Kaziranga National Park - Home to the Indian One Horned Rhinoceros

History

The Kaziranga National Park is situated in central Assam with an area of 430 Sq. Kms. It is the the home of the great Indian one horned Rhinoceros (Unicornis). The landscape of Kaziranga is of the sheer forest, tall elephant grass, rugged reeds, mellow marshes and shallow pools. So far the history of Kaziranga is concerned Lady Curzon first heard about the Rhino of Kaziranga from her British tea planter friends and came to Assam in 1904-05. Although she could not see the animal but spotted hoof prints with three toes. On her return she persuaded Lord Curzon to do something to save the animal from total annihilation. Lord Curzon set the wheels of British bureaucracy rolling and on 1st June, 1905, a preliminary notification announcing the intention of the Government to declare 57,273.60 acres of Kaziranga as reserved forest was issued. Finally Kaziranga was declared as National Park on 11th February, 1974.

Geography

The Park lies on the flood plain of the Brahmaputra slopping, very gradually, from east to west. The Karbi Anglong hill ranges rise around the park pressing it against the great flood of the Brahmaputra flowing as its northern boundary. Into the soup plate between the rivers and the ranges flow the rivulets Mora Diffoloo, Diffoloo, Bhengra, Borjuri, Diring, Kohora, Dehing, Bhalukjuri and Deopani. They bring down rich silt and sand, spread in small lakes known as beels ,silt up the lakes to make swamps and marshes, alluvial savannah woodlands; and then as the land lose their moistness with height, rise to mixed deciduous forests and finally, to tropical evergreen forest.

Getting Around

Visitors can go round the park either on trained elephants, or drive around its road in vehicles accompanied by guards of the Forest departments. Elephants move slowly and so they do not cover as much ground as a vehicle might. But then the chances of getting close to wildlife are much higher on elephant back than they are in vehicle. In neither case should visitors wear bright cloths, talk loudly, smoke, make sudden movements and they must not leave their elephant or vehicle while in the park.

Flora and Fauna

However, the main attraction of Kaziranga, the great Indian one horned rhinoceros, is very easy to see. Rhino graze like domestic cattle in the grasslands and marshes around the Park and can be spotted belly deep in the marsh,chomping contentedly on succulent grass. There is a number of intersting birds in Kaziranga including the weaver bird, whose nests hang like bottles made of straw, and the lesser adjutant stork which breeds in this Natinal Park. Among the shallow-water birds are egrets and pond herons, river terns, black-necked stork and occasionally the open-bill storks, distinguished by the gap between their upper and lower bills even when they are tightly closed. Then there are beautiful fishing eagles : Passas fishing eagle, which tends to avoid the shallower bheels and infrequently spotted grey headed fishing eagles.Early in the year the visitors might see patridges and barheaded geese. As for the ever popular grey pelican, these fishing birds with their shopping-bag beaks nest on tall trees near the village.

Other animals

Elephants, Indian bison, Swamp deer, Hog Deer, Sloth Bear, Tiger, Leopard Cat, Jungle Cat, Hog Badger, Capped Langur, Hoollock Gibbon, Pig, Jackel, Python, Hornbills ,Black necked Stork, Ring Tailed Fishing Eagles.

Also See:

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary