Wild Life Sanctuary

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Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary(Keoladeo Ghana National Park)

Location : Bharatpur, RajasthanNearest Access : Bharatpur

Main Wildlife Found : Sambar, Chital, Nilgai, Boar, Migratory Birds

Coverage Area : 29-sq-kms

About Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary

One of the finest bird parks in the world, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary (Keoladeo Ghana

Natiuonal Park) is a reserve that offers protection to faunal species as well. Nesting

indigenous water- birds as well as migratory water birds and waterside birds, this

sanctuary is also inhabited by Sambar, Chital, Nilgai and Boar.

Flora in Bharatpur

More than 300 species of birds are found in this small wildlife park of 29-sq-kms of

which 11-sq-kms 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.

More...Cost + per pax Rs. Car Name of Tour No. of Days

4 pax Rs.Tata Indicia

AmbassadorsBy Car and Coach

2 pax Rs.

One of the finest bird parks in the world, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary (Keoladeo

Ghana Natiuonal Park) is a reserve that offers protection to faunal species as well.

Nesting indigenous water- birds as well as migratory water birds and waterside birds,

this sanctuary is also inhabited by Sambar, Chital, Nilgai and Boar.

Flora in Bharatpur

More than 300 species of birds are found in this small wildlife park of 29-sq-kms of

which 11-sq-kms 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.
http://www.bharatpursanctury.com/about-bharatpur.htmhttp://www.bharatpursanctury.com/about-bharatpur.htm


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A Man Made Natural World

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.

Major Wildlife Attractions

The major attractions of tourists visiting the park are the numerous migratory birds,

who 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.

.Other General Information on Periyar Sanctuary

Longitude: 7657' and 7725' E

Latitude: 916' and 936' N

Altitude: 100m. to 2016 m. above msl.

Rainfall: 2500 mm.

Temperature: Minimum: 15C, Maximum: 31C

Season(Periyar National Park)

Monsoon: Southwest and Northeast monsoon with maximum rainfall in July and minimumin January.

Summer: April-May

Winter: December-January

Access (Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary):


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By Air : Kochi (Cochin) at 200-kms or Madurai in Tamil Nadu at140-kms is the

nearest airports from Periyar.

By Rail : Kottayam at 114-kms is the nearest railhead from Periyar.

By Road : Kumily, the nearest town from Periyar is well served by both state and private

buses from Kottayam, Ernakulam and Madurai in Tamil Nadu.

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala

Area: 777 sq. km.

Core: 350 sq. km.

Buffer: 427 sq. km

Established : 1950 as a sanctuary, 1978 as a tiger reserve.

About Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary:

Periyar National Parkis situated in the hills of the Western Ghats in the state of Kerala in

SW India. The centre piece ofPeriyar National parkis the 5,500-hectare Periyar lakeformed by the construction of a dam on the Periyar river in 1895.The dam submerged low-

lying forest whose dead tree trunks still jut out of the waters. Along the fringes of the lake

are marshy areas with tall grasslands. This is one of the richest habitats of large mammals,as it provides both excellent cover and nourishment in the form of succulent shoots and

grasses. Here it is possible to see large herds of Indian Elephant with relative ease as well

as Nilgiri Langur near Aranya Niwas and the Liontail Macaque in higher areas.

The forests are tropical, a mixture of deciduous, semi-evergreen, and evergreen'sholas', the last occurring in the moist valleys and characterised by tall trees and a

closed canopy. The forests alternate with extensive patches of grasslands.

Periyar's rich bird life includes the Giant Hornbill, Cormorant, Darter, Osprey and

Racket-tailed Drongo. The Indian Python and King Cobra are among the reptilianfauna. Periyar has a few Nilgiri Tahr, good numbers of which may also be seen on

a day excursion to nearby Eravikulam National Parknear Munnar.

