KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK

Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the oldest national park in Assam. It is situated in central Assam with an area of 860 sq. km. It is the home of the Great Indian One Horned Rhinoceros. The landscape of Kaziranga is of sheer forests, tall elephant grass, rugged reeds, mellow marshes and shallow pools. So far as the history of Kaziranga is concerned, Lady Curzon, the wife of British Viceroy in India Lord Curzon, first heard about the Rhino of Kaziranga from her British tea planter friends and came to Assam in 1904-05. Although  she could not see the animal she spotted hoof prints with three toes, which convinced her that such an animal did exist.

On her return she persuaded her to do something to save this animal from extinction. Lord Curzon set the wheels of British bureaucracy rolling and on 1st June 1905, a preliminary notification announcing the intention of the Government to declare 57273.60 acres of Kaziranga as a reserved forest was issued. Kaziranga was declared as Reserved Forest on 3rd January 1908 and was officially closed for shooting.

Finally on 11th February 1974 Kaziranga became a National Park. Visitors can go round the park either on trained elephants or drive around in vehicles.  Elephants move slowly and so they do not cover as much ground as a vehicle might. But then the chances of getting close to wild life are much higher on elephant back than they are in a vehicle. However, the main attraction of Kaziranga, the Great Indian One Horned Rhinoceros is very easy to see. Rhinos graze like domestic cattle in the grassland and marshes around the park and can be spotted belly deep in the marsh, chomping contentedly on succulent grass.

Kaziranga was brought under the Project Tiger recently. There are 86 Royal Bengal Tigers as per 2000 Census. Kaziranga has 70% of the world population of Eastern Swamp Deer and Asiatic Water Buffalos. Out of 2006 rhinoceros found in Assam 1855 could be found in Kaziranga as per 2006 Census.

The wild population :  One Horned Rhinoceros, Elephants, Indian bisons, swamp deer, sambar, hog deer, sloth bear, tiger, leopard, leopard cat, jungle cat, hog badger, capped langur, hoolock gibbon, wild boar, jackal, porcupine, python etc and a host of birds both resident and migratory.

Other Attractions : You can stroll through the lush coffee and rubber plantations of nearby Karbi Anglong, or you can visit the Karbi villages, meet the tribal Karbi people, observe their lifestyle. Or, romp through enchanting tea gardens and watch how you get your daily cup of tea.
 

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