Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh
Bandhavgarh National Park:
The most popular national parks in India is located in the Vindhya Hills of the Umaria district in Madhya Pradesh. Declared as a national park in 1968 the Bandhavgarh National Park is spread across the area of 105 km². The name Bandhavgarh has been derived from the most prominent hillock of the area of Umaria. The area of Bandhavgarh is being flourished with a large biodiversity, the place which is also being famed to grip highest density of tiger population in India. Similarly, the park also beholds the largest breeding population of leopards and various species of deer. Over the years, the park has shown a great number of increases in the count of the tiger species and this is the reason why tiger tours is so famed to attract large amount of tourists at its vicinity.
The park has been divided into three major zones named as Tala, Magdi and Bamera out of which the Tala zone attracts major number of tourists by offering the tiger sighting opportunities. The park authorities are also focusing on the Magdi Zone by providing more opportunity to spot tigers. Elephant shows are also organized in Magdi zone of the Bandhavgarh national park to increase the chances of spotting the elusive king of the jungle.
Bandhavgarh National Park consists of mixed vegetations ranging from tall grasslands to thick Sal forest and so is the perfect habitat of variety of animals and birds. Due to varied topography, the Bandhavgarh national park provides ample opportunity to spot the majestic Indian tiger and some rarely seen animals like leopard and sloth bear. Due to high wildlife sighting it is becoming popular amongst tourists visiting India.
Bandhavgarh at a Glance:
Area: 450 sq. km (Core area: 105 sq. km)
Altitude: 800 m above sea level
State: Madhya Pradesh
Location:Vindhyan Mountain ranges of central India
Temperature range: 42°C to 2°C
Annual Rainfall: 1200mm
|
Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand
Jim Corbett National Park:
Some areas of the park were formerly part of the princely state
of TehriGarhwal. The forests were cleared to make the area less vulnerable to Rohilla
invaders.The Raja
of Tehri formally ceded a part of his princely state to the East India Company
in return for their assistance in ousting the Gurkhas
from his domain. The Boksas - a tribe from the Terai - settled on the land and began growing crops, but in the early 1860s they with the advent of British rule.
Efforts to save the forests of the region began in the 19th century under Major Ramsay, the British Officer who was in-charge of the area during those times. The first step in the protection of the area began in 1868 when the British forest department established control over the land and prohibited cultivation and the operation of cattle stations. In 1879 these forests were constituted into a Reserve Forest where restricted felling was permitted
Jim Corbett National Park:
is the oldest national park in India
and was established in 1936 as Hailey National Park to protect the endangered
Bengal tiger . It is located in Nainital district
of Uttarakhand
and was named after Jim Corbett
who played a key role in its establishment. The park was the first to come under the Project Tiger
initiative.
The park has sub-Himalayan belt
geographical and ecological characteristics. An ecotourism
destination, it contains 488 different species of plants and a diverse variety of fauna . The increase in tourist activities, among other problems, continues to present a serious challenge to the park's ecological balance.
Corbett has been a haunt for tourists and wildlife
lovers for a long time. Tourism activity is only allowed in selected areas of Corbett Tiger Reserve so that people get an opportunity to see its splendid landscape and the diverse wildlife. In recent years the number of people coming here has increased dramatically. Presently, every season more than 70,000 visitors come to the park from India and other countries.
Corbett National Park comprises 520.8 km2. Area of hills, riverine belts, marshy depressions, grass lands and large lake. The elevation ranges from 1,300 feet (400 m) to 4,000 feet (1,200 m). Winter nights in Corbett Park are cold but the days are bright and sunny. It rains from July to September.
Dense moist deciduous forest mainly consists of sal, haldu,pipal, rohini and mango trees, and these trees cover almost 73 per cent of the park. The 10 per cent of the area consists of grasslands. It houses around 110 tree species, 50 species of mammals, 580 bird species and 25 reptile species. The endangered Bengal tiger of India resides here. |
Keoladeo Ghana National Park – Bharatpur, Rajasthan
Keoladeo Ghana NationalPark:
One of the finest bird parks in the world, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary also known as Keoladeo Ghana National Park is a reserve that offers protection to faunal species as well. Keoladeo, the name derives from an ancient Hindu temple, devoted to Lord Shiva, which stands at the centre of the park. 'Ghana' means dense, referring to the thick forest, which used to cover the area. Nesting indigenous water- birds as well as migratory water birds and waterside birds, this sanctuary is also inhabited by Sambar, Chital, Nilgai and Boar.
