Kazhiranga National Park

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India Kaziranga National Park

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India Latitude 26°33’ N – 26°45’N Longitude 93°9’E – 93°36’E Area 430 sq km Civil Districts Golaghat and Nagaon 1st addition (Burapahar) 43.7 sq km 2nd addition (Sildubi) 6.47 sq km 3rd addition (Panbari RF) 0.69 sq km 4th addition (Kanchanjuri) 0.89 sq km 5th addition (Haldibari) 1.15 sq km 6th addition (Panpur RF and stretch of Brahmaputra river on the north) 376.50 sq km Geographical Information

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India Location of Kaziranga National Park: tucked in Golaghat district of Assam, the park lies along the main highwa y between Johhat and the Guwahati. Hamlet of Bokakhat lies to the east, 23 KM (14 miles) from Kaziranga. The park is flanked by the Bodo hills to the west. Climate of Kaziranga National Park: Summer month are moderate (35° C: 95° F) while winter night are chilly (minimum of 7° C; 45° F ) . Very heavy monsoon rainfall in summer (2300mm; 90 inch When to go ( Kaziranga National Park) : A favorable time for the traveler is from November to March. Closed during monsoon season, mid-April t mid-October. Getting to Kaziranga National Park : Daily flights to Guwahati combined with drive to Kaziranga make this a good option, Flights t Jorhat only twice a week. Bus services from Bokakhar to the park; car hire also available. Get help from Wildindiaguid.com Team

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India Prolific birdlife - Kaziranga National Park Kaziranga National Park protects as many as 325 avian species. Often the solitude of the forest is interrupted by the musical notes of the Hill Myna in the distant valleys and hills. Resident birds include Bengal Florican and the Adjutant Stork, while other prominent species are the Fishing and Crested Eagle, Sultan Tit, Collared Bush Chat, White-capped Redstart, Yellow and Pied Wagtail, Indian Lorikeet, Red-Breasted Parakeet, Spotted Forktail and Blue Thrush. Among the many water birds are large Cormorant, Lesser Whistling Teal, Bar-headed Goose, Merganser and Comb Duck.

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India Haven for herbivores - Kaziranga National Park Kaziranga is a vast wildlife refuge, and sustains large numbers of herbivores. One species is the Asiatic Wild Buffalo, or Water Buffalo(Bubalus bubalis). The latter species is quite temperamental and often charges unprovoked. There are around 40 Indian Bison and many species of the deer family, including Hog Deer, Sambhar and Chital (Spotted Deer). The Soft ground Barasingha is one of Kaziranga's most highly endangered deer species (it is also present in Dudhwa National Park and the park's monsoon-fed waterlogged terrain proves a most suitable habitat since it hooves are specially adapted to this environment. The elusive Mouse Deer is also a threatened species. Finally, nearly 50 Bengal Tiger ad a reasonable population of Leopard (Panther) survive in Kaziranga's jungles. Visitors who are patient are sure to have a chance at seeing Tiger in the forests.

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India On January 28, 1913 , according to the book, the area of reserved forest was expanded and Kaziranga was declared a " Game Sanctuary " on November 10, 1938 . The then conservator of forests, AJW Milroy, stopped all poaching and opened Kaziranga to tourists. However, in 1950 the name was changed to "wildlife sanctuary " as the word "game" connotated animals for hunting. On February 11, 1974. It was declared "Kaziranga National Park . It was listed a world heritage site in 1985 Kaziranga National Park in Assam India, is best-known as the home of the Indian Rhinoceros, declared a World Heritage Site, by UNESCO in 1985,

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India Type of Rhinos There are five kinds of Rhinos found in the world – white rhino, black rhino, Indian rhino, Javan rhino, and Sumatran rhino.

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India BLACK RHINO

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India INDIAN RHINO

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India JAVAN RHINO

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India SUMATRAN RHINO

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India The white and black Rhinos are live in Africa, while Indian, Javan and Sumatran are Asian Rhinos, found in North Pakistan, Assam in India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh The usual weight of an Indian Rhino is 2,000 kg. The one way to distinguish between a an Indian Rhino and an African Rhino is the single horn. Both white and black African Rhinos have two horns. Another distinguishing feature of the Indian Rhinoceros is its skin, which is knobbly and falls into deep folds at its joints, giving a look like the Rhino is wearing a coat of armour. All the Rhinos are vegetarian and Indian Rhinos mostly eat grass, fruits, leaves and crops. Their well developed upper lip helps them to eat out tall elephant grasses, which they like the best. It also helps them to pull out aquatic plants by the roots. Indian Rhinos usually prefer to roam around in the morning and evening hours to avoid the heat of the day and live for about 40 years.

