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There are plenty of activity options opened for you within the Indian
Wild life Sanctuaries and they are not just restricted to watching
the animals and birds. |
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Home >> Wildlife National Parks India >> Kaziranga National Park
Kaziranga National Park
About Kaziranga National Park
When Marco Polo first spotted the one-horned Rhino, he thought it was the
legendary Unicorn. With a population of over a thousand, Kaziranga National
Park has the largest concentration of the one-horned Rhino in the subcontinent,
saving it from near extinction.
Lying along the mighty Brahmaputra River, the Kaziranga National Park covers
an area of about 430 sq. km. Its swamps and grasslands with tall thickets
of elephant grass and patches of evergreen forest, support a large number
of wild animals. An alarming depletion in numbers of the rhino, due to hunting
and poaching, led to the conservation of this area in 1926.
The most ferocious bovine in the world, the rhino is impressive and can
weigh up to 915 kg. An occasional herd of elephants or wild boar is also
seen. The grasslands are raptor country and the crested serpent eagle, the
Pallas fishing eagle and grey headed fishing eagle can be seen circling
over the marshes.
Wildlife Attractions in Kaziranga National Park
The park houses around 15 species of India's threatened (Schedule I) mammal
species. The best-known resident of course is the Rhinoceros unicornis (rhino).
The number of this once-threatened mammal has been regularly on the increase.
From only a few dozen in 1908 to more than 1000 now, the route has been
quite long.
Rhino
Contrary to what one may have heard, rhinos browse past visitors non-chalantly.
The rhino is a peace-loving animal and, instead of batting an eyelid about
peaceful tourists who have invaded its territory, it keeps itself busy grazing
in the wild. Moreover, the conditions at Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary are
ideal for the rhino to survive. In addition to elephant rides, several watch
towers have been set up for a bird's eye view of the park. Pleasant boat
rides at the nearby Rhinoland Park can also be availed by tourists.
Avifauna
Kaziranga is also an ornithologist's delight and you can find a great number
of avifaunal species here. The numerous water bodies of Kaziranga are rich
reservoirs of food (including fish). Thousands of migratory birds visit
the park seasonally from as far as Siberia. Major migratory birds are the
grey pelican, black-necked stork, lesser adjutant stork, Pallas's fish eagle,
grey-headed fish eagle, about 25-30 Bengal floricans, swamp partridge, grey
peacock-pheasant, great pied hornbill, bar-headed goose, whistling teal,
green imperial pigeon, and silver-breasted broadbill. Sunset is a pleasant
sight as well, with the birds returning to their nests.
Kaziranga National Park is one of the most picturesque wildlife parks in
India. Apart from being home to the one-horned rhino, it is also the natural
habitat of wild buffaloes, wild boars, elephants, Barasinghas (swamp and
hog deer), leopards, tigers, hoolock gibbons, capped langur, rock python
and monitor lizards. Large areas of the park comprise of marshland interspersed
with large pools fringed with reeds, patches of elephant grass, scattered
trees, and thickets.
Safaris
The vast open areas make the sanctuary one of the best places to observe
wild animals. Elephant safaris during early morning or late in the evening
make it possible for visitors to observe the wild animals from close quaters.
The Elephants drivers of mahouts also act as guides, who provide information
about the park as you move along. Jeep safaris are also available, and the
timings are 7:30-9:30 AM & 2-3:30 PM (Jeep), 5-6 AM & 6-7 PM (Elephant).
Other Attractions
Besides watching animals there are other options for tourists around the
park. Take a gentle stroll among the lush coffee or tea plantations
at the Karbi Anglong or visit the nearby villages and observe the
lifestyle of the local people. Visit the famous tea gardens of Assam and
sip on a cup of the world's best tea.
How to Get There
By Air: Nearest airport Jorhat (96 km (W)/2 hrs) is connected
by Indian Airlines flights with Calcutta (11:30, Tue & Sat). Calcutta
in turn, is connected with all the major Indian and International cities
including Delhi (daily at 7:00, 17:00 & 20:00), Mumbai (daily 6:10 &
18:15), Bangalore (daily 6:05) and Chennai (daily 10:30 & 17:00). Another
major airport to access the park is Guwahati, well connected to major Indian
cities.
By Rail: Nearest railway station Furkating (75 kms from
Kaziranga) is connected to Delhi through the Brahmaputra Mail (daily 20:55)
and Chennai through the Dibrugarh Exp. (Tue, 22:55). Another option would
be to travel to Guwahati and take the Intercity Exp. (20:30) or the Kamrup
Exp. (16:45). Major trains plying to Guwahati include the Guwahati Exp.
(Mumbai-Guwahati, 7:45, Wed, Fri & Sat) and Guwahati Exp. (Bangalore-Guwahati,
23:45, Wed, Thu & Fri)
By Road: From Kaziranga (Kohora) to Jorhat it is 96 km,
and Furkating is at 75 kms. The Assam Road Transport Corporation runs regular
buses from Guwahati, Jorhat, Furkating which stop at Kohora, 5 kms outside
the Park. Long distance night coaches run by private operators from Guwahati
and Jorhat also stop here. The Tourist Department, Kaziranga Forest Lodge,
has a reservation quota of 10 seats on the Kaziranga Express from Golaghat
to Guwahati. To reach by road from Guwahati, take the NH37 to Kaziranga
via Dispur, Nagaon, Jakhalabanda and Hatihkuli.
Distances from Major Cities
Guwahati : 230 km (E)/4 hrs.
Delhi : 1620 km
Mumbai : 2292 km
Bangalore : 2270 km
Kolkata : 704 km
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