While many of India's parks have been developed from the hunting preserves of princely India, Keoladeo, popularly known as Bharatpur Wildlife Sanctuary, is perhaps the only case where the habitat has been created by a maharaja. In earlier times, Bharatpur town used to be flooded regularly every monsoon. In 1760, an earthen dam (Ajan Dam) was constructed, to save the town, from this annual vagary of nature. The depression created by extraction of soil for the dam was cleared and this became the Bharatpur Lake.
At the beginning of this century, this lake was developed, and was divided into several portions. A system of small dams, dykes, sluice gates, etc., was created to control water level in different sections. This became the hunting preserve of the Bharatpur royalty, and one of the best duck - shooting wetlands in the world. Hunting was prohibited by mid-60s. The area was declared a national park on 10 March 1982, and accepted as a World Heritage Site in December 1985.
Climate & Rainfall:
Bharatpur is located on the fringes of the Thar Desert. This marshy land has very warm climate. Summers are invariably hot and winters are not very cold. The temperature ranges from a maximum of 48°C in summers (May and June) to around 5°C in winters (December to February).Carry light cottons during summers and woolens during winters. Rainfall is less but sufficient.
Flora:
The term 'Ghana' means dense, referring to the thick forest, which used to cover the area. The principal vegetation types are tropical dry deciduous trees, intermixed with dry grassland in areas where forest has been tainted. Apart from the artificially managed marshes; much of the area is covered by medium-sized trees and shrubs.
Fauna:
The major attractions of tourists visiting the park are the numerous migratory birds, which come from as far away as Siberia and Central Asia and spend their winters in Bharatpur, before returning to their breeding grounds. Migratory birds at Bharatpur bird sanctuary include, several species of Cranes, Pelicans, Geese, Ducks, Eagles, Hawks, Shanks, Stints, Wagtails, Warblers, Wheatears, Flycatchers, Buntings, Larks and Pipits, etc. |
Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan
Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan:
Ranthambore National Park is in Sawai Madhopur District of Rajasthan state. Located at the junction of the Aravalli and Vindhya hill range, this is one of the finest places to view animals, especially as they are used to being stared at here.The park covers an area of Approximately 400 sq Km and if combined it with the area of sawai man singh sanctuary area, it is around 500 Sq km.
Ranthambore national park was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1957 and in 1974 it gained the protection of "Project Tiger". It got its status of a National Park in 1981.
Ranthambore National Park is dotted with structures that remind you of bygone eras.There are many water bodies located all over the park, which provide perfect relief during the extremely hot summer months for the forest inhabitants. A huge fort, after which the park is named, towers over the park atop a hill. There are many ruins of bygone eras scattered all over the jungle, which give it a unique, wonderful and mixed flavour of nature, history and wildlife.Tigers at Ranthambore National park have been known to even hunt in full view of human visitors. These tigers are famous for being seen in the daytime too, due to their lack of fear of human presence in vehicles. This lack of fear of humans is excellent for tourists, as they get to see the tigers often.
This National park is a wildlife enthusiast and photographer's dream. It offers excellent accommodation and internal transportation facilities. The park remains open every year from October to May.Famous for the exciting and frequent tiger sightings captured dramatically in several books, this park is today affected by ecological pressures and poaching.
In Nutshell, Ranthambore National park is a wildlife enthusiast and photographer's dream. It offers excellent accommodation and internal transportation facilities and remains open every year from October to Mid-June
Location: Nearest Town- Sawai Madhopur, situated on the Delhi-Bombay railway-line and also linked with Jaipur and Agra by rails.
Near by Airports: Jaipur and Kota
Distance by Rail: Delhi - 362 km, Agra - 227 km, Bombay 1027 km, Kota - 108 km, Jaipur - 132 km .
Distance by Road: Delhi - 480 km (via Dausa), Jaipur - 180 km (via Tonk) |