Jaldapara National Park

Jaldapara National Park
জলদাপাড়া জাতীয় উদ্যান
IUCN category II (national park)

An elephant safari through the Jaldapara Sanctuary
Map showing the location of Jaldapara National Park জলদাপাড়া জাতীয় উদ্যান

Location in West Bengal, India

Location Alipurduar district, West Bengal, India
Coordinates 26°37′43″N 89°22′39″E / 26.628611°N 89.3775°E / 26.628611; 89.3775Coordinates: 26°37′43″N 89°22′39″E / 26.628611°N 89.3775°E / 26.628611; 89.3775
Area 216.51

Jaldapara National Park (Pron: ˌʤʌldəˈpɑ:rə) (formerly Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary) is a national park situated at the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas in Alipurduar district in West Bengal and on the bank of the Torsa River. Jaldapara is situated at an altitude of 61 m and is spread across 216.51 km2 (83.59 sq mi) of vast grassland with patches of riverine forests.[1] It was declared a sanctuary in 1941 for protection of its great variety flora and fauna. Today, it has the largest population of the Indian one horned rhinoceros in the state, an animal threatened with extinction,[2] and is a Habitat management area (Category IV).[3] The nearby Chilapata Forests is an elephant corridor between Jaldapara and the Buxa Tiger Reserve[4] Near by is the Gorumara National Park, known for its population of Indian rhinoceros.

History

Toto tribes and Mech Tribes (Bodos) used to stay in this area before 1800. At that time this place was known as “Totapara”. Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1941 for the purpose of protecting the Indian one-horned rhinoceros. In May 2012 it was declared a national park.[1][5]

Flora and fauna

The forest is mainly savannah covered with tall elephant grasses. The main attraction of the park is the Indian one-horned rhinoceros. The park holds the largest rhino population in India after Kaziranga National Park in Assam. Other animals in the park include Indian leopard, Indian elephants, sambar, barking deer, spotted deer, hog deer, wild pigs, and bison.

Jaldapara is a paradise for bird watchers. It is one of the very few places in India, where the Bengal florican is sighted. The other birds to be found here are the crested eagle, Pallas's fish eagle, shikra, Finn's weaver, jungle fowl, peafowl (peacock), partridge, and lesser pied hornbill. Pythons, monitor lizards, kraits, cobras, geckos, and about eight species of fresh water turtles can also be found here.

Many of the animals in the park are endangered, like the Indian one-horned rhino and elephants.

References

  1. 1 2 "National Park status for Jaldapara Sanctuary". Times of India. 11 May 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  2. ↑ "Jalpaiguri Tourism". Jalpaiguri District Website. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  3. ↑ Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary, India
  4. ↑ Wildlife Times: Elephants of North Bengal
  5. ↑ "জাতীয় উদ্যানের স্বীকৃতি জলদাপাড়াকে". Anandabazar Patrika (in Bengali). 11 May 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2012.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Jaldapara.
External video
Rhino at Hollong Tourist Lodge
Jaldapara rhino
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Friday, March 11, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.