P A C K A G E S
WILDLIFE PARKS IN INDIA
Dudhwa National Park
Dudhwa Tiger Reserve lies on the India-Nepal border in the foothills of the Himalaya and the plains of the 'terai'. The
mainattractions of the park are its Swamp Deer (population over 1,600) and tiger (population 98 in 1995).
A Tiger Reserve since 1879, Dudhwa became a National Park in 1977 and adopted the Project Tiger in 1988. Although the Tigers at the Park are numerous, sightings are rare due to the thick forest cover of the area. Besides Tigers, Leopards, Hispid Hares and the Swamp Deer (Barasingha) and Rhinos thrive amidst the vegetation. The marshlands are especially inviting for about 400 species of resident and migratory birds including the Swamp Partridge, Great Slaty Woodpecker and Bengal Florican.
It was here in 1984 that a major rhinoceros rehabilitation project was started since these forests had been the habitat of the rhinoceros 150 years ago. Five rhinos were relocated from Assam but two of the females died due to the strains of transportation. These were replaced in 1985 by four more females from Nepal.
The great Indian one-horned rhino, which was hunted out of existence in this part of the country by the end of the 19 th century, has also now been reintroduced in Dudhwa from other sanctuaries in Nepal and India. Brought to Dudhwa in 1985, rhino populations have increased marginally over the years since. Visitors, however, are not allowed into the rhino zone yet, so don't count on seeing any.
The best time to visit Dudhwa is between November and May. The park remains open to the public from November to June, but by June it's usually a little too hot for comfort. Remember to take your woollens along if you're going between December and February- it can get pretty chilly here, in the foothills of the Terai.
Wildlife Parks in
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