Collect information on national parks and wild life sanctuaries
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India boasts 104 national parks, 551 Wildlife Sanctuaries, 131 Marine Protected Areas, 18 Biosphere Reserves, 88 Conservation Reserves and 127 Community Reserves, covering a total of 1,65,088.57 sq km. In total, there are 870 Protected Areas which make 5.06% of the geographical area of the country.
The oldest national park in India is Corbett National Park.
It is spread in 520.82 sq km area, and is home to a rich flora and fauna, including the Royal Bengal Tigers.
India's first biosphere reserve was established in 1986 and is called Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. This reserve includes Wayanad, , Bandipur and Mudumalai, Nilambur, Silent Valley protected areas situated in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka.
The Great Rann of Kutch, with an area of 12454 sq km, is the largest biosphere reserve in India. On the other hand, with an area of 4400 sq km, Hemis National Park in Ladakh is the largest national park in India.
UNESCO World Heritage Wildlife Sites in India
Some of India's national parks have been recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites.
Great Himalayan National Park in Himachal PradeshValley of Flowers and Nanda Devi National Park in UttarakhandKaziranga and Manas National Park in AssamKeoladeo National Park in RajasthanKhangchendzonga National Park in SikkimNokrek National Park in MeghalayaSunderbans National Park in West Bengal
Flora & Fauna in Indian National Parks
According to a study, India is among the 17 megadiverse countries which together possess 60-70% of world’s biodiversity. The national parks and wildlife reserves in India are home to around 400 species of mammals and 1300+ species of birds.
These wildlife reserves are home to some rare and unique wildlife species like the Indian Sloth Bear, the Chausinga (four-horned antelope) and the Barasinga (swamp deer). In fact, India is the only country where both tigers and lions can be found. It also boasts the highest deer and tiger population in the world.
Along with rich fauna, the Indian wildlife reserves are blessed with abundant flora. There are estimated to be around 15000 species of flowering plants, which make about 6-7% of the world’s total plant species. The Valley of Flowers National Park in Uttarakhand alone boasts 600 species of flowering plants including the famous and exclusive Brahma Kamal.
Some of the Best National Parks to Visit in India
There are around 104 national parks in India spread across the country’s length and breadth. These wildlife parks are home to a variety of animals and birds, and some of them are the safe shelters for unique and threatened animals like one-horned rhinos and Royal Bengal Tiger. Some of the top ones on the list of national parks are:
Corbett National Park, UttarakhandRanthambhore National Park, RajasthanKanha National Park, Madhya PradeshBandhavgarh National Park, Madhya PradeshPench National Park, Madhya PradeshSunderban National Park, West BengalKaziranga National Park, AssamTadoba National Park, MaharashtraBandipur National Park, KarnatakaManas National Park, AssamPanna National Park, Madhya Pradesh
Best Bird Sanctuaries to visit in India
India is home to more than 1300 species of birds and about 467 Important Bird Areas (IBA) which include 59 bird sanctuaries. These sanctuaries and IBAs are inhabited by birds like Indian peafowl, pheasants, quails, francolin, hornbill, and snowcocks. Some of the top bird sanctuaries on the list of wildlife adventure are:
Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, RajasthanSultanpur Bird Sanctuary, HaryanaSalim Ali Bird Sanctuary, GoaKumarakom Bird Sanctuary, KeralaVedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, Tamil NaduChilika Lake Bird Sanctuary, OdishaKutch Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary, GujaratNal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, GujaratThattekad Bird Sanctuary, KeralaRanganathittu Bird Sanctuary, KarnatakaPulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh
Best National Parks for One-Horned Rhino Sightings
India is a native place for the vulnerable species of one-horned rhinos that inhabit the northeastern part of the country. Therefore, Northeast India is the best place to go for sighting one-horned rhinos. Kaziranga National Park in Assam is known for the highest density of one-horned rhinos and thus, is the best place for rhino sightings in India. Apart from Kaziranga, following are some of the best national parks for rhino sighting in season