Main flora found in Periyar:

Periyar Widllife Sanctuary boasts a quite rich and diverse flora. The flora in PeriyarNational Park chiefly comprises of Tropical Evergreen forests (30,500ha) and Semi-

evergreen forests (27,500ha) around the reservoir, and Moist-deciduous forests and Woodygrasslands in the central part of the park.

The major flora in the park include the Teak, Rosewood, Terminalia, Eucalyptus,

Sandalwood, Jacaranda (a hardwood timber tree with purple flowers), Mango, Jamun,

Tamarind, Banyan, Pipal, Plumeria, Gulmohar and Bamboo among many others. The thick


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vegetation of the Periyar wildlife sanctuary provides both excellent cover and nourishment

in the form of succulent shoots and grasses.

Other General Information on Periyar Sanctuary

Longitude: 7657' and 7725' E

Latitude: 916' and 936' N

Altitude: 100m. to 2016 m. above msl.

Rainfall: 2500 mm.

Temperature: Minimum: 15C, Maximum: 31C

Season(Periyar National Park)

Monsoon: Southwest and Northeast monsoon with maximum rainfall in July and minimum

in January.

Summer: April-May

Winter: December-January

Access (Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary):

Fly to Cochin and drive to Periyar (200 km). The nearest railway station is Kottayam (114

km).

Sasan Gir Wildlife Sanctuary Travel Information

Gerneral Information

Location : Junagadh, Gujarat, India.

Nearest city : Junagadh

Area : 1,412 km

Established : 1965

Time to Visit : Novomber to June

Safari Timing Morning : 0700 to 1100 Hrs, Afternoon: 1500 Hrs to 1700 Hrs

How to Reach Sasan Gir Wildlife Sanctuary

From Delhi

By Air : The nearest airport with connectivity to Delhi is Ahmedabad about 390 km from

the lodge and the drive takes about seven to eight hours depending on the number of stops


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en route.

By Train : There are trains to Rajkot and then the drive of about 164 km takesthree to four hours.

From Mumbai : Mumbai has direct flights to Diu Airport, about 112 km from the national

park, and both flights and trains to Rajkot, 164 km from the Gir National park.

From Ahmedabad There are trains to Junagadh, 60 km from Gir, or Veraval, 40 km from

Gir, and the drive takes about one hour from either. There are also trains and buses to

Sasan, near the lodge, from Junagadh / Veraval.

Sasan Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat

Location: 64 km from Junagadh and 32 km from Verawal

Total Coverage Area:1,412.14 sq. km./ Lion sanctuary 141,213 hectares (of which

national park 35,948 hectares).

About Sansan Gir Wildlife Sanctuary:

The Gir National Park, was established on 18th September, 1965, as a Forest Reserve,

primarily to conserve the Asiatic lion. The total area under national park status is about2,450 hectares. It is located in the Junagadh District of Gujarat, about 65 km south-east of

Junagadh city, and 90 km east of Keshod Airport, in the Kathiawar (Saurashtra) Peninsula.

Sasan, with a forest rest-house, is the headquarters of the sanctuary.The Gir is a mixeddeciduous type of forest with teak, ber, flame of the forest, jamun, a variety of acacia,

particularly babul. It is a hilly tract with plenty of rivers, and offers the visitor long pleasant

drives, through the thick forest cover.

Gir National Parkis the only remaining habitat of the Asiatic lion, which has beenconfined to this forest, since 1884 ( about 239 lions were reported in 1985 ).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. The Forest Department doesarrange lion shows every Sunday, where the spectators can watch prides of lions on the

hunt.There are guided trips available, to watch these magnificent animals from a very closerange.

The chinkara, wild boar, striped hyena, jackal, common langur, porcupine, hare, black

buck, are the other animals, that can be found in this sanctuary. There are over 200 bird

species including the peafowl, grey partridge, Bonelli's eagle, crested serpent eagle, jungle

bush quail, painted sandgrouse, common green pigeon and several species of doves . TheGir is also home to the marsh crocodile, which can be sighted easily in its rivers,


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particularly in the lake of the Kamaleshwar dam. There is also a crocodile

breeding farm at Sasan.