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India Kaziranga's rhino population was probably at an all-time low of about a dozen individuals in 1905. The first proper census was carried out in 1966, when there were estimated to be 366. The numbers have increased five-fold since then to 1,855 - a major achievement. The next rhino census is planned for 2012. Project Rhino : Total Amount: £100,000 In 1970 there were an estimated 70,000 rhinos. Today, that number has fallen to an estimated 10-12,000, a staggering 85% decrease. Recent unrest in Nepal has probably reduced rhino numbers from 800 to between 400/500 animals. India holds the remaining estimated population of 2,084 with approximately 1,855 in Kaziranga National Park, ¾ of the world's entire population. Ironically, a group of rhinos is called a "crash"!

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India Despite the increase in numbers, during the past century more than 700 rhinos have been killed by poachers in Kaziranga. It's only in the past decade that poaching has really been brought under control (from 40 rhinos killed per year in 1995 to just seven in 2005). However, it is still a serious problem. In just two months this year (March and April), a total of six rhinos were killed in a renewed poaching spree.

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India Kaziranga is also one of the world's biggest conservation success stories - from 12 rhinos in 1908 to 1,700 in 2005. This has put Kaziranga on the top of the world conservation map. Apart from being the home of the one-horned rhino, Kaziranga is also the natural habitat of wild buffaloes, Asiatic Elephant, Indian Bison, wild boars, barasingha (Eastern swamp deer), leopards, tigers, Jackal, hoollock gibbons, capped langur, rock python, and monitor lizards . Although tigers inhabit this park, it is quite difficult to sight one.

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India Kaziranga National Park has more than 483 species of the birds . 18 of them are globally threatened species . Because of the varied habitat types that the Park comprises off as also of the strict protection accorded to them, birding is very special in Kaziranga. The Eastern range is very special for water birds such as Falcated Teals, White Eyed Pochard and Spot billed pelican. For Grass land birds the Western range is ideal. The Bengal Florican can be seen during the Elephant ride in this range. The nearby Panbari Reserved Forest is good for primates such as Hoollock Gibbon and Capped Langur and also woodland birds such asYellow-vented Warbler, Great Hornbill, Dark necked Tailorbird, Grey-bellied and Slaty-bellied Tesias.

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India H OME of the great Indian one-horned rhinoceros (unicornis), the Kaziranga National Park, Assam is unique among Indian wildlife habitats. Situated about 217 km from Guwahati, capital of Assam, the world’s largest population of rhinoceros lives here. Although there are other animals and birds too but the concentration is more on the protection of this animal. In fact, Kaziranga can also be described as an oasis for wildlife.

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India Spread over an area of 430 sq km, the park is bounded by the mighty Brahmaputra on the north and verdant, hills of Karbi Anglong on the south This park has no boundary wall and a rough oval shape. It lies on the south bank of Brahmaputra and its south side boundary follows (for the most part) the Mori Diffaloo river is close and to National Highway No. 37, the main arterial highway in Assam.

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India Of the world natural heritage sites, five such sites are in India. Out of these five, two such sites are in Assam. They are the Kaziranga National Park and the Manas Tiger Project, for the protection of tigers The world’s largest population of Indian one-horned rhinoceros (70 per cent). Wild buffalo (50 per cent) and swamp deer (65 per cent) are in the Kaziranga National Park. There were 1164 Indian one-horned rhinoceros and 1034 Asiatic wild buffalo in the park in 1993. The figure of the rhino in 1999 was of 1200. The number of elephant was 982 and tigers 804 in 1997. There were 526 swamp deer in 1993.

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India Vegetation Types There are four types of vegetation: Tropical wet evergreen forest Tropical deciduous forest Grasslands Swamp areas(beel) (Tall grasses 41%, short grasses 11%, open jungle 29%, rivers and water bodies 8%, sand 6% and swamps 4%)

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India Air : The two most convenient bases for getting to Kaziranga are Jorhat and Guwahati. Jorhat, 97 km from the sanctuary, is the nearest airport, but Guwahati’s Borjhar Airport, 239 km from Kaziranga, is connected by more flights Rail : The nearest railhead is Furkating, situated 75-km away from Kaziranga National Park.Asiatic Alephant Road : The main gate for Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary, at Kohora on the NH-37, consists of a handful of cafes and a small local market. ASTC and private buses stop here on their way to and from Guwahati, Tezpur and Upper Assam. SUGGESTED TOURS » Kaziranga Weekend Getaway » Jewels of East » Kaziranga & Sunderbans National Park SUGGESTED RESORTS » Wildgrass

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Dr.J.Pandiyan, Asst.Prof. Wildlife Biology, AVC College India THANK YOU