Wildlife Safari in India

Jim Corbett National Park
A primal jungle as Rudyard Kipling put it about the Corbett National Park, Corbett National Park is is a part of the Nainital and Pauri Garhwal districts in the state of Uttranchal. The park has managed to retain its primeval ambiance, where man must walk timorously, in awe and with a strong sense of his own insignificance. This is a no mean an achievement with the increasing number of tourists visiting the park. Corbett is the first national park of India and was first delimited in consultation with Jim Corbett, the great hunter and wildlife conserver at heart. The park has grown considerably in its 64 years of eventful history and included among others Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary to reach its present size.

The park situated on the foothills of Himalayas has a beauty that is shown not only by its wildlife but also in its floral heritage. Moving around in the jungle on the back of a pachyderm or in a jeep or just walking around to appreciate the nature, you would come across the wealth of natural splendour in the forms of flora and fauna. Sighting a wild cat more than once a day is not an unusual phenomenon here, but even if you have not been able to sight one, there is plenty for you to make your day.

Dhikala is the centre of all tourist activities in Corbett, at the heart of core area. This is the place with substantial residential accommodation perched on the edge of cliff bordering the Ramganga reservoir.

Ramganga River is certainly the main feature of this ridged valley, with its cathment streams vivisecting the land into numerous little ridges and ravines. The varied topography of this region with islands of sheesham trees, the sal trees, thickly foliated, and the green pastures carrying long grasses is just amazing. This habitat abounds with wildlife of enchanting beauty including 50 mammals, 25 reptiles, and 577 birds species. Ramganga teems with mugger, gharial, mahseer, and flocks of cormorants in this region.

Tigers, the largest cats in the world, are the main attraction here but they are not the only cats in this jungle. There are leopards, jungle cats, and fishing cats to make an empire here. Other wildlife that might encounter you during the course of your safari are sloth bear, Himalayan black bear, dhole, jackal, yellow throated marten, Himalayan palm civet, Indian grey mongoose, common otter, porcupine, and black naped hare.

Deers have been represented by four species namely of barking deer, para, kakkar, and the well known spotted deer chital. There is one representative of the goat antelopes also, which are locally known as the ghoral.

Elephant safaris are the best way to move around, more as they can take you to any part of the park. Jeep safaris are another good option for you to have a quick visit in the park.

Bandhavgarh National Park
Bandhavgarh National Park is one of the wild life sanctuaries in the Indian state Madhya Pradesh. The national park is situated at 197 km away north-east of Jabalpur. This wild life park derived its very name from an ancient fort in the area. Bandhawgarh National Park belongs to the Vindhyan mountain ranges of central India and it boasts to have the highest density of tiger population in the country. Now there are about 46 to 52 tigers one can spot here.

Earlier this park was a ground for hunting to the Rewa rulers. There was a drastic fall in the number of tigers in the premier quarter of 20th century. As a part of the steps taken in the course of time, to conserve the wildlife here, in 1968 it had been declared as a national park.

The main point to be specially noted is that the Bandhavgarh National Park is a region where the famous white tigers of Rewa were discovered. The last known capture of the white tiger was in1951.

In the Bandhavgarh National Park the visitors can be entered on elephant back apart from the four wheelers. In the elephant safaris a forest department guide always accompanies the guests who will direct and tell about the flora and fauna of the park. The best time to visit the park is early in the morning or after 4 pm to spot the animals. The park is closed from 1st July to 31st October, which is the monsoon season.

Dudhwa Tiger Reserve
The Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in the Lakhimpur-Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh is one of the finest examples of the exceedingly diverse and productive Terai eco-systems. The reserve has an area of 614 sq km. The northern edge of the reserve lies along the Indo-Nepal border while the River Suheli marks the southern boundary.

The grasslands of the reserve are the habitat of the largest kind of Indian deer-the swamp deer or the Barasingha. A small area named Sonaripur Sanctuary was set-aside in 1958 for the conservation of this rare species of deer. About 1,800 Barasingha live in the reserve now and their majestic herds are often seen in the wetlands. Later, it was upgraded to cover an area of 212 sq km and was renamed the Dudhwa Sanctuary. In 1977, the area was further extended to include over 614 sq km and was declared as a national park. Eleven years later, in 1988, when Dudhwa became a part of Project Tiger, the area of the Kishanpur Sanctuary was added to create the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve. Dudhwa is said to have 101 tigers and four leopards.

Coaches and jeeps are available from the national park office at Dudhwa for traveling inside the park. Elephant safari is possible for wildlife viewing at Dudhwa only.