|
What
is Wildlife :
What exactly is wildlife? There is no precise and universally
accepted definition of the term. Its meaning varies from country to
country, depending upon the legal framework that exists in each
country for nature conservation in any given period of time.
Generally, however, the term implies all living beings outside
direct human control; in other words, all those plants and animals
that are usually not cultivated or domesticated. In its widest
connotation wildlife includes insects, fungi, frogs and wild
flowers, as well as wild shrubs and trees, reptiles, birds and
mammals.
Project Tiger
The famous naturalist E P Gee once opined that there were around
40,000 tigers in India in the beginning of the 20th century. Though
many wildlife conservationists and naturalists disagree with him on
this figure no one can deny that the population of the tiger had
dwindled alarmingly by late 1960s. This perilous decline was
attributed to a combination of factors including poaching,
degradation of tiger habitats and loss of its prey base.
Against this backdrop, sincere efforts as well as emotional pleas
were made by many people at the national and international levels.
In its 10th General Assembly held at New Delhi in December 1969, the
International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
(IUCN) called for a moratorium on the hunting of the Indian tiger
and several other wildlife species. Taking cognizance of these
recommendations, the Indian Board for Wildlife (IBWL) instructed all
the states to ban the hunting of tigers for at least five years. In
July 1970, tiger hunting was permanently banned throughout India.
In April 1972 a Task Force was constituted by the IBWL to study the
problems relating to tiger conservation in the country and to
prepare a plan to save the super predator from extinction.
An all-India tiger census was conducted in May, 1972 that estimated
the total tiger population of the country at a mere 1,827. There was
now no room for any doubt that the chances of the Indian tiger's
survival were bleak - unless some urgent and positive conservation
initiatives were taken. The same year, the Indian Wildlife
(Protection) Act, 1972 was promulgated, which provided additional,
legal impetus to the protection of wildlife and habitats,
particularly of endangered species, in special conservation areas.
The Task Force comprising stalwarts of conservation made concerted
efforts and, by November 1972, formulated a plan that was suitable
for Indian conditions. This novel venture was named "Project Tiger".
It was formally launched in 1973 when 9 tiger reserves were set up
in the country. Today there are 28 tiger reserves which cover all
the important tiger habitats of the country.
Jim Corbett National Park
Jim Corbett National Park named after the hunter turned
conservationist Jim Corbett who played a key role in its
establishment is the oldest national park in India. The park was
established in 1936 as Hailey National Park. Situated in Nainital
district of Uttarakhand, the park acts as a protected area for the
critically endangered Bengal tiger of India, the secure survival of
which is the main objective of Project Tiger, an Indian wildlife
protection 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.
A range of hills runs through the middle of the national park,
roughly east to west. The forests are moist deciduous, with Sal as
the dominant tree.Chir Pine trees are to be found on the higher
ridges of the hills. On the low-lying areas riverine forests, with
Shisham and Khair trees, are intermixed with grasslands known
locally as 'Chaurs'.
Flora Attractions
The Sloth Bear, Himalayan Black Bear, Dhole, Jackal, Yellow Throated
Martem, Himalayan Palm Civet, Indian Grey Mongoose, Common Otter,
Porcupine, Clack-taped Hare are the other attractions of this area.
It is possible to see elephants all over the park too. There are
four species of deer residing over here. These are the Chital, the
well-known Spotted Deer, Para, Kakka, and the Barking Deer. The Goat
Antelopes are represented by the Ghoral.
Keoladeo Ghana National Park ( Bharatpur )
Keoladeo Ghana National Park, one of the most spectacular bird
sanctuaries in India, nesting indigenous water- birds as well as
migratory water birds and water side birds. It is also inhabited by
sambar, chital, nilgai and boar. More than 300 species of birds are
found in this small park of 29 sq. km. of which 11 sq. km. are
marshes and the rest scrubland and grassland. 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. While many of
India's parks have been developed from the hunting preserves of
princely India, Keoladeo Ghana 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
earthern 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 Keoladeo 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.
