National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries in India

National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries in India
Bengal Tiger

India is unique in the richness and diversity of its vegetation and wildlife. Almost 350 mammal species, over a thousand and two hundred species of birds in nearly 2100 forms, and more than 30,000 species of insects – provide evidence to the wealthiness of wildlife in India Besides, there are a number of species of fish, amphibians, and reptiles. With over 4.5% of its geographical area covered by more than 75 national parks and 425 sanctuaries, the range and diversity of India’s wildlife heritage match the grandeur and magnificence of her civilization.

India’s national parks and wildlife sanctuaries (including bird sanctuaries) from Ladakh in the Himalayas to the Southern tip of Tamil Nadu. These parks, reserves, sanctuaries, and forests are vital to the conservation of endangered species, such as the Bengal tiger, the Asiatic Elephant, the Lion, the Snow Leopard, and the Siberian Crane. India’s first national park, the Corbett was established in the foothills of the Himalayas. It supports a great variety of mammals and over 585 species of birds. The Wild Elephant population is on the increase and both tiger and leopard are regularly seen.

Kanha National Park is the largest of the original tiger reserves. The park is noted for its local herd of swamp deer. Also in Kaziranga is found a species of the swamp deer found Kanha A third subspecies (and the largest population) of swamp deer is at the Dudhwa National Park in the northeastern UP.

The magnificent bird sanctuary at Bharatpur Provides a vast breeding area for the native water birds. During the winters (November-March) migratory birds arrive in large numbers, including the Siberian Crane. In the Indian deserts, the most discussed bird is the Great Indian Bustard. In the western Himalayas, one can see birds like Himalayan monal pheasant, western tragopan, koklass, white-crested khalij cheer pheasant, griffon vultures, lammergeiers, choughs, ravens. In the Andaman and Nicobar region, about 250 species and subspecies of birds are found, such as the rare Narcondum hornbill, Nicobar pigeon, and megapode. Here are also other birds like white-bellied sea eagle, white-breasted swiftlet, and several fruit pigeons. All these could be observed in Andaman’s 6 national parks and over ninety wildlife sanctuaries.

The Himalayas (foothills) is known for big mammals like elephant, sambar, swamp, deer, cheetah, wild boar tiger, panther, hyena, black bear, and sloth bear, porcupine, Great Indian one-horned rhinoceros, wild buffalo, Gangetic gharial, golden langur. The wild ass, sheep, deer, smaller mammals, snow leopards, wolf, cats, and brown beers are in plenty in the western Himalayas. While the national park and sanctuaries of northern and central India are better known, there are quite a few parks and sanctuaries in South India, too, e.g., Mudumalai in Tamil Nadu and Bandipur Tiger Reserve and Nagarhole National Park in Karnataka.

A tour of Indian wildlife sanctuaries and national parks is a fabulous travel masti. Contrary to the experiences of African Safari, the vegetation and terrain in India are such that wild animals are often solitary or in small herds, elusive and shy. The thick forest and dense grassland with openings for streams and rivers, provide the cover for Indian wildlife.

Unlike the situation prevailing over a decade or two ago, Wildlife Safari in India now facilitates seeing a tiger, a rhinoceros, or a herd of a wild elephant. Ranges of Safari Packages are on offer, courtesy of the tourism departments of states as well as tour and travel agencies. These Safari / Safari Packages are unique and unparalleled. The kind of diversity. Indian wildlife can boast off is not available anywhere else in the world. The great Himalayan Mountains, forests, national parks, sanctuaries (including bird sanctuaries) – all constitute a terrific India.

List of Wildlife Sanctuaries & National Parks

Andhra Pradesh Arunachal Pradesh Assam
Nagarjunasagar – Srisailam Sanctuary Namdapha National Park Kaziranga National Park
Manas Tiger Reserve
Gujarat Himachal Pradesh Jammu & Kashmir
Rann of Kutch ( Wild Ass ) Great Himalayan National Park Dachigam National Park
Ratan Mahal Sloth Bear
Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary
Sasan Gir National Park
Velavadar / Black Buck National Park
Karnataka Kerala Madhya Pradesh
Bandipur National Park Periyar National Park Bandhavgarh National Park
Nagarhole National Park Kanha National Park
Maharashtra Orissa Rajasthan
Dhakana – Kolkaz National Park, (Chikaldara) Nandankanan Sanctuary & National Park Keoladeo Ghana National Park
Dajipur Bison Sanctuary Simlipal National Park Ranthambore National Park
Sariska Tiger Reserve
Tamil Nadu Uttar Pradesh West Bengal
Arignar Anna Zoological Park Corbett National Park Buxa Tiger Reserve
Guindy National Park Dudhwa National Park Sundarbans National Park
Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park
Kalakkadu Wildlife Sanctuary
Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary
Mukkurthi National Park
Mundanthurai Wildlife Sanctuary
Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary
Srivilliputhur Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary
Vedanthangal National Park

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Simmi Kamboj

Simmi Kamboj is the Founder and Administrator of Ritiriwaz, your one-stop guide to Indian Culture and Tradition. She had a passion for writing about India's lifestyle, culture, tradition, travel, and is trying to cover all Indian Cultural aspects of Daily Life.