JALDAPARA NATIONAL PARK

Jaldapara National Park (formerly Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary) is a national park situated at the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas in Alipurduar Sub-Division of Jalpaiguri district in West Bengal and on the bank of the Torsa River. Jaldapara is situated at an altitude of 61 m and is spread across 216.51 km (83.59 sq mi) of vast grassland with patches of riverine forests. It was declared a sanctuary in 1941 for protection of its great variety of flora and fauna.

Riding elephants is the only way to move inside this forest and Visiting time is 9A.M. to 4 p.m. The forest is mainly of Savannah Type covered with tall elephant grasses. The main attraction of the sanctuary is Asiatic one-horned rhinoceros. The sanctuary holds the highest rhino population in India after Kaziranga National Park in Assam. The other animals found are tigers, elephants, deers, sambhar, barking deer, spotted deer, hog deer, wild pig and bison.

Jaldapara is a paradise for bird watchers. It is one of the very few places in India, where the Bengal Florican is sighted. The other birds to be found here are the crested eagle, Pallas's fishing eagle and shikra, besides jungle fowl, peafowl, patridges, and lesser pied hornbill. Python, monitor lizards, kraits, cobras, geckos and about 8 species of fresh water turtles have also been found in the sanctuary here.

Today, it has the largest population of the Indian one-horned Rhinoceros in the state, an animal threatened with extinction, and is a Habitat Management area. The nearby Chilapata Forests is an Elephant corridor between Jaldapara and the Buxa Tiger Reserve. The forest is mainly savannah covered with tall elephant grasses. The main attraction of the park is the Indian one-horned Rhinoceros.

The park holds the largest Rhino population in India after Kaziranga National Park in Assam. Other animal in the park include Royal Bengal Tigers, Elephants, Sambar, Barking Deer, Spotted Deer, Hog Deer, Wild Pigs and Bison. Jaldapar is a paradise for bird watchers.

It is one of the very few places in India, where Bengal Florican is sighted. The other birds to be found here are the Crested Eagle, Pallas’s Fish Eagle, Shikra, Finn’s Weaver, Jungle Fowl, Peafowl (Peacock), Partridge, and Lesser Pied Hornbill. Pythons, Monitor Lizards, Kraits, Cobras, Geckos and about 8 species of fresh water Turtles can also be found here. Many of the animals in the park are endangered, like the Indian one-horned Rhino and Elephants.