Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

SANCTUARY SPOTLIGHT

Valmiki National Park Sanctuary spotlight

The Valmiki National Park is spread across a core area of 335.64 sq.km of more than 800 sq.km. of the Valmiki Sanctuary located in the West Champaran district of Bihar. Valmiki was established as the 18th tiger reserve in 1990. It ranks fourth in ter ms of density of tiger population.

The Government of Bihar, in 1978 declared an area of 464.60 sq. km., which now forms the Reserve, as Wildlife Sanctuary, and a national park in 1989. Later on, in 1990, 419.18 sq. km. was added to the Sanctuary, totalling to 880.78 sq. km.

The park is surrounded by the Royal Chitwan National Park of Nepal in the north and the river Gandak on the western side with the Himalayan mountains as a backdrop. Adjacent to the sanctuary, in the forests of Chitwan National Park, Nepal, is the historic Valmiki Ashram.

The park consists of moist sal bearing forests, dry sal bearing forests, moist mixed deciduous forests without sal, cane and tropical seasonal swamp forests containing reed beds and wet grasslands. The one-horned rhinoceros and Indian bison often migrate from Chitwan to Valmikinagar.

The forest here is a mix of extensive Savannah lands and swamps. The forest in the sanctuary is rich in Bhabar-Dun sal, dry Siwalik sal, khair and cane. The extensive forest area of Valmikinagar was owned by the Bettiah Raj and Ramanagar Raj until early 1950s.

Animals: Tiger, black buck, sloth bear, wolf, various species of deer, leopard, python, peafowl, chitals, sambars, nilgais, leopards, hyenas, Indian civets, jungle cats, hog deer and wild dogs.

One-horned rhinoceros and Indian bison often migrate from Chitwan to Valmikinagar.

Best time: Between October and June

Where to stay: There are a number of rest houses of the Irrigation Department available.

How to get there

Air: The nearest airport is at Patna at a distance of 295km.

Rail: The nearest railhead Valmiki Nagar is 5 km from the park.

Road: There are bus services from Valmiki Nagar to Bettiah (80km) the nearest town.

Contact: Deputy Conservator of Forests, Champaran Forest Division, P.O.Betia, District Champaran, Bihar.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail