Kaziranga, this must be the creation of God

Kaziranga National Park lies partly in Golaghat District and partly in Nagaon District of Assam. It is the oldest park in Assam and covers an area of 430 sq km along the river Brahmaputra in the North and the Karbi Anglong hills in the South. The National Highway 37 passes through the park area and tea estates, hemmed by table-top tea bushes. One can even see the rhinos and wild elephants straying near the highway. Kaziranga National Park is a world heritage site famous for the Great Indian one-horned rhinoceros, the landscape of Kaziranga is of sheer forest, tall elephant grass, rugged reeds, marshes & shallow pools. It has been declared a National Park in 1974. Kaziranga National Park is one of the last areas in eastern India undisturbed by a human presence. It is inhabited by the world’s largest population of one-horned rhinoceroses, as well as many mammals, including tigers, elephants, panthers and bears, and thousands of birds. The park is open from November to April. Tourists can take rides on elephants to move around the park or cruise in a boat on the Brahmaputra along the park.

All those who have thought Indian one-horned rhinoceros only existed in the Jurassic era, then a trip to Kaziranga is a must for them. One of the most sought-after wildlife holiday destinations in India, Kaziranga National park’s 430 square kilometers area sprinkled with elephant-grass meadows, swampy lagoons, and dense forests is home to more than 2200 Indian one-horned rhinoceros, approximately 2/3rd of their total world population. Formed in 1908 on the recommendation of Mary Curzon, the park is located at the edge of the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspots – Golaghat and Nagaon districts. In the year 1985, the park was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is said when Mary Curzon, the wife of the Viceroy of India – Lord Curzon of Kedleston, visited the park to see Indian one-horned rhinoceros; she wasn’t able to find even one. Then she persuaded her husband to take urgent measures to protect the dwindling species which he did by initiating planning for their protection. After a series of meetings and documentation, the Kaziranga Proposed Reserve Forest was created with an area of 232 km² (90 sq mi) in 1905.

Along with the iconic Greater one-horned rhinoceros, the park is the breeding ground of elephants, wild water buffalo, and swamp deer. Over time, the tiger population has also increased in Kaziranga, and that’s the reason why Kaziranga was declared a Tiger Reserve in 2006. Also, the park is recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International for the conservation of avifaunal species. Birds like lesser white-fronted goose, ferruginous duck, Baer’s pochard duck and lesser adjutant, greater adjutant, black-necked stork, and Asian Openbill stork specially migrate from Central Asia during the winter season.

Flora:

Due to the difference in altitude between the eastern and western areas of the park, here one can see mainly four types of vegetation’ alluvial inundated grasslands, alluvial savanna woodlands, tropical moist mixed deciduous forests, and tropical semi-evergreen forests. Kumbha, Indian gooseberry, cotton tree, and elephant Apple are among the famous trees that can be seen in the park. Also, a good variety of aquatic flora can be seen in lakes, ponds, and along the river shores.

Fauna:

The forest region of Kaziranga Park is home to the world’s largest population of Indian Rhinoceros. Other animals that can be seen in the elephant grass, marshland, and dense tropical moist broadleaf forests of Kaziranga are Hoolock Gibbon, Tiger, Leopard, Indian Elephant, Sloth Bear, and Wild water buffalo, swamp deer, etc. With an increase in tiger population every year, the government authorities declared Kaziranga a Tiger Reserve in the year 2006. Also here one can find a good number of migratory bird species from Central Asia.