Ranthambore National Park
Ranthambore National Park is one of the largest and most famous
national parks in northern India. It is situated in Sawai Madhopur
district of southeastern Rajasthan, about 130 km from Jaipur, which
is also the nearest airport. The nearest town and railway station is
at Sawai Madhopur, about 11 km away.
Ranthambore is most famous for its large tiger population. As
tourism in the park increased, so did the population of neighbouring
villages. This led to increasing amounts of fatal human-tiger
interactions and poaching. The Indian Government started Project
Tiger in 1972 with an allotted area of 60 mi2. It was later expanded
to become what is now called, the Ranthambore National Park. Besides
tigers, the reserve has thriving bird population with more than 270
different species of birds here.
In 2005, there were 26 tigers living in Ranthambore. This was
significantly lower than the recorded tiger population of the
reserve in 1982, which then stood at 44. According to non-gevernment
sources the number of tigers in the Ranthambore National Park were
34 in 2008. In 2008, more than 14 tiger cubs were also recorded.
This was largely attributed to sustained efforts by forest officials
to curb poaching. Villagers in the region were being given
incentives to stay out of the park and surveillance cameras were
also fitted across the reserve. These efforts have been successful
with Ranthambore having enough tigers to participate in the Sariska
Tiger Reserve relocation efforts
Flora Attractions
Other major wild animals include the Tiger, leopard, nilgai, dhole,
wild boar, sambar, Deer, hyena, sloth bear and chital. It is also
home to wide variety of trees, plants, birds and reptiles.
Ranthambore is also the site for one of the largest banyan trees in
India.
Sariska National Park
Sariska
National Park lies in the Aravalli hills and is the former hunting
preserve of the Maharaja of Alwar. Sariska itself is a wide valley
with two large plateaus and is dotted with places of historical and
religious interest, including the ruins of the Kankwari Fort, the
10th century Neelkanth temples, the Budha Hanumab Temple near
Pandupol, the Bharthari Temple near the park office, and the hot and
cold springs of Taalvriksh. The large Siliserh Lake is at the
north-eastern corner. The forests are dry deciduous, with trees of
Dhak, Acacia, Ber and Salar. The Tigers of Sariska are largely
nocturnal and are not as easily seen as those of Ranthambhor.
Flora Attractions
The park also has good populations of Nilgai, Sambar and Chital.
In the evenings, Indian Porcupine, Striped Hyaena, Indian Palm Civet
and even Leopard are sometimes seen. The forests are lush during and
immediately following the monsoon, but during the dry months of
February May there is a shortage of water and in consequence mammals
are attracted to water holes.
Bandhavgarh
National Park
A wildlife retreat where history and nature meet, Bandhavgarh is too
far away from Kanha. Set amidst the Vindhyan ranges, the park has a
series of ridges running through it. This park was the former
hunting preserve of the Maharaja of Rewa and at present is a famous
natural hub for White Tigers. White Tigers, now a major attraction
around the world's zoos, were first discovered in Rewa, not far from
here. The terrain is broken, with rocky hill ranges, running roughly
east west, interspersed with grassy swamps and forested valleys.
Flora Attractions
Much of the park is covered in Sal forest, replaced by mixed
forests in the higher elevations of the hills. There are extensive
stands of bamboo and grasslands. Generally the forests are less
dense here, with less undergrowth than in North India, thus offering
better sightings of wildlife, notably mammals, including the
daylight sightings of Tigers in the grassy 'maidans'. Tigers are
estimated for the park.
Other inhabitants of the park include the Muntajac, Jungle Cat,
Ratel, Jyena, Porcupine, the Rhesus Macaque and the back-faced
Langur. The park also has numerous ancient caves and rock shelters,
with shrines and inscriptions. About 150 species of birds known from
the Tala area are also found over here including the Brown Fish Owl,
Grey-headed Fishing Eagle, Malabar Pied Hornbill and Shahin Falcon.
