Raiganj Wildlife Sanctuary
Encyclopedia
Raiganj Wildlife Sanctuary ( Raegônj Bonnoprani Ôbhôearonno) (also known as Kulik Bird Sanctuary) is situated near Raiganj
in Uttar Dinajpur district in the India
n state
of West Bengal
. The bird sanctuary is home to 164 species of birds, and some 70,000 to 80,000 migratory birds
visit the sanctuary every year.
runs beside the sanctuary. Raiganj is 425 km (264.1 mi) from Kolkata
and 181 km (112.5 mi) from Siliguri
.
Rainfall: 1,550 mm (July to September).
. The department planted tree species like kadam
, jarul
, sisoo (Dalbergia sisoo) and eucalyptus
which were classified as tropical dry deciduous forest. With the Asian openbill and other species of migratory birds flocking to the artificial forest during the hatching season, it was officially designated as the "Raiganj Wildlife Sanctuary" in the year 1985. It is popularly known as Kulik Bird Sanctuary because the river Kulik flows beside the sanctuary.
of Punjab
. Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, now known as Keoladeo National Park
is considered the largest in Asia.
The area of the sanctuary is around 1.30 km². The core area is about 0.14 km² and the rest is buffer area. The river flows around part of the sanctuary and acts as the boundary in its eastern and southern parts. The shape of the sanctuary is that of the English alphabet "U". The sanctuary has a network of artificial canals connected with the river Kulik. During monsoon the river water enters the sanctuary, which supports a wide variety of food for the birds, particularly for the Asian openbill, whose main diet is apple snail
. The sanctuary is home to 164 species of birds.
Several types of migratory birds arrive here each year from South Asian countries and coastal regions. They start arriving from June. The migratory species includes open-bill stork
s, egret
s, night heron
s and cormorant
s. The resident birds are kite
s, flycatcher
s, owl
s, kingfisher
s, woodpecker
s, drongo
es, etc.
According to a 2002 census, 77,012 birds visited the sanctuary that year. In 2003, the figure was even higher at 81,384. In 2008 (according to a census), 91,540 birds visited. An average of 70,000 to 80,000 birds visit the sanctuary.
Here is a description from a visitor: “On our way out from Kolkata to Raiganj, we were about to cross the bridge over the Kulik river on National Highway 34 when we saw hundreds of storks circling a patch of forest across the river. Intuitively, I knew we had arrived... Once up there (tourist lodge observatory)... we saw that all the 30-odd trees in the lodge compound were occupied by hundreds of open-billed storks... During our half-hour in the observatory, we saw flocks flying overhead carrying twigs to build their nests. Those that already had nests were busy sitting on eggs or tending to hatchlings. It was equally fascinating watching some taking time off from family chores to preen themselves and smooth ruffled feathers.”
Birds forms heronry
1. Asian Openbill Stork
2. Little Egret.
3. Little Cormorant.
4. Night Heron.
5. Pond Heron.
The time of formation of heronry is July to December. Asian open Bill Stork generally started nesting during mid of June, though the migration depends upon the Rain. It is seen that if monsoon starts early the Asian Openbill also comes early. The other Four Spp started nesting during mid of May.
During the period from December to February, numerous visitors from different districts of West Bengal and Bihar visit the sanctuary, and a large number of them organise picnics. They not only disturb the birds but also dirty the place. Raiganj social forestry division has decided to construct a picnic spot at Bhattadighi nearby, with water facilities, some shades, toilets, a small park and a foot track.
Nature Interpretation Centre
During February, 2011 Nature Interpretation centre is an added feather to Raiganj Wildlife Sanctuary. The important features of the sanctuary is displayed here through models, Charts & photograph.
Raiganj
Raiganj is a city and a municipality in Uttar Dinajpur district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarters of a district as well as a subdivision.-Geography:...
in Uttar Dinajpur district in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of 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...
. The bird sanctuary is home to 164 species of birds, and some 70,000 to 80,000 migratory birds
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
visit the sanctuary every year.
