Dudhwa National Park



Dudhwa National Park comprises of sal forests, marshes and grasslands which harbour a wide variety of wildlife. The Park is famous for the reintroduced one horned rhino and swamp deer (barasingha). Dudhwa has the distinction of having the largest surviving population of this endangered species, their presence rendered more spectacular by the propensity for segregation of the antlered males. Bird life is prolific - being a marshland, it provides a natural habitat for the winter migratory birds. An ideal paradise for birders to see the Lesser Bengal Florican and Swamp Partridge - both these species are on the red alert list.

Covering an area of about 500 sq km, Dudhwa National Park, along the Indo-Nepal border in Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh, is best known for the Barasingha or Swamp Deer. The grasslands and woodlands of this park, consist mainly of sal forests. The barasingha is found in the southwest and southeast regions of the park. Among the big cats, tigers abound at Dudhwa. There are also a few leopards. The other animals found in large numbers, are the Indian one-horned rhinoceros and the wild elephant. Other animals found in Dudhwa are jungle cats, leopard cats, fishing cats, jackals, civets, sloth bears, sambar, otters, crocodiles and chital.

Among reptiles, pythons and monitor lizards are fairly common. Dudhwa is also a bird-watcher's paradise. Dudhwa, perhaps, houses the greatest number of owls and storks. Also, found in plenty, are 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 and the jungle owlet. The storks, which abound here, are the black-necked stork, white-necked stork, black stork, painted stork, white stork, open-billed stork and the adjutant stork. A variety of colourful birds like woodpeckers, orioles, pittas, kingfishers, minivets and sunbirds also inhabit this Park.

In a bid to save the Indian one-horned rhinoceros, seven rhinos from Assam and Nepal were