The Gir National Parkis steeped in history and folklore. It boasts of temples ofgreat antiquity, like Kankai Mata and Tulsishyam, a place of pilgrimage with hot

springs. The forest is famous for its cattle herders, the Madharis, whose buffaloes form asubstantial part of the lions' meals. Extremely hospitable, the Madharis are herders, whose

lifestyle has changed little over the years, and their folklore and traditions are a uniquerecord of coexistence of humans with lions.

Wildlife viewing in the Girs is best done, by driving around the forest. The best drives from

Sasan are, to Baval Chowk and Kankai, to Chodavdi and Tulsishyam, and to Kamaleshwardam. Though a sturdy car would do, a jeep is definitely more appropriate.

Three unusual reserves, the Nalsarovar Lake and Sanctuary - home to several water-birds,

the Little Rann of Kutch - home of the Indian wild ass, and the fascinating FlamingoIsland, render the state of Gujarat a virtual haven for wildlife buffs.

The Topography(Gir National Park ):

The state of Gujarat has some splendid wildlife reserves that are quite out of the ordinary.

The Gir National Park is the only home in India of the Asiatic Lion of which there arenearly 300 in the park. This sanctuary lies in the Gujarat peninsula in South West India and

is gifted with a terrain that is rugged with low hills and the vegetation is full of mixed

deciduous, with stands of Teak, Acacia, Jamun, Tendu and Dhak trees, interspersed withlarge patches of grasslands. On the hills of the trees are sparse and stunted.

Climate(Gir National Park )

From the three common seasons of summer, winter and monsoon, summer takes the

longest stretch, in which the average minimum and maximum temperature ranges between10C to nearly 45C. The hottest months recorded in Gir are April and May. The rains bring

some relief from the heat during the monsoons period of, starting from middle of June andSeptember. The maximum recorded during this period in the area is around 1,866 mm and

the minimum recorded being 199mm.

Because of less rainfall water always remains a critical factor in the well being of the

forest. At times the waterholes are required to be replenished through water tankers fromoutside and the park staff maintains around 350 of such waterholes.

The Lion King (Gir National Park )

Gir Sanctuary is the last and only home of the critically endangered Asiatic Lion. These

lions are a smaller more compact version of their African version, and are best viewed atdawn or dusk when they are on the move. The major difference between the two is that the

African Lion appears larger than the Indian Lion because of its large and luxuriant mane.

Extension Of The Sanctuary


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In the past Gir had a much bigger coverage area. After Indian government placed a total

ban on killing of Lions in 1955, within the time span of three years the area estimation

came around 2,560-sq-km and the Lion population was estimated at 287. Since then, theforest area very quickly got reduced in area to 1,452-sq-km. In 1965, the Gujarat

government declared Gir forest as a sanctuary and in 1975; part of the sanctuary was

declared as a National Park. And with the success of the protection program there is anincredible increase in the Lion population too, from 177 in 1974 to around 300 in 1995.

The main territories of this territorial predator outside Gir in Gujarat include Nagwa Beach

in Diu, Sutrapada, Palitana, Mahuva, Savarkundla, Mitiyala, Keshod, Maliya Hatina, and

Girnar.

Srivilliputhur Grizzled Squirrel Wild Life Sanctuary

Tamil Nadu

Located in the Virudhunagar District, 45 kms off Virudhunagar Town, this sanctuary

has a composition of dry decidious forests, moist mixed decidious forests and

grasslands. Grizzled Giant Squirrels are abound. Other interesting species are flying

squirrel, Tree Shrew, Elephant, Lion-tailed Macaque, Nilgiri Tahr, Mouse Deer,Barking Deer, and many a species of birds. This sanctuary can be visited all through

th year.

General Information

Best time to visit :

Year Around.

Accommodation :

Forest Rest House at Mudungiar, Pudupatti, Mudaliaroothu.PWD Rest House at Srivilliputhur.