Location
It is located 4 km (2.5 mi) north from the centre of Raiganj town, the district headquarter. NH 34National Highway 34 (India)
National Highway 34 or NH 34 runs from Dum Dum in north Kolkata to Dalkhola , where it meets NH 31, which connects it to Siliguri, several towns in north Bengal and the North-East...
runs beside the sanctuary. Raiganj is 425 km (264.1 mi) from Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
and 181 km (112.5 mi) from Siliguri
Siliguri
Siliguri is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located in the Siliguri Corridor or Chicken's Neck - a very narrow strip of land linking mainland India to its north-eastern states. It is also the transit point for air, road and rail traffic to the neighbouring countries of Nepal,...
.
Climate
Temperature (degrees Celsius): Summer - max. 25, min. 21; Winter - max. 23, min. 9.Rainfall: 1,550 mm (July to September).
History
The development of the area began in 1970, as part of the social forestry programme of the Government of West BengalGovernment of West Bengal
The Government of West Bengal also known as the State Government of West Bengal, or locally as State Government, is the supreme governing authority of the Indian state of West Bengal and its 19 districts...
. The department planted tree species like kadam
Neolamarckia cadamba
Neolamarckia cadamba, commonly called Kadam is an evergreen, tropical tree native to South and Southeast Asia. The genus name "Lamarckia" is derived from the name of French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck.-Description:...
, jarul
Lagerstroemia speciosa
thumb|left|Bark in [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]].Lagerstroemia speciosa thumb|left|Bark in [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]].Lagerstroemia speciosa thumb|left|Bark in [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]].Lagerstroemia speciosa (Giant Crape-myrtle, Queen's Crape-myrtle, Banabá...
, sisoo (Dalbergia sisoo) and eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
which were classified as tropical dry deciduous forest. With the Asian openbill and other species of migratory birds flocking to the artificial forest during the hatching season, it was officially designated as the "Raiganj Wildlife Sanctuary" in the year 1985. It is popularly known as Kulik Bird Sanctuary because the river Kulik flows beside the sanctuary.
Sanctuary
It is claimed by some to be the second largest bird sanctuary in Asia. However, there are other claimants to that distinction, such as Harike Pattan sanctuary, spread over 93 square miles (240.9 km²), in Tarn Taran districtTarn Taran district
Tarn Taran district is one of the districts in the state of Punjab in North-West Republic of India. Some of its main cities are Tarn Taran Sahib which is located near Amritsar and Patti, City of Taran Taran is a holy place for Sikhs of India and abroad.Tarn Taran district was formed in 2006 from...
of Punjab
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
. Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, now known as Keoladeo National Park
Keoladeo National Park
The Keoladeo National Park or Keoladeo Ghana National Park formerly known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India is a famous avifauna sanctuary that plays host to thousands of birds especially during the winter season. Over 230 species of birds are known to have made the...
is considered the largest in Asia.
The area of the sanctuary is around 1.30 km². The core area is about 0.14 km² and the rest is buffer area. The river flows around part of the sanctuary and acts as the boundary in its eastern and southern parts. The shape of the sanctuary is that of the English alphabet "U". The sanctuary has a network of artificial canals connected with the river Kulik. During monsoon the river water enters the sanctuary, which supports a wide variety of food for the birds, particularly for the Asian openbill, whose main diet is apple snail
Ampullariidae
Ampullariidae, common name the apple snails, is a family of large freshwater snails, aquatic gastropod mollusks with a gill and an operculum...
. The sanctuary is home to 164 species of birds.
Several types of migratory birds arrive here each year from South Asian countries and coastal regions. They start arriving from June. The migratory species includes open-bill stork
Asian Openbill Stork
The Asian Openbill or Asian Openbill Stork, Anastomus oscitans, is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It is a resident breeder in tropical southern Asia from India and Sri Lanka east to Southeast Asia....
s, egret
Egret
An egret is any of several herons, most of which are white or buff, and several of which develop fine plumes during the breeding season. Many egrets are members of the genera Egretta or Ardea which contain other species named as herons rather than egrets...
s, night heron
Night heron
The night herons are medium-sized herons in the genera Nycticorax, Nyctanassa and Gorsachius. The genus name Nycticorax derives from the Greek for “night raven” and refers to the largely nocturnal feeding habits of this group of birds, and the croaking crow-like call of the best known species, the...
