Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary
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Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary is situated at the foothills of Eastern Himalayas in Alipurduar Sub-Division of Jalpaiguri District in West Bengal and on the bank of river Torsa and have an area of 141 km². Jaldapara, the vast grassland with patches of riverine forests was declared a sanctuary in 1941 for protection of the great variety flora and fauna, particularly one-horned rhinos, an animal threatened with extinction.
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[edit] General Info
- Area: 114 km²
- Altitude: 61 meters
- Best Season: October to May, particularly March and April, when new grass is growing
- Closed: 15 June to 14 September
[edit] Flora and Fauna
The forest is mainly savannah covered with tall elephant grasses. The main attraction of the sanctuary is Asiatic one-horned rhinoceros. The sanctuary holds the maximum number of rhinos population in India after Kajiranga National Park in Assam. The other animals consists of Royal Bengal Tigers, elephants, deers, sambhar, barking deer, spotted deer and hog deer, wild pig, bisons. 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 Fishing Eagle and shikra, besides Jungle fowl, peafowl, patridges, Bengal Florican and lesser Pied Hornbill. Python, monitor lizards, krates, cobras, geckos and about 8 species of fresh water turtles have also found sanctuary here.
[edit] Park Activities
- An adventurous elephant ride in the morning will take you deep inside the grassland for the real excitement. The sights of rhino in a muddy pond, the herd of elephants or the running deer are the thrilling experiences in Jaldapara.
- Toto Para, adjacent to the sanctuary is another major attraction for those interested in ethnic tourism. Toto Para is the only settlement for the Toto Tribe, one of the most endangered ethnic communities in the world. Their numbers are now reduced to mere a thousand. Lot of initiatives has been taken by the governmental and non-governmental agencies for the uplifting their living condition. However, to live with them and to observe their traditional cultures can still be a precious experience.
- Hidden deep inside the Chilapata Forests the ruins of a thousand yeas old fort of Nal King has a tremendous historical and archeological importance. Built in the 5th century during the Gupta Empire the ruins still recall the memories of the Golden Age. Because the site is not maintained properly, it has now become the playground for leopards, snakes and other animals.
- Car Safari in the park is also available.
[edit] How to Reach
The Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary can be accessed from Siliguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar as the entry point.
- By Air : Bagdogra is the nearest Airport.(124 km)
- By Rail : Nearest Railway Station : Madarihat which is only 7 km from the Sanctuary and all the passenger trains stop here. Jaldapara Tourist Lodge is in a walkable distance from this Railway Station. All the Mail and Express trains stop at Birpara/Hasimara Railway Station both are 20 km. away from the sanctuary.
- By Road : Jaldapara is connected by road with Siliguri and other places in North Bengal. North Bengal State Transport Corporation Buses, Bhutan Govt. Buses, Mini Buses and Private Cars are available from Siliguri to Alipurduar via Madarihat.
[edit] External links
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