Wildlife in assam

Wildlife In Assam

Sonai:

Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary, Sonitpur

This wildlife sanctuary, is situated in the Sonitpur District Extending along the Himalayan foothills it offers magnificent view of both scenic beauty and wildlife, having 175 Sq. Kms. in area . It is the home of Elephant, Indian Bison, Deer and a variety of hill birds. For visiting this sanctuary, tourist/visitor may contact the Divisional Forest Officer, Western Assam wildlife Division, Tezpur. District Sonitpur (Assam) or the Deputy Director, Tourism, Govt. of Assam, Tezpur, Sonitpur dist. Assam.

Kaziranga:

Kaziranga National Park, Assam

The most famous place to see the one-horned Indian rhinoceros, hunted almost to extinction for its prize as big game and for the Chinese apothecary trade. The park is dominated by tall (up to six metres) grass lands and swampy areas (jheels). Travelling is best done by elephants, which can be arranged by the park. The first sighting of a rhinoceros is always impressive and awesome, as they can reach a height of over two metres and weigh more than two tonnes. Despite the prehistoric appearance, rhinos are incredible agile and fast. Soptting them in the tall grass may be difficult. Watch for egrets and other birds who use the rhino's armoured back as a perch, and also listen for the 'churring' sound of a large animal moving through the grass. Best viewing may be by the jheels, where they bathe.

One of the animals which have survived the vagaries of time is the one-horned Rhinoceros. This huge animal has continued its struggle for survival since prehistoric times. Lording over the plains of Ganga, Indus and the Brahamaputra, they slowly fell to the greed of man. They were killed in large numbers so much that they came on the verge of extinction.

It was early in the 20th century that the British government woke up to the plight of the one-horned rhino. But the damage had been done and very few of them were found in the wet lands of Assam. But efforts were made to save what ever was left and in 1908 Kaziranga was declared a reserve forest officially closed for shooting.

However, it was not until 1974 that Kaziranga was declared a national park. Today it covers an area of 430 km. Kaziranga is the best home of the great Indian one-horned rhino. This park is located in central Assam and lies partly in Golaghat district and partly in Nagaon district of the state.

The deep forests, tall elephant grass, rugged reeds, marshes and shallow pools are perfect to support the largest number of rhinos in the subcontinent. Though the greatest threat to these animals has come from poaching, their number in the park is quite healthy. The park is located along the main highway between Jorhat and Guwahati, which makes it easily accessible. The chance to see animals in the wild at close quarters makes a visit to the park a very rewarding experience. At Kaziranga, the open country makes wildlife viewing fairly easy. A day's outing is sufficient for visitors to see most of the major species he

Nearby Attractions :
There are many places which can be visited while you are staying at Kaziranga. The Kakochang waterfalls is 13 kms from Bokakhat. Not far from the park are the ruins of the ancient Numaligarh. These ruins are of great archaeological importance. The tea gardens of Hatikhuli, Methoni, Difalu, Behora Borchapori are also other local attractions. Also visit the coffee and rubber plantations behind the tourist lodge.

Manas:

 Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam   

This lovely area is formed from the watershed of the Manas, Hakua and beki rivers and borders with Bhutan. The bungalows at Mothanguri, on the banks of the Manas, offer views of jungle-clad hills. Established trails enter nearby forests and follow the riverbanks. Try to arrange a boat cruise. Besides tiger, the grassland is home to wild buffalo, elephant, sambar, swamp deer and other wildlife; the rare and the beautiful golden langur may be seen on the Bhutan side of the Manas.

The only tiger reserve in Assam and famous for the rare golden langur, Manas national park is one of the best kept national parks in the country. Manas national park is located on the banks of the river Manas in the foothills of Bhutan. Far from the human habitation this park has a unique charm of its own. Manas is a very special biosphere, for it harbors twenty species of birds and animals that are highly endangered and listed in the IUCN red data book.

Among the highly endangered species are the attractive Red Pandas which are occasionally in the higher elevation. Initially the park was a wild life sanctuary but in 1990 it was declared a national park. Today Manas national park spreads over an area of 2840 sq kms. But the core area is just 360 sq km.

This park is well known as one of the world heritage sites having its unique combination of scenic beauty and rare wealth of wildlife.

The park has eastern Himalayan moist mixed deciduous forests covering. The lush green park is densely covered by trees and growth which often prevents the sunrays from entering the forest. The eastern alluvial grassland also covers a major portion of the national park. These grassland are grazing grounds for many herbivores. Manas also shows variety by mixing low alluvial saranah wood land and Assam valley semi evergreen forests.

 Park Population :

Being a tiger reserve Manas is famous for tigers. The other exclusive specie is the pygmy hog. The park harbors about 20 species of animals. the range varies from Herbivores to omnivores. The animals include panther, clouded leopard, marbal cat and other variety of cats. Elephant, Rhino, swamp deer, sambar, barking & hog deer, dhole, binturong, otter, bison, buffalo, golden langur, spotted deers are some of the animals who roam the jungles.
There are numerous species of feathered beings nest in the park. The reserve also receives many visitors from all over the world who come during the winters and fly back on the onset of summers. Along the river one can spot many water birds like mergansers, brahminy ducks and a range of egrets.

Park Trips :
The park can be entered on elephant back or in a jeep or by car. These trips give you good opportunity to observe the wildlife in their natural habitat. The ride on elephant is both exciting and pleasurable.

Climate :
The climate of Manas park is tropical. the Summers are hot and winters cold. Take cotton cloths for summers and do not forget to pack woolens during winters. The average rainfall is 160 cms. But the monsoon months bring heavy downpours which often flood the park.

Best Time to Visit :
The best season to visit Manas park is between October to April. Rest of the year it is off season for the park. Avoid monsoons as many parts of the park is flooded and animals are not easy to spot.

Getting There :
Manas national park is 176 km from Guwahati from where is easier to drive than to take any other transport. For Manas the nearest airport is Borjhar airport, Guwahati. This airport is connected with flights from other cities. The nearest railhead is Barpeta road. This station is 136 km from Guwahati. Manas is well connected with other cities and towns in the state by network of roads. There are regular bus services operated by state transport as well as the private operators. One can also hire taxis for the park from Guwahati.

Pabha:

Pabha or Milroy Sanctuary, Assam

Pabha Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in Lakhimpur District covers an area of 49 Sq. Kms. It is a sanctuary created exclusively for the Protection of the magnificent, Wild water Buffalo. For details please contact the Chief Conservator of Forest, Wildlife, Zoo- Narengi Road, Guwahati - Assam.

Laokhowa:

Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam