Saranda forest

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  ?Saranda forest
Jharkhand • India
Coordinates: 22°12′N 85°21′E / 22.2, 85.35
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
Area
• Elevation		 820 km² (317 sq mi)
• 550 m (1,804 ft)
Nearest city Jamshedpur
District(s) West Singhbhum

Coordinates: 22°12′N 85°21′E / 22.2, 85.35 Saranda forest is a dense forest in the hilly region of West Singhbhum district in the Indian state of Jharkhand. The forest covers an area of 820 sq km[1]Saranda literally means seven hundred hills.[2]Thalkobad is a scenic village at a height of 550 m (1,800 ft) in the heart of the forest.[3]Thalkobad is abour 46 km (29 mi) from Manoharpur, and about 160 km (99 mi) from Jamshedpur.

Ho people inhabit the area, which is dotted with iron ore mining towns – Gua, Chiria, Kiriburu and Noamundi.

Sal (Shorea robusta) is the most important tree in the area and it seems to have a preference for the rocky soil of the area. Although sal is a deciduous tree and sheds its leaves in early summer, the forest undergrowth is generally evergreen, which has such trees as mangoes, jamun, jackfruit, and piar. Other important trees are mahua, kusum, tilai, harin hara (Armossa rohitulea), gular (Fiscus glomerata), asan.[4]

The reserved forests are the haunt of many animals. Wild elephants are common in Saranada and Porahat forests. Herds of sambar and chital roam about the forests. Bison is still found. Tigers were never numerous but they are there. Leopards are more common.[5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Saranda Forest. india9.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-06.
  2. ^ Forest in the Light and Shade. yahoo.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-06.
  3. ^ Saranda Forest. india9.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-06.
  4. ^ Prasad, Hem Chandra, Bihar, 1983/2003, p. 13, National Book Trust, New Delhi, ISBN 81-237-0151-9
  5. ^ Houlton, Sir John, Bihar: The Heart of India, 1949, p. 169, Orient Longmans, Kolkata.