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Services : Tourism : Nature and Wildlife |
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India is blessed with rich floral-faunal diversity. One finds alpine vegetation such as Chir Pine, and other conifers deodar, spruce, silver firs in upper reaches of Himalayas, moist evergreen forests of Kerala and north east with tall grasses and bamboo, cacti and thorny bushes of Thar, India is world renowned for its tigers, elephants and rhinoceroses, but these are just three of the more than 500 species of mammals existing here. India has for years captivated the attentions of wildlife experts and lovers.
The assortment of wildlife you can see in India is truly mind-boggling; no where else you can find such a fascinating variety and numbers it boasts of. Home to many rare and unique species - the majestic tiger, the Asiatic lion, the one horned rhinoceros, the wild ass, the Asian elephant, many species of deer, bears, leopards, monkeys, antelopes and birds - India's wildlife sanctuaries are a nature lover's paradise. Some well known national parks are detailed below.
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| Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka |
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In Bandipur National Park, Mother Nature feeds birds for their songs which determine the mysterious and wild atmosphere of this jungle. A sizeable avian population indeed adds a new and unique charm to the varied wildlife of this sanctuary. Over 200 species of birds have already been marked and recognized in the park. And the variation is indeed proved sufficient for attracting ornithologists as well as general tourists to this sanctuary. |
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| Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh |
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The lush Sal and bamboo forests, grassy meadows and ravines of Kanha provided inspiration to Rudyard Kipling for his famous novel "Jungle Book". A heightened attraction within the Park is Bamni Dadar, popularly known as Sunset Point that offers the most awe-inspiring backdrop of the sunset against grazing Sambhars and Gaurs, magnifying the natural splendor of the area. Aside from its diverse wildlife and bird population, the frequent sightings of Tigers roaming in the wild at Kanha Wildlife Sanctuary remain the most popular draw.
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| Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand |
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It is regarded as India's finest national park and its major attractions are the Tiger, Indian Elephant and Leopard. Corbett national Park is drained by the Ramganga river, the dam at Kalagarh forming a huge lake to the west of the national park. The park is essentially a large low valley.
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| Gir National Park & Sanctuary Sasangir, Gujarat |
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It is fed by perennial and seasonal rivers and streams. The large water bodies at the park like the Kamleshwar Dam houses several crocodiles and birds. One of the major big-cat hubs in India, the park has about 300 lions and 300 leopards. Besides, you can witness animals like Sambar, spotted deer, blue bull, chousingha (the world's only four-horned antelope), chinkara and wild boar at the Gir National Park. There are also 250 birds and about 50 other species of birds at the park including the painted sandgrouse, grey francolin, Asian paradise flycatcher, white-browed fantail, and Asian brown flycatcher.
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| Kaziranga National Park, Assam |
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Located on the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra River in the far North East of India, Assam, Kaziranga National Park covers an area of approximately 430-sq-kms with its swamps and tall thickets of elephant grass making it the ideal habitat for the Indian One-Horned Rhino. Besides, Rhino Kaziranga is home to a large population of Indian Elephants, Indian Bison, Swamp Deer or Barasingha, Hog Deer, Sloth Bears, Tigers, Leopard Cats, Jungle Cats, Otters, Hog Badgers, Capped Langurs, Hoolock Gibbons, Wild Boar, Jackal, Wild Buffalo, Pythons, Monitor Lizards etc.
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| Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala |
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In Periyar Tiger Reserve 49 species of mammals, 265 species of birds, 36 species of reptiles, 12 species of amphibians, 35 species of fishes and 160 species of butterflies have been identified so far. Some important mammals are tiger, leopard, elephant, gaur, sambar, wild dog, barking deer, lion tailed macaque, Nilgiri langur and Nilgiri tahr.
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| Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan |
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The former hunting ground of the Maharajas of Jaipur, the Ranthambore National Park is situated in Eastern Rajasthan at the confluence of the Aravali hill ranges and the Vindhyan plateau. The park is famous for the majestic Royal Bengal Tigers, which can be seen around the lakes and watering holes, prowling through the forest or resting on the ruins of the fort. Ranthambore National Park is one of the best sanctuaries to see tigers in their wild habitat in India.
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