About India

Wildlife of India

Introduction
The Indian peninsula is a continent in itself, whose geographical diversity has encouraged the flourishing of a whole range of wildlife with over 350 species of mammals and 1200 species of birds in the country. While there is an overlap in the habitats of many species, each region has something special to offer – the hangul is restricted to the valley of Kashmir in northern India, the rhino is found in North-East states of India and pockets along the Brahmaputra river area, the black langur in the Western ghats, and western India is the home of the last remaining Asiatic Lions. Two of India’s most impressive animals, the Bengal/Indian Tiger and the Asiatic Elephant are found in most regions, The tiger originated in Central Asia and migrated over the great Himalayas to the dense tropical forests, adapting itself well to the plains. A herd of elephants in the wild is a breathtaking sight. These huge mammals are respected by all animals, including the Tiger. Widely distributed throughout India, the Indian Elephant is slightly smaller than its African counterpart. Generally, only the males have tusks. Today, most of India’s wildlife finds refuge in over two hundred sanctuaries and parks around the country.

» Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks in North India

» Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks in East India

» Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks in South India

» Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks in West India


Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks in North India
Dachigam Wildlife Sanctuary (Kashmir) : Broad valley; mountain slopes; rare hangul deer, black and brown bear, leopard; heronry.

Airport: Srinagar 22km.
Railhead: Jammu Tawi 311km.
Season: June – July.

Govind Sagar Bird Sanctuary (Himachal Pradesh) : Bird Sanctuary with crane, duck, goose, teal. Airport: Chandigarh 135km.
Railhead: Nangal 13km.

Corbett National Park (Uttar Pradesh) : Himalayan foothills near Dhikala; Sal forest and plains; tiger, elephant; leopard and rich bird life. Excellent fishing in Ramganga river.

Airport: Pantnagar 115 km.
Railhead: Ramnagar 51km.
Season: November-May.

Dudhwa National Park: (Uttar Pradesh) : Nepal border; tiger, sloth bear and panther.
Airport: Lucknow 251km.
Railhead: Dudhwa 4kms.
Season: November-May.

Flower Valley National Park (Uttar Pradesh) : When in bloom this "roof garden" at 3,500 metres is a glorious blaze of colour.

Location: Badrinath 44km.
Railhead: Rishikesh 280km.
Season: June-July.

Sariska National Park (Rajasthan) : About 200km from Delhi. Forest and open plains: sambar (largest Indian deer), cheetal (spotted deer), nilgai (Indian antelope), blackbuck, leopard, tiger; good night viewing.

Airport: Jaipur 160km.
Railhead: Alwar 35km (bus connections).
Season: February-June.

Ranthambhor (Sawai Madhopur- Rajasthan) : Hill forest, plains and lakes; simbar, chinkara (Indian gazelle), tiger, sloth bear, crocodiles and migratory water birds. Location: Railhead: Sawai Madhopur 11km.
Airport: Jaipur 162km.

Bandhavgarh National Park (Madhya Pradesh) : Situated in the Vindhya Mountains, this park has a wide variety of wildlife including panther, sambar and gaur.

Airport: Jabalpur 166km.
Railhead: Umaria 34km.

Bharatpur National Park (Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary) (Rajasthan) : India’s most outstanding bird sanctuary; many indigenous water birds; huge migration from Siberia and China; crane, geese, stork, heron, snake bird, etc.

Airport: Agra 52km
Railhead: Bharatpur 5km.
Road: Jaipur 176km, Delhi 177km.
Season: September – February.

Kanha National Park (Madhya Pradesh) : Sal forest and grassland; only home of barasingha (swamp deer), tiger, cheetal, gaur (Indian bison), monkey.

Airport: Nagpur 270km.
Railhead: Jabalpur 170km.
Season: November - March.

Shivpuri National Park (Madhya Pradesh) : Open forest and lake; chinkara, chowsingha (four-horned antelope), nilgai, tiger, leopard, water birds.

Airport: Gwalior 120km.
Railhead: Jhansi 95km.
Season: February-May.

Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks in East India

Kaziranga National Park (Assam) : Elephant grass and swamps; one horned Indian rhinoceros, water buffalo, tiger, leopard, elephant, deer, rich bird life. Elephant transport available within the park.

Airports: Jorhat 96km, Guwahati 217km.
Railhead: Furkating 78km.
Season: February-May.

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (Assam) : On the Bhutan border, rain forest and grassland and river banks; rhino, water buffalo, tiger, elephant, golden langur, water birds; fishing permitted.

Airport: Gauhati 176km.
Railhead: Barpeta 40km.
Season: January - March.

Palamau Tiger Reserve (Bihar) : Rolling, forested hills; tiger, leopard, elephant, sambar, jungle cat, rhesus macaque (monkey), occasionally wolf.

