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Dudhwa National
Park, India,
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With more than 50
feet tall Sal trees, sunlight trying to touch the ground, dragonflies
stretching out their wings under the tender warmth of the sun. Sitting
firmly on the dew fresh leaves, they bask to recharge themselves for the
day. The melodious chirping of koyal/cuckoo welcomes the new morning. The
little sun rays which reach the ground weave a magical display of light
and shadow on the canvas of dry leaves. This is what Dudhwa National Park,
one of the largest and thickest forests in India, all about!
Wildlife in
Dudhwa National Park
The Dudhwa National Park is spread over 490sq km along with a buffer area
of over 100 Sq km. Besides massive grassland and swamps, Dudhwa National
Park is home to one of the finest Sal (Shorea robusta) forests in India.
Some of these trees are more than 150 years old and over 70 feet tall. In
1976, the park had a population of 50 tigers, 41 elephants and 76 bears
apart from five species of deer, more than 400 species of birds,
crocodiles and some other species of mammals and reptiles.
Dudwa National Park is a stronghold of
the barasingha/ swamp deer, which can be spotted in herds of hundreds.
India is the only country where this species of deer is found. It is
interesting to note that around half of the total Barasinghas on the Earth
are present in Dudhwa National Park. Smaller than the sambar, the
barasinghas have 12 antlers that collectively measure up to 100 cm. A
full-grown stag can weigh as much as 180 kg and measure 135cm. The coat of
the animal is slightly woolly, dark brown to pale yellow, adapted
perfectly to camouflage in the tall grasses of the area.
During the winter season the swamps of Dudhwa echo with the frequent
wallowing of rutting stags. This is also the time for mock fights that
entail stiff postures and shrill calls rather than the actual locking of
the horns. With the onset of spring the herd gets ready to welcome the
newborn fawns. With the passage of winter the Barasinghas shed the woolly
coats. During this point of time the fights amongst the male Barasinghas
are minimal.
Tiger is another major attraction of the Dudhwa National Park. There was
once such a time when Dudhwa was severely affected by man-eating tigers
for which the structure of the Park was held responsible. Dudhwa is
probably the only Park that doesn't have adequate buffer area to support
the main wild/ Park. This is bound to create conflicts between human
beings and animals.
Besides the abovementioned animals, the avian life at Dudhwa is a delight
for any avid bird watcher. The marshland of Dudhwa national park is home
to around 400 species of resident and migratory birds that include the
Swamp Partridge, Bengal Florican, Great Slaty Woodpecker, plenty of
painted storks, owls, barbets, woodpeckers, sarus cranes, minivets etc. It
is to be noted that much of Dudhwa's avian fauna is aquatic in nature and
found around lakes.
The major vegetation types in and around Dudhwa National Park are tropical
semi-evergreen forest, tropical moist deciduous forest, riparian and swamp
and dry deciduous forest. The dominant tree species are Shorea robusta,
Eugenia jambolana, Terminalis tomentosa, Terminalia belerica, Adina
cordifolia, Dalbergia sissoo, and Bombax malabaricum. Stretches of
mesophyllous grasslands, locally called the phantasm, interrupt the
forests at many points in the National Park.
Safaris in
Dudhwa National Park
You can hire Jeeps and mini buses to move around inside the Dudhwa
National Park. Besides the Jeeps and mini buses you can also enjoy
Elephant rides through the Park. Usually the mahouts /Elephant drivers
double up as guides.
Best time to
visit Dudhwa National Park
The best time to visit Dudhwa National Park is between November and May.
The park remains open to public from November to June, though the months
of May and June are a little too hot for comfort. While visiting the Park
during winter you must remember to take woolen clothes as it can get
pretty chilly, particularly between December to February. |
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