s and cormorant
Cormorant
The bird family Phalacrocoracidae is represented by some 40 species of cormorants and shags. Several different classifications of the family have been proposed recently, and the number of genera is disputed.- Names :...
s. The resident birds are kite
Kite
A kite is a tethered aircraft. The necessary lift that makes the kite wing fly is generated when air flows over and under the kite's wing, producing low pressure above the wing and high pressure below it. This deflection also generates horizontal drag along the direction of the wind...
s, flycatcher
Old World flycatcher
The Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae is a large family of small passerine birds mostly restricted to the Old World. These are mainly small arboreal insectivores, many of which, as the name implies, take their prey on the wing.-Characteristics:...
s, owl
Owl
Owls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions . Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish...
s, kingfisher
Kingfisher
Kingfishers are a group of small to medium sized brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species being found in the Old World and Australia...
s, woodpecker
Woodpecker
Woodpeckers are near passerine birds of the order Piciformes. They are one subfamily in the family Picidae, which also includes the piculets and wrynecks. They are found worldwide and include about 180 species....
s, drongo
Drongo
The drongos are a family of small passerine birds of the Old World tropics, the Dicruridae. This family was sometimes much enlarged to include a number of largely Australasian groups, such as the Australasian fantails, monarchs and paradise flycatchers...
es, etc.
According to a 2002 census, 77,012 birds visited the sanctuary that year. In 2003, the figure was even higher at 81,384. In 2008 (according to a census), 91,540 birds visited. An average of 70,000 to 80,000 birds visit the sanctuary.
Here is a description from a visitor: “On our way out from Kolkata to Raiganj, we were about to cross the bridge over the Kulik river on National Highway 34 when we saw hundreds of storks circling a patch of forest across the river. Intuitively, I knew we had arrived... Once up there (tourist lodge observatory)... we saw that all the 30-odd trees in the lodge compound were occupied by hundreds of open-billed storks... During our half-hour in the observatory, we saw flocks flying overhead carrying twigs to build their nests. Those that already had nests were busy sitting on eggs or tending to hatchlings. It was equally fascinating watching some taking time off from family chores to preen themselves and smooth ruffled feathers.”
Heronry
Global population of the Asian openbill is estimated to be 130,000 by Wetland International, and around half of them live in Asia. The species is known to breed in a colony, called heronry, but there are very few heronries in India, particularly those that are well protected against human greed. Ornithologically, Raiganj Wildlife Sanctuary is a very important heronry. As per the breeding population data of Asian openbills, the sanctuary reveals that it regularly supports 32 - 40 percent of the existing population of Asian openbills of South Asia. A heronry, which supports such a high percentage of Asian openbills, is not only a nationally important heronry but also an internationally important heronry.Birds forms heronry
1. Asian Openbill Stork
2. Little Egret.
3. Little Cormorant.
4. Night Heron.
5. Pond Heron.
The time of formation of heronry is July to December. Asian open Bill Stork generally started nesting during mid of June, though the migration depends upon the Rain. It is seen that if monsoon starts early the Asian Openbill also comes early. The other Four Spp started nesting during mid of May.
Tourism
The number of tourists visiting the sanctuary has been rising. The district administration has constructed the Raiganj Kulik Park, close to the sanctuary, with the objective of enhancing the beauty of the area. Funds were collected from Border Area Development Project, MP Local Area Development Fund, Tenth Finance, Uttar Banga Unnayan Parshad, Rastriya Samavikash Yojona, National Food For Work and MLA Local Area Development Fund.During the period from December to February, numerous visitors from different districts of West Bengal and Bihar visit the sanctuary, and a large number of them organise picnics. They not only disturb the birds but also dirty the place. Raiganj social forestry division has decided to construct a picnic spot at Bhattadighi nearby, with water facilities, some shades, toilets, a small park and a foot track.
Nature Interpretation Centre
During February, 2011 Nature Interpretation centre is an added feather to Raiganj Wildlife Sanctuary. The important features of the sanctuary is displayed here through models, Charts & photograph.