How to get there :

Rail-Srivilliputhur (15 km)

Air-Madurai (100 km)

Kaziranga National Park[ Assam ]

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 elephantgrass and patches of evergreen forest, support the largest number of rhino in the


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subcontinent. It was an alarming depletion in their numbers, due to hunting andpoaching that led to the conservation of this area in 1926. In 1940, Kaziranga was

declared a sanctuary. Though poaching still constitutes a major threat to the rhinopopulation, the numbers of this species are fairly healthy. At Kaziranga, the open

country makes wildlife viewing fairly easy. A day's outing is often sufficient forvisitors to see most of the major species here.

Elephants take them into the Park at dawn. As the mist lifts and the rising sun

touches the hills in the distance, herds of barasingha and wild buffalo are to be seen

in the marshes. The most ferocious bovine in the world, the massive wild buffalo isimpressive and can weigh up to 915 kg. Rhinos browse unconcernedly as the visitors

pass by and an occasional herd of elephants or wild boar is also sighted. Thegrasslands are raptor country and the crested serpent eagle, the Pallas fishing eagle

and greyheaded fishing eagle can be seen circling over the marshes. The water-birdvariety includes swamp partridge, bar-headed goose, whistling teal, the Bengal

florican, storks, herons and even pelicans.

Located along the main highway, Kaziranga is easily accessible and the chance to

see animals in the wild at such close quarters, makes a visit to the Park a veryrewarding experience.

General Information

Best time to visit :November-April

Accommodation :

Forest Rest Houses and Tourist Lodge (ITDC)

Nearest Town :

Bokakhat (23 km)

How to get there :Air-Jorhat (84 km) Rail-Jorhat

Park Entry FeeRs. 10 per day / person.

Elephant ride

Rs. 100 per person for Indian Tourists. (3 or 4 seats on an elephant)Rs. 5O for children.

Rs. 700 per person for foreigners.

Jeep rideRs. 450 per jeep.

Camera feeOrdinary camera - Rs. 10

Telephoto Lens - Rs. 5OFor Professionals still camera - Rs. 150

Video Camera - Rs. 1500


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Dachigam National ParkJammu & Kashmir

Dachigam National Park located very close to Srinagar (22km) with its splendidforests and magnificent scenery, is easily accessible. The two sectors of the Park -

Upper and Lower Dachigam are spread over an area of 141 sq. km. and altitudesvary between 1700 and 4300 meters. Two steep ridges enclose the Park with its

great topographical variety - deep ravines, rocky outcrops, steep wooded slopes androlling alpine pastures. Tumbling down from the Masrar Lake (4300m), up in the high

ranges, the Dachigam River winds through Lower Dachigam .The Park is the habitatof the endangered hangul or the Kashmir stag - the only species of red deer to be

found in India.

Winter is the best time to view the hangul, when they Musk deer congregate in the

shelter of the lower valleys. Other inhabitants include the Himalayan black bear,species of wild goat like the markhor and ibex and varieties of exotic Himalayan

birds. Colourful pheasants include the crimson tragopan, the iridescent monal

pheasant with its glittering plumage, the blood pheasant and the koklass pheasant.The golden eagle and the bearded vulture or lammergeier are seen circling thebrilliant blue skies. The leopard, which is the only predator in this paradise is rarely

seen as also the elusive snow leopard which is found in the higher altitudes.

Other animals include the rare musk deer and the Himalayan marmot. A metalled

road takes visitors from Srinagar into Lower Dachigam. Upper Dachigam can only beexplored on foot.

General lnformation

Best time to visit :

May-Aug. Upper Dachigam Sept.-Dec. Lower Dachigam

Accommodation :

Lodges and Rest Houses or Hotels in Srinagar.

Nearest town :

Srinagar (22 km)

How to get there :

Air-Srinagar (22 km) Rail-Jammu (200 km)

Documents

Wild Life Sanctuary