 |
Kaziranga National Park
- Place : - Jorhat Nawgaon & Golaghat districts, Assam
- Best Time To Visit : - November to April, closed during monsoon (April end to mid
October)
- Nearest Town : - Bokaghat (23 km)
- Main Attractions : - One Horned
Rhinoceros, Wild Buffalo Situated in Jorhat Nawgaon district
The
Kaziranga National Park declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in
1985, extends over an area of 430sq.km. It is bounded by the Mikir
Hills on the South and Brahmaputra river on the north. The park, 217
km from the capital of Assam, Guwahati was declared a Wildlife
sanctuary in 1950 and accorded the status of a National Park in
1974. The park divided into central, eastern and western sectors
consists of semi- evergreen forested highlands, rivulets, marshes
and extensive plains covered with tall elephant grass up to 6 metres
high.
The park is famous for Indian one horned
rhinoceros which can reach a height of over two metres and weigh
more than two tonnes. The area was declared a game reserve in 1908
to save the one-horned rhino. The total number of rhinoceros in the
park totals more than thousand which is 70 percent of the total
population of this species in the country. A single horn of the
rhino is worth exorbitant amounts of money.
History
Located
on the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra River in the far North East
of India, Assam, Kaziranga National Park covers an area of
approximately 430-sq-kms with its swamps and tall thickets of
elephant grass making it the ideal habitat for the Indian One-Horned
Rhino. Due to limitless poaching of this prehistoric survivor, the
Kaziranga National Park was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1940.
Major
Wildlife Attractions of Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary
Beside
ofcourse the great one horned Indian Rhino, the other major wild
attractions include a large population of Indian Elephants, Indian
Bison, Swamp Deer or Barasingha, Hog Deer, Sloth Bears, Tigers,
Leopard Cats, Jungle Cats, Otters, Hog Badgers, Capped Langurs,
Hoolock Gibbons, Wild Boar, Jackal, Wild Buffalo, Pythons, Monitor
Lizards, etc.
Kaziranga National Park is a birding
paradise; the grasslands are a raptor country that can be seen on
safari makes a remarkable experience. These include the Oriental
Honey Buzzard, Black-Shouldered Kite, Black Kite, Brahminy Kite,
Pallas's Fishing Eagle, White Tailed Eagle, Grey-Headed Fishing
Eagle, Himalayan Griffon, etc. Huge numbers of migratory birds
descend on the parks lakes and marshy areas during winters,
including Greylag Geese, Bar-Headed Geese, Ruddy Shelduck, Gadwall,
Falcated Duck, Red-Crested Pochard and Northern Shoveller.
Other
Attractions In Kaziranga
- Elephant Safari
The vast open country makes
Kaziranga National Park very accessible and wildlife viewing
fairly pleasurable. Here one can leave in the early hours of the
dawn for an elephant-back-ride. Authorized and trained Mahouts
who guide visitors through the park train the Elephants. One
could see wild Elephant herds roaming around or Indian Rhinos
browse past visitors unconcernedly. Since Kaziranga wildlife
Sanctuary is easily accessible, its provides a chance to see
animals in the wild at such close quarters, thus making a trip
to this National Park a very rewarding experience.
 - Sightseeing in Kaziranga
Tourists can stroll
through the lush coffee and rubber plantations of the nearby
Karbi Anglong. Or visit the Karbi villages, meet the Karbi
people and observe their way of living. Yiu can also venture
through the tea gardens that Assam is so famous for and watch
how one gets one's daily cup of tea. Film shows on wildlife can
be arranged at the various tourist lodges in Kaziranga, on
request.
How to Reach
- Air
The nearest airport is situated at Guwahati,
which is 217-km away from the park. The other airport is located
at Jorhat, 97-km from Kaziranga.
- Rail
The nearest railhead is Furkating, situated
75-km away from Kaziranga National Park.
- Road
The main gate for Kaziranga Wildlife
Sanctuary, at Kohora on the NH-37, consists of a handful of
cafes and a small local market. ASTC and private buses stop here
on their way to and from Guwahati, Tezpur and Upper Assam. Some
private buses also retain a seat quota for Kaziranga passengers.
|
|
