Kaziranga Tiger Reserve

Assam

Kaziranga National Park, which lies in the flood plains of the Brahmaputra River in Assam, is the single largest undisturbed and representative area in the Brahmaputra Valley floodplain. The fluctuations of the Brahmaputra River result in spectacular examples of riverine and fluvial processes in this vast area of wet alluvial tall grassland interspersed with numerous broad shallow pools fringed with reeds and patches of deciduous to semi-evergreen woodlands. Kaziranga is regarded as one of the finest wildlife refuges in the world. The park’s contribution in saving the Indian one-horned rhinoceros from the brink of extinction at the turn of the 20th century to harbouring the single largest population of this species is a spectacular conservation achievement.

The Kaziranga National Park has often been compared to African parks because of the quality of wildlife viewing. On account of its large “big five mammals”, Indian Rhinocerous, Asian Elephant, Wild Water Buffalo, Bengal Tiger and Swamp Deer populations, Kaziranga is often referred to as the ‘Serengity of India’.

The riverine habitat is dominated by tall dense grasslands interspersed with tropical wet evergreen forests, tropical semi-evergreen forests, interconnecting streams and numerous small lakes or bheels with the Eastern Himalayas in the background.

Wildlife and Birdlife

The park hosts two-thirds of the world's great one-horned rhinoceroses. The tiger is prominent in the park’s list of predators, which includes leopards and lesser predators like the fishing cat and hog badger. Primates found here are the capped langur and hoolock gibbon, while other mammals are the sloth bear, common Indian otter, wild boar, sambar, swamp deer, hog deer and Indian muntjac. The reptilian fauna includes the water and Bengal monitor, Indian python and the king cobra.

Kaziranga’s rich avifauna makes it one of the most sought after birding destinations in the country. The marshes support many species of waterfowl and an elephant ride reveals grassland species such as globally threatened Bengal florican & swamp francolin. Six species of storks are found here which include the greater and lesser adjutant along with the huge black-necked stork. The woodland forests are home to blue-naped pitta, slender-billed and chestnut-capped babbler, fairy bluebird, puff-throated babblers, silver-breasted broadbill and flocks of spot-winged starling in winters. Tea plantations and adjoining scrub and cultivation can be explored for the siberian rubythroat, rufous-necked laughing thrush and thick-billed warbler. Raptors here include Pallas’s and grey-headed fish eagles, changeable hawk, steppe, booted, eastern imperial eagles, pied harrier and up to seven species of vultures which include the critically endangered slender-billed, Indian and white-rumped.

Quick Facts

State

Assam

Area

1173 sq. km

Core Area

625 sq. km

Altitude

80 to 1220 meter above sea level

Location

Kanchanjuri district

Temperature Range

37°C to 5°C

Annual Rainfall

2220 mm

Best time to Visit

November to May

Vegetation

Tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen with alluvial inundated grassland

Water Resource

Bramhaputra river, her tributaries, and numerous ponds and lakes