Kanha National Park
Kanha National Park is a national park and a Tiger Reserve in the
Mandla and Balaghat districts of Madhya Pradesh, India. In the
1930s, Kanha area was divided into two sanctuaries, Hallon and
Banjar, of 250 and 300 km² each. Kanha National Park was created on
1 June 1955. Today it stretches over an area of 940 km² in the two
districts Mandla and Balaghat. Together with a surrounding buffer
zone of 1009 km² and the neighboring 110 km² Phen Sanctuary it forms
the Kanha Tiger Reserve. The park has a significant population of
Royal Bengal Tiger, leopards, the sloth bear, Barasingha and Indian
wild dog.
Flora Attractions
Other larger mammal species of the park are rhesus macaque, golden
jackal, Bengal fox, smooth-coated otter, honey badger, small Indian
civet, Indian gray mongoose, ruddy mongoose, striped hyena, jungle
cat, leopard cat, Indian spotted chevrotain, Indian pangolin, Indian
porcupine and Indian hare. The Indian jungle fowl, which is the
ancestor of domestic hens, is common.
Panna National Park
Situated in the
central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh at a distance of around 57 km
from Khajuraho is the Panna National Park. The region, which is
famous for its diamonds, is also home to some of the best wildlife
species in India and is one of the better Tiger Reserves in the
country. The park is known worldwide for its wild cats, including
tigers as well as deer and antelope. Due to its closeness to one of
the best-known Indian tourist attraction in India, Khajuraho, the
park has the potential of becoming a major tourist attraction.
The Panna National Park is located in the Indian state of Madhya
Pradesh and is a part of the Chattarpur district. The park is well
connected with the other parts of the region by a good network of
roads. Distances of some important places in India from the Panna
National Park are Bhopal 727 km, Delhi 889 km, Chennai 1761, and
Calcutta 1040 km.
Dry and hot climate, in union with shallow Vindhyan soils has
given rise to dry Teak and dry mixed forest. The dominating
vegetation type is miscellaneous dry deciduous forest inter spread
with grassland areas. Other major forest types are riverines, open
grasslands, open woodlands with tall grasses and thorny woodlands.
The characteristic floral species of this area include tree species
such as Tectona grandis, Diospyros melanoxylon, Madhuca indica,
Buchnania latifolia, Anogeissus latifolia, Anogeissus pendula,
Lannea coromandelica, Bosswelia serrata etc.
The Gir Forest
National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary
The Gir Forest National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is a forest and
wildlife sanctuary in Gujarat, India. Established in 1965, with a
total area of 1412 km² (about 258 km² for the fully protected area
(the National Park) and 1153 km² for the Sanctuary), the park is
located about 65 km to the south-east of Junagadh.
The Gir national park is a heaven to about 300 Asiatic lions. The
Lion, Panther Leo, inhabits the forest of Gir in the Saurashtra
peninsula, attracting sixty thousand visitors to this sanctuary of
Gujarat every year. Gir today is the only place in the world,
outside Africa, where the lion can be seen in its natural habitat.
The Asiatic lion is slightly smaller than its African cousin,
nevertheless, a large male lion of the Gir is quite a sight to
behold. The best way to observe the big cats is, of course, in their
natural surroundings, at dawn and dusk, when they are on the prowl.
Wildlife viewing in the Girs is best done, by driving around the
forest.
Flora Attractions
The carnivores group mainly comprises Asiatic lions, Indian
Leopards, Jungle cat, Striped Hyenas, Golden Jackals, Indian
Mongoose, Indian Palm Civets, and Ratels. Desert cats and
Rusty-spotted cats exist but are rarely seen.
The main herbivores of Gir are Chital, Nilgai (or Bluebull), Sambar,
Four-horned Antelope, Chinkara and Wild boar. Blackbucks from the
surrounding area are sometimes seen in the sanctuary.
Sunderbans
National Park
The Sunderbans, extending over an area of 1,000,000 hectares, is the
world's largest delta, formed by the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghana
rivers. The region has extensive mangrove forests and the contours
are in a constant state of flux, caused by the monsoon flooding each
year. Roughly a third of the delta is water, consisting of rivers,
channels and tidal creeks up to 5 kilometers wide. The Sunderbans
falls both within the India and Bangladesh, the latter having the
larger share of the delta. On the Indian side there is a national
park overlooking the Bay of Bengal.
