Assam is probably the only state in the country peopled so extensively by the four-legged, and possibly the only state in the country that has allocated such a spectacular piece of real estate for this demographic. The Kaziranga National Park is as good as it gets for the four-legged fauna, a spectacular natural home that can quite easily strike a chord of envy in humans, used to creature comforts of a distinctly different sort.
Located in the heart of Assam on the bank of the majestic Brahmaputra, Kaziranga National Park offers a home to the world’s largest population of the one-horned rhinoceroses apart from the usual suspects: tigers, elephants, panthers and bears, and thousands of birds. Assam Kaziranga National Park covers an area of approximately 430-square-km with its swamps and was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1940.
Its tall thickets of elephant grass making it the most ideal habitat for the one-horned Indian Rhino. Internationally known as Great Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros, these beasts of mammoth proportions prefer living in tall grassland and riverine forests. After the successful effort of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC), the waning population of rhino began to gradually increase. The World Wide Fund is working both in India and Nepal to conserve this species. Translocation Projects are under operation as well, and the survival of the rhinos at all odds is the final goal.
The Ecosystem
The Landscape
The land is quite level all over Kaziranga Wildlife sanctuary, which is mostly covered by dense and tall elephant grass, intermixed by small wetlands left behind by the receding floodwaters of the Brahmaputra.
The Flora
These picturesque wetlands have an abundant cover of water lilies, water hyacinths and lotuses. The vegetation that breaks the monotony of these grasslands are large clumps of semi-evergreen forest.
The Fauna
Indian One-horned Rhinos (900), tigers (50), leopards (20), elephants (700), barasingha or swamp deer (700), barking deer (300), wild boar (700), para or hog deer (7000), Bison (22), Sambar (400), leopard cats, otters (300), Hoolock Gibbons, golden Langurs, Wild Buffaloes (600), Slow Loris, pygmy hog, capped langur and bears (50).
Note: The figures are an approximation.
The Birds
Grey headed fishing eagle, Pallas’ fishing eagle, Crested serpent eagle, Swamp partridge, Red jungle fowl, Bengal floricab, Bar headed goose, Whistling Teal, Pelicans, Rose breasted Parakeets, Black necked Storks, Adjutant Storks, Open Billed Storks, Egrets, Herons and White wired wood ducks are among the major number of bird varieties visible in the parks.
The Reptiles
Rock Pythons and many more varieties of snakes, Monitor Lizards and Turtles are abundant in the park.
Getting There
By Air
The nearest airports are at Guwahati, 217 km away from Kaziranga and at Jorhat, 96 km away.
By Rail
The nearest railhead is Furkating, 75 km away from Kaziranga National Park.
By Road
The main gate for Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary, at Kohora on the NH-37, consists of a handful of cafés and a small local market. Both government-run and private buses stop here on their way to and from Guwahati, Tezpur and Upper Assam.
Trips within the Kaziranga National Park
You have the choice of one of two options to venture deep into the heart of Kaziranga – Elephant and Jeep.
Elephant Rides
The first – and preferred – mode is on elephant back. Elephant rides allow you to get up close to the wild animals. These rides are taken out thrice in a day from Mihimukh, which is located 3 km from Kohora. There are only around five elephants available for touring purposes, so it is definitely advisable to book your ride well in advance. These advance bookings can be made at the Bonani Lodge at Kohora.
Jeep Safaris
Jeep Safaris are also available and can be booked at the various lodges and through local operators.