Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary
Encyclopedia
Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary is a protect park situated at the foothills of Eastern Himalayas
in Alipurduar
Sub-Division of Jalpaiguri
District in West Bengal
and on the bank of river Torsa
and have an area of 141 km² and altitude of 61 m. Jaldapara, the vast grassland with patches of riverine forests was declared a sanctuary in 1941 for protection of the great variety flora and fauna, particularly the one-horned rhinoceros, an animal threatened with extinction.
. The sanctuary holds the maximum number of rhinos population in India after Kaziranga National Park
in Assam. The other animals consists of Royal Bengal Tigers, elephants, deers, sambhar, barking deer, spotted deer and hog deer, wild pig, bisons. Jaldapara is a paradise for bird watchers. It is one of the very few places in India, where the Bengal Florican
is sighted. The other birds to be found here are the Crested Eagle, Pallas's Fishing Eagle and shikra, besides Jungle fowl, peafowl, patridges, Bengal Florican and lesser Pied Hornbill. Python, monitor lizards, kraits, cobras, geckos and about 8 species of fresh water turtles have also found sanctuary here.
Many of the animals are endangered like - the Asiatic one-horned rhino and elephants in Jaldapara sanctuary
Eastern Himalaya
Eastern Himalaya is situated between Central Nepal in the west to Myanmar in the east, occupying southeast Tibet in China, Sikkim, North Bengal, Bhutan and North-East India. The area has been declared a biodiversity hotspot by Conservation International....
in Alipurduar
Alipurduar
Alipurduar is a sub-divisional municipal city of Jalpaiguri district, and is located at the eastern end of the district. Situated on the east bank of Kaljani River on the foothills of the Himalayas, the town is a gateway to Bhutan and North Eastern states of India...
Sub-Division of Jalpaiguri
Jalpaiguri
Jalpaiguri is a city in the state of West Bengal, India. It is the headquarters of Jalpaiguri district, and the divisional headquarters of the North Bengal region.-History:...
District in West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
and on the bank of river Torsa
Torsa river
Torsa River rises from the Chumbi Valley in Tibet, China, where it is known as Machu. It flows into Bhutan, where it is known as the Amo Chu...
and have an area of 141 km² and altitude of 61 m. Jaldapara, the vast grassland with patches of riverine forests was declared a sanctuary in 1941 for protection of the great variety flora and fauna, particularly the one-horned rhinoceros, an animal threatened with extinction.
Flora and fauna
The forest is mainly savannah covered with tall elephant grasses. The main attraction of the sanctuary is Asiatic one-horned rhinocerosIndian Rhinoceros
The Indian Rhinoceros is also called Greater One-horned Rhinoceros and Asian One-horned Rhinoceros and belongs to the Rhinocerotidae family...
. The sanctuary holds the maximum number of rhinos population in India after Kaziranga National Park
Kaziranga National Park
Kaziranga National Park is a national park in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of the state of Assam, India. A World Heritage Site, the park hosts two-thirds of the world's Great One-horned Rhinoceroses. Kaziranga boasts the highest density of tigers among protected areas in the world and was...
in Assam. The other animals consists of Royal Bengal Tigers, elephants, deers, sambhar, barking deer, spotted deer and hog deer, wild pig, bisons. Jaldapara is a paradise for bird watchers. It is one of the very few places in India, where the Bengal Florican
Bengal Florican
The Bengal Florican , also called Bengal Bustard, is a very rare bustard species from tropical southern Asia. It is the only member of the genus Houbaropsis...
is sighted. The other birds to be found here are the Crested Eagle, Pallas's Fishing Eagle and shikra, besides Jungle fowl, peafowl, patridges, Bengal Florican and lesser Pied Hornbill. Python, monitor lizards, kraits, cobras, geckos and about 8 species of fresh water turtles have also found sanctuary here.
Many of the animals are endangered like - the Asiatic one-horned rhino and elephants in Jaldapara sanctuary
Park activities
The park opens to visitors throughout the year except from 15 June until 14 September. During the period from October to May, and particularly March and April, new grass starts growing.- An adventurous elephant ride in the morning will take you deep inside the grassland for the real excitement. The sights of rhino in a muddy pond, the herd of elephants or the running deer are the thrilling experiences in Jaldapara.
- TotoparaTotoparaTotopara is a small village on a hillock located 89° 20'E and 26° 50'N in the Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal, India.This village is home to the unique Toto tribe that is one of a kind in the world. The village is about 22 km from Madarihat, which is the entry point of the famous Jaldapara...
: Adjacent to the sanctuary is another major attraction for those interested in ethnic tourism. Totopara is the only settlement for the Toto tribeToto tribeThe Toto is a primitive and isolated tribal group residing only in a small enclave called Totopara in the Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal, India. Totopara is located at the foot of the Himalayas just to the south of the borderline between Bhutan and West Bengal...
, one of the most endangered ethnic communities in the world. Their numbers are now reduced to a mere thousand. Lots of initiatives have been taken by governmental and non-governmental agencies for the improvement of their living conditions. However, to live with them and to observe their traditional culture can still be a precious experience.
- Hidden deep inside the Chilapata ForestsChilapata ForestsThe Chilapata Forest is a dense forest near Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary in Dooars, Jalpaiguri District. It is about 20 km from Alipurduar, and just a few minutes away from Hasimara town...
the ruins of a thousand years old fort of Nal King has a tremendous historical and archeological importance. The ruins consist of a broken wall and a broken gate of the fort. Built in the 5th century during the Gupta Empire the ruins still recall the memories of the Golden Age. Because the site is not maintained properly, it has now become a playground for leopards, snakes and other animals. However, digging up the ruins to extract the unheard tunes of the past might destroy the present ecological balance of the forest. It is wise to leave it to the competent authorities to decide whether we should compromise the present and the future to gather the wisdom of the past. The forest also contains a unique tree that "bleeds" like humans. The fluid that comes out is blood-like in color and density. A stand of the trees is located just few meters outside the broken gate of the old fort. According to the locals of that area these trees are 100–200 years old and are not found anywhere in the world. These trees are only a few in number and are yet to be given a botanical name.
- Car Safari in the park is also available.