Kaziranga National Park

Kaziranga National Park is one among the top five famous national parks in India. Kaziranga is known for sheltering highest numbers of Great Indian One horned Rhinoceros in the world. It is a vulnerable species according to IUCN Red List, version 3.1. Kaziranga national park is famous for being the residence of ‘Big Five’ animals, ie, Great Indian One horned Rhinoceros, Indian Elephant, Royal Bengal Tiger, Eastern Swamp Deer and Wild Water Buffalo. This is why, Kaziranga is recognized as one of the best wildlife destinations in India. In fact, Kaziranga National Park is one of the top ten most visited national parks in India.

Kaziranga National Park is situated on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra River covering an area of 430 sq. kilometers in both the districts of Golaghat and Nagaon in the North-Eastern province of Assam. The national park is approximately 40 kilometers in length from east to west and 13 kilometers in breadth from north to south. Kaziranga is little bigger in area than the Maldives, similar in size as the whole of Antigua & Barbuda / Andorra / Barbados, a little smaller than Singapore and about a fourth of the size of Mauritius. Geographically, the national park is located between latitudes 26°30' N to 26°45' N and longitudes 93°08' E to 93°36' E in the heart of Assam. Kaziranga National Park is acclaimed as the most popular UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Assam, India. The coveted status was conferred by United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization in 1985.

The history of Kaziranga National Park dates back to 1904 . Mary Curzon, wife of then Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon, visited Kaziranga during that time and unfortunately could not witness any single one horned Rhinoceros. It was Mary Curzon herself, who took endeavor to establish Kaziranga Proposed Reserved Forest on 1st June, 1905, comprising an area of 232 sq kilometers. Later, Kaziranga National Park was confirmed the status of a Reserve Forest in 1908 . The park was declared as Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary in 1950 . Official recognition of Kaziranga as a National Park was affirmed on 1st January, 1974 . Finally, the national park was recognized as Kaziranga Tiger Reserve in 2006 .

Kaziranga is a home to the largest population of endangered species -- the Great Indian one-horned Rhinoceros. According to recent Kaziranga Rhino population census conducted in 2015, there are 2401 Rhinos found in the park. Among them, 1,651 are adults (663 males, 802 females, 186 unsexed), 294 sub-adults (90 males, 114 females, 90 unsexed), 251 juveniles and 205 cubs. It is two-thirds of the world's total population of Great One horned Indian Rhinoceros. Besides, Kaziranga National Park also boasts of being the residence of highest density of population of Tigers among all the protected areas in the world. The "Monitoring of Tigers and Prey Animals of Kaziranga National Park" Report released by Assam Forest and Environment Department revealed that the density of tigers at Kaziranga is 32.64 tigers per 100 sq. km., the highest in the world.

Kaziranga is a home to 55 species of mammals. Among the other important mammals found in the park are Indian Elephant, Wild Water Buffalo, Swamp Deer, Sloth Bear, Hog Deer, Indian Leopard, Hog Badger, Capped Langur, Hoolock Gibbons, Indian Wild Boar, Golden Jackal, Fishing Cat, Indian Grey Mongoose, Large Indian Civet, Small Indian Civet, Bengal Fox, Golden Jackal, Chinese Pangolin, Indian Pangolin, Chinese ferret-Badger etc.

Kaziranga National Park is declared as an 'Important Bird Area' by Birdlife International for conservation of avifaunal species. It is an undisturbed habitat to more than 500 species of endemic and migratory birds. About 26 species of birds falling under globally threatened category are found here. It is also a home to more than 42 species of fishes, 60 species of reptiles, 24 species of amphibians, 491 species of butterflies and 440 species of plants. Some of the important species of reptiles include Indian Water Monitor, Rock Python, Bengal Cobra and King Cobra.

Kaziranga National Park spreads in the flood plain of mighty Brahmaputra River. Its countryside comprises of swamps, beels (lakes), tall elephant grass and flat grasslands with streams. Kaziranga mainly comprises of alluvial inundated grasslands, alluvial savannah woodlands, tropical moist mixed deciduous forests and tropical semi evergreen forests. The annual rainfall ranges to 2220 mm. In Assam, winters are mild & dry while summers are hot & rainy. The monsoon reaches its peak stage every year during the months of July and August. The water level of Brahmaputra river rises to a higher level resulting in submerging of western (Bagori) range of Kaziranga National Park. Consequently, animals in large numbers migrate to the forest area in Karbi Anglong adjacent to southern (Burhapahar) range of the park.

At Kaziranga Tourism, a subsidiary of Arkaya Holidays, we provide some of the most suitable Kaziranga National Park tour packages for your comfortable holidays and memorable vacation in Kaziranga National Park Assam India.