The Sundarbans National Park is a National Park, Tiger Reserve This
region is densely covered by mangrove forests, and is one of the
largest reserves of the Bengal tiger. It is also home to a variety
of bird, reptile and invertebrate species, including the salt-water
crocodile.
Flora Attractions
The Sundarbans forest is home to more than 200 tigers. The Royal
Bengal Tigers have developed a unique characteristic of swimming in
the saline waters, and are world famous for their man-eating
tendencies.
Apart from the Royal Bengal Tiger; Fishing Cats, Macaques, Wild
Boar, Common Grey Mongoose, Fox, Jungle Cat, Flying Fox, Pangolin,
Chital, are also found in abundance in the Sundarbans.
Periyar National Park
One of the well known wildlife sanctuaries in the south, Periyar
sanctuary attracts a large number of nature lovers every year. Also
called the Thekkady Wildlife Sanctuary, this place is ideal for
watching the animals in their natural habitat.
The forest here, slopes into the manmade lake at the bottom of the
hill. This lake serves as the waterhole for the animals and they
come here to drink or take a dip. Elephants, Gaur, Sambhar and even
tigers can be spotted here.
There are boat services which takes the visitor around the lake. The
best season to visit the park is between October and June. Spread
over 777 sq.km of the Cardamom Hills of Western Ghats, the Periyar
sanctuary is located 137 km from Madurai.
Although an excursion on the splendid artificial lake is the
standard way to experience the sanctuary, you can also walk around
with the local guide in a small group. Wild Elephant herds come to
the lake to frolic in the water.
Flora Attractions
Sambhar, Bison, Spotted Deer, Tigers, Leopards, Malabar Flying
Squirrels, Stripe necked Mongooses, etc. There are over 260 species
of birds here, including Nilgiri Wood Pigeons, blue-winged
Parakeets, White bellied Tree Pies, laughing Thrushes and Fly
Catchers.
Kaziranga wildlife sanctuary
Kaziranga wildlife sanctuary is famous for its Indian Rhinoceros
population which is estimated at 1,100 + and is by far the best
place to see them in India. (this species in unique to the
subcontinent, with the second largest population of 400+ found in
Chitwan, Nepal). Other large mammals include the Water Buffalo,
Swamp Deer and Gangetic Dolphin. The park may be explored by riding
elephant or 4-wheel drive motor vehicles. There are several watch
towers. The nearby Panbari Reserve Forest is the best place to see
the Hoolock Gibbon. Kaziranga national park has a rich birdlife.
There is a colony of Spot-billed pelicans and the rare Bengal
Floricans inhabit the grasslands. This area is also known for the
famous Assam tea and during the winter and spring it is worthwhile
visiting the nearby tea plantations to see tea leaves being picked
and processed.
Kaziranga National Park lies to the south of the mighty Brahmaputra
river and being on the floodplains is inundated heavily by the
monsoon rains. The predominant vegetation is a mixture of tall
grasslands and riverine forests. There are many marshes,
interconnecting streams and ox-bow lakes, known locally as 'bheels'
or 'bils'. To the south of the park lie the Mikir Hills which rise
to over 1,000 metres elevation
Flora Attractions
Kaziranga is one of the few wild breeding areas outside Africa for
multiple species of large cats, such as Indian Tigers and Leopards.
Kaziranga was declared a Tiger Reserve in 2006 and has the highest
density of tigers in the world (one per five km²), with a population
of 86, as per the 2000 census. Other felids include the Jungle Cat,
Fishing Cat, and Leopard Cats. Small mammals include the rare Hispid
Hare, Indian Gray Mongoose, Small Indian Mongooses, Large Indian
Civet, Small Indian Civets, Bengal Fox, Golden Jackal, Sloth Bear,
Chinese Pangolin, Indian Pangolins, Hog Badger.
|
Español
Français
Italiano
Português
English