Airport: Ranchi 155km.
Railhead: Daltenganj 19km.
Season: February - March.

Hazaribagh National Park (Bihar) : Sal forested hills; sambar, nilgai, cheetal, tiger, leopard, occasionally muntjac (lager barking deer).

Airport: Ranchi 100km.
Railhead: Hazaribagh 67km.
Season: February-March.

Sunderbans Tiger Reserve (West Bengal) : Mangrove forests; tiger, fishing cat, deer, crocodile, dolphin, rich bird life, Transport: access and travel by chartered boat.

Airport: Calcutta 48km.
Season: February – March.

Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary (West Bengal) : Tropical forest and grassland; rhino, elephant, rich bird life.

Airport: Bagdogra 155km
Railhead: Madari Hat l 1 km.
Season: March - May.

Similipal Tiger Reserve (Orissa) : Immense Sal forest; tiger, elephant, leopard, sambar, cheetal, muntjac and chevrotain.

Airport: Bhubaneshwar 310km.
Railhead: Baripada 50km.
Season: November- June.

Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks in South India

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala) : Large artifical lake; elephant, gaur, wild dog, black langur, otters, tortoises, rich bird life including hornbill and fishing owl. Viewing by boat.

Airports: Madurai 160km, Cochin 208km, Trivandrum 258km.
Railheads: Madurai, Kottayam 110kms, Bodinayakanur 67kms.

Vedanthangal Water Birds Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu) : One of the most spectacular breeding grounds in India. Cormorants, herons, storks, pelicans, grebes and many others.

Airport: Madras 85km.
Railhead: Chingleput 28km.
Season: October-March.

Point Calimere Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu) : Particularly noted for its flamingos, also for herons, teals, curlews and plovers and black buck and wild pig.

Airport: Tiruchchirapalli 200km.
Railhead: Point Calimere 0.5km.
Season: November-January.

Pulicat Bird Sanctuary (Andhra Pradesh) : Flamingos, grey pelicans, herons, terns.

Airport A
Railhead: Madras 60km

Dandeli National Park (Karnataka) : Park with bison, panther, tiger and sambar. Easily accessible from Goa.

Airport: Belgaum 142km.
Railhead: Alnaver 20km.

Jawahar National Park : (This includes Bandipur and Nagarhole National Parks (Karnataka), and the Wildlife Sanctuaries of Mudumalai (Tamil Nadu) and Wayanad (Kerala). Extensive mixed forest; largest elephant population in India, leopard, gaur, sambar, muntjac, giant squirrel. Birds include racquet-tailed drongo, trogon & barbet. Bandipur (Karnataka):

Airport: Bangalore 190km.
Railhead: Mysore 65km.

Approachable from Coimbatore and Ootacamund.
Mudumalai (Tamil Nadu): Location:
Airport: Coimbatore 16km.
Railhead: Ootacamund 68km.

Nagarhole (Karnataka):
Airport: Bangalore
Railhead: Mysore.

Wayanad (Kerala):
Airport: Cochin 300km.
Railhead: Calicut l l 1 km.

Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks in West India

Wildlife Sanctuaries Holiday: With effect from Nov 2001, all the Wildlife Sanctuaries in Madhya Pradesh, will be closed on Tuesdays.

Krishnagiri Upavan National Park (Maharashtra) : Formerly known as Borvili, this park protects an important scenic area close to Bombay. Kanheri Caves and Vihar, Tulsi and Powari Lakes; water birds, smaller types of wildlife. Outdoor movie, nearby Lion Safari Park.
Airport: Bombay 20km.
Railhead: Borvili 3km.
Season: October-June.

Tadoba National Park (Maharashtra) : Teak forest and lake; tiger, leopard, nilgai, gaur. Viewing by night.
Airport: Nagpur 208km.
Railhead: Chandrapur 45km.
Season: March-May.

Sasan Gir National Park (Gujarat) : Forested plains and lake; only home of Asiatic Lion, sambar, chowsingha, nilgai, leopard, chinkara and wild boar Airport Rajkot 153km. Railhead: Sasan Gir 0,5km. Season: January-May.

Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary (Gujarat) : Lake; migratory water birds; indigenous birds include flamingos. Airport: Ahmedabad 64kms. Railhead: Viramgam 40km. Season: November-February.

Little Rann of Kutch Wildlife Sanctuary (Gujarat) : Desert; herds of khur (Indian wild ass), wolf, caracal. Airport: Ahmedabad 195km. Railhead: Dhrangadhra 25km. Season: October-June.

Velvadar National Park (Gujarat) : New Delta grasslands, large concentration of blackbuck. Airport A Railhead: Bhavnagar 65km. Season: October- June.