National park (232 sq km). This park is a great attraction to tourists. The Park, at an average elevation of 1,000 ft is open throughout the year although February to April are the best months. It is 140 km from Ranchi. Large herds of Gaur and Chital are commonly seen. Elephants are present mostly after the monsoons up to the time when water holes begin to dry up in March. Tiger, Panther, Sloth Bear, Wild Bear, Sambhar, Nilgai, Kakar, Mouse Deer are also permanent residents. Large families of langurs are an ever present attraction. Palamu is now one of the nine Tiger Reserves in India under Project Tiger.

Kaziranga National Park

Kaziranga National Park lies on the south bank of the Brahmaputra and its boundary for the most part follows the Mora Diphlu river and runs parallel to National Highway No 37. It covers an area of 688 sq km. The Park was first established in 1908, as a reserve forest with only about a dozen rhinos and was declared a National Park in 1974.

Kaziranga is famous for being one of the last strongholds of the endangered great Indian one horned rhinoceros. Tigers which are natural enemies of rhinos are also there in sizable numbers in this area. Other attractions of this national park include the wild buffalo, magnificent swamp deer, hog deer, wild boar, Hoolok gibbon, capped langur and ratel (badger).

A wide variety of snakes including the rock python and the monitor lizard are also found here. Amongst the birds, the crested serpent eagle is common while palla's fishing eagle and gray headed fishing eagle are frequently seen.Others include the Great Adjutant Stork, crane, Bengal floricab, bar-headed goose, whistling teal, and pelican.

Mihimukh is the starting area for the park and elephants can be hired from here to enter the sanctuary. Jeep safaris and early morning elephant rides can be arranged for at the Tourist Centre here.

Malbazaar

In the northwest of the Dooars and about 60 km from Siliguri is a scenic spot surrounded by lush green tea gardens. It is Malbazar. From the broad gauge railway station at New Jalpaiguri, one can go to Dhupguri or Mainaguri. The Malbazar Tourist Centre, beside a beautifully laid out garden, the Malbazar Park, may be approached either from Mainaguri or Dhupguri, if travelling by broad gauge. The National Highway starts from Siliguri and crosses the Dooars from west to east. Malbazar is right on the highway.

Wildlife Sanctuaries - Jaldapara, Chapramari, Gorumara, Mahananda.

Jaldapara

The most well known of West Bengal's wild life sanctuaries is the Jaldapara wildlife sanctuary. It is one of the last refuges in the world for the one horned rhino, an animal threatened with extinction. At Jaldapara, the forest is mainly savannah. Tourists may view wildlife from the back of an elephant. Experienced scouts lead the visitors to the exact spots in the forest where a rhino, a tiger or a herd of deer may have taken shelter on the day and at that hour.

Chapramari

The deer are varied - sambar, barking deer, spotted deer and of course hog deer. There are also elephants, gaurs, pigs, reptiles, birds and fishes. The animal population of Gorumara is similar to that of Jaldapara. At Chapramari, there is a large heronry.

Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary

Mahananda wildlife sanctuary is located between Teesta and Mahananda rivers. Fauna include tiger, leopard, fishing cat, jungle cat, leopard cat, gaur, cheetal, elephants, civets, barking deer, sambar, Rhesus monkeys, langurs and birds.

Manas National Park

The only tiger reserve in Assam and famous for the rare golden langur, Manas national park is one of the best kept national parks in the country. Manas national park is located on the banks of the river Manas in the foothills of Bhutan. Far from the human habitation this park has a unique charm of its own. Manas is a very special biosphere, for it harbors twenty species of birds and animals that are highly endangered and listed in the IUCN red data book.

Among the highly endangered species are the attractive Red Pandas which are occasionally in the higher elevation. Initially the park was a wildlife sanctuary but in 1990 it was declared a national park. Today Manas national park spreads over an area of 2840 sq km. But the core area is just 360 sq km.

This park is well known as one of the world heritage sites having its unique combination of scenic beauty and rare wealth of wildlife.

The park has eastern Himalayan moist mixed deciduous forests covering. The lush green park is densely covered by trees and growth which often prevents the sun rays from entering the forest. The eastern alluvial grassland also covers a major portion of the national park. These grassland are grazing grounds for many herbivores. Manas also shows variety by mixing low alluvial savanah wood land and Assam valley semi evergreen forests.

Being a tiger reserve, Manas is famous for tigers. The other exclusive species is the pygmy hog. The park harbors about 20 species of animals. the range varies from herbivores to omnivores. The animals include panther, clouded leopard, marbal cat and other variety of cats. Elephant, rhino, swamp deer, sambar, barking & hog deer, dhole, binturong, otter, bison, buffalo, golden langur, spotted deers are some of the animals who roam the jungles. There are numerous species of feathered beings nest in the park. The reserve also receives many visitors from all over the world who come during the winters and fly back on the onset of summers. Along the river one can spot many water birds like mergansers, brahminy ducks and a range of egrets.

Best Time to Visit

The best season to visit Manas park is between October to April. Rest of the year it is off season for the national park. Avoid the monsoon as many parts of the park is flooded and animals are not easy to spot.

Namdapha National Park

Tucked away in the northern-most state of Arunachal Pradesh is the Namdapha National Park. Three major rivers drain this area and flow into the Noa Dihing, a tributary of the Brahmaputra. The Park largely inaccessible has diverse habitats and flora and fauna that are typical of this area. The majestic gaur or mithun, elephant, Himalayan black bear, takin, the wild goat peculiar to the Patkoi range, musk deer, slow loris, binturong and the red panda are all found here. The predators include the tiger, leopard, the rare snow leopard and clouded leopard in the higher reaches of the hills. A number of primate species are to be seen in the Park, such as the Assamese macaque, pig-tailed macaque, stump- tailed macaque and the distinctive hoolock gibbon. Hornbills, jungle fowl and pheasants flap their noisy way through the jungle, which harbours other colourful bird species. The inaccessibility of the greater part of the Park has helped to keep the forests in their pristine state. This is also a Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger.

Pabha Wildlife Sanctuary

Covering an area of 49 Sq km, Pabha wildlife sanctuary is situated in Lakhimpur District. It is a sanctuary created exclusively for the Protection of the magnificent Wild water Buffalo. For details please contact the Chief Conservator of Forest, Narengi Road, Guwahati, Assam.

Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary

This wildlife sanctuary, 175 Sq km in area, is situated in the Sonitpur District Extending along the Himalayan foothills it offers magnificent view of both scenic beauty and wildlife. The sanctuary is the home of Elephant, Indian bison, deer and a variety of hill birds. For visiting this sanctuary, tourist/visitor may contact the Divisional Forest Officer, Western Assam wildlife Division, Tezpur. District Sonitpur (Assam) or the Deputy Director, Tourism, Govt. of Assam, Tezpur, Sonitpur dist, Assam.