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SANCTUARY SPOTLIGHT
Dudhwa National Park
The Dudhwa in the Indo Nepal Border earned its fame when seven one-horned rhinos from Assam and Nepal were introduced here between 1984-85. Now the population has increased to 16. But it's the barasingha or swamp deer that reigns supreme in the sal forests of the southwest and southeast regions of the park. Half the world's barasinghas live here. The park is also known for its tigers and has had a notorious past thanks to the man-eaters of Dudhwa, and its famous conservationist Billy Arjan Singh.
Dudhwa National Park along with the Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary, which lies 15 km away, comes under the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve area. The area initially known as the Sonaripur Sanctuary and founded in 1958 to protect the swamp deer was only 15.7 sq. km. in area. It was enlarged to 212 sq. km and renamed Dudhwa Sanctuary in 1968. In 1977, it was declared a National Park with an area of 616 sq. km. (490 sq. km is the core zone and 124 sq. km is the buffer zone).
With the Mohana river coinciding with its northern border as well as the Indo-Nepal border, the park's southern boundary is formed by the Suheli river. The rich Indo-Gangetic plains have great forests to show off.
Dudhwa is a great bird-watching place too, the marshlands being attractive enough in winter for a wide range of migratory birds, including the rare lesser Bengal florican and the swamp partridge.
Also visit: Nepal
Area: About 490 sq km in Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh
Best time to visit: Mid-November to mid-June, the best time however is February-April
Mammals: Tiger, leopard, Indian one-horned rhinoceros, elephant, jungle cat, fishing cat, jackal, civet, sloth bear, swamp deer, wild boar, hog deer, barking deer, sambar, otter, crocodile, chital, python and monitor lizard.
Birds: Boasting of probably the greatest number of owls and storks. The 400 species of birds here include the great Indian horned owl, the forest eagle owl, the brown fish owl, the tawny owl, the dusky horned owl, the scops owl, brown wood owl, the jungle owlet¸ the black-necked stork, white-necked stork, black stork, painted stork, white stork, open-billed stork and the adjutant stork, as well as the woodpecker, oriole, pitta, kingfisher, minivet and sunbird.
Vegetation: Comprises sal forests, marshes and grasslands
How to get there:
Road: Palia (10 km)
Rail: Dudwa (4 km), Palia (10 km), Mailani (37 km)
Air: Lucknow (260 km), Dhangarhi (Nepal, 35 km)
Where to stay:
Contact: Field Director, Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, District Lakhimpur Kheri, Pin-262701(U.P.) 05872-252106-Tel Fax (Off) Sh. Ashish Tiwari, Deputy Director- 05871-233485(O).
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