KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK

Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site is located in the heart of Assam state in North East India. Spread 430 square kilometre area lying along the mighty Bhrahmaputra river is sprinkled with elephant-grass meadows, swampy lagoons, and dense forests is home to more than 2400 Indian one-horned rhinoceros, approximately 2/3rd of their total world population. Formed in 1908 on the recommendation of Mary Curzon, the park is located in the edge of the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspots – Golaghat and Nagaon district. In the year 1985, the park was declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is said when Mary Curzon, the wife of the Viceroy of India – Lord Curzon of Kedleston, visited the park to see Indian one-horned rhinoceros; she wasn’t able to found even one. Then she persuaded her husband to take urgent measures to protect the dwindling species which he did by initiating planning for their protection. After a series of meetings and documentations, the Kaziranga Proposed Reserve Forest was created with an area of 232 square kilometre in 1905.

Kaziranga contains significant breeding populations of 35 mammalian species, of which 15 are threatened. The park has the distinction of being home to the world's largest population of the Indian rhinoceros, wild water buffalo and eastern swamp deer. Significant populations of large herbivores include Indian elephants, gaur and sambar. Small herbivores include the chital, Indian muntjac, Indian boar and Indian hog deer. Kaziranga has the largest population of the Wild water buffalo anywhere accounting for about 57% of the world population.The Indian rhinoceros, royal Bengal tiger, Asian elephant, wild water buffalo and swamp deer are collectively known as 'Big Five' of Kaziranga.

Besides the Big Five, 9 of the 14 primate species found in India occur in the park. Prominent among them are the Assamese macaque, capped and golden langur, as well as the only ape found in India, the hoolock gibbon. Kaziranga's rivers are also home to the endangered Ganges dolphin. Altogether 478 species of birds, both migratory and resident, have been identified in Kaziranga. The list included 25 globally threatened and 21 near- threatened species.

Mammals: Indian rhinoceros, Tigers, Leopard, Wild water buffalo, Eastern swamp deer, Indian elephants, Gaur, Sambar and Chital derrs, Indian muntjac, Indian boar, Indian hog deer, Jungle and Fishing cat, Small Indian civets, Bengal fox, Golden jackal, Sloth bear, Chinese pangolin, Indian pangolins, Hog badger.

Birds: The Swamp francolin, Lesser White-fronted Goose, Ferruginous Pochard, Baer's Pochard, Blyth's Kingfisher, Pale-capped pigeon, Bengal Florican, Nordmann's Greenshank, Black-bellied tern, Pallas's Fishing Eagle, Greater spotted eagle, Imperial Eagle, Lesser Kestrel, White- bellied Heron, Spot-billed Pelican, Dalmatian Pelican, Greater Adjutant, Lesser adjutant, Hodgson's Bushchat, Rufous-vented Prinia, Bristled Grassbird, Indian vulture, slender-billed vulture, white-rumped vulture, Black-breasted parrotbill, Rufous-vented grass babbler and many more.

Forest Type

Grasslands, Savanna woodlands, Tropical moist mixed deciduous forests and Tropical semi-evergreen forests

Yearly and weekly off

Holi, Diwali

Area

430 square kilometres of core area

Generally considered a moderately challenging route. This trail is great for birding and off-road driving, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring.

The Western Range at Bagori is considered as one of the best zones for the wildlife sighting in Kaziranga National Park. It has stunning landscape with an abundance of wildlife species and lush greenery.

Agaratoli Range covers Soholabeel, Maklung, Turturani and Dhuba areas of Kaziranga. Agaratoli Range are wilder and bumpy. Despite the bumpy rides, birders prefer this range because of the greater variety of birds.

At a distance of 33 km , the Burapahar Range of Kaziranga National Park is situated at Ghorakati on National Highway. The zone also offers the trekking in the forest on the designated route which can be a very enriching experience to explore the dense forest so close. The Hoolock Gibbon and the Capped Langur can be primarily spotted in this zone along with a large number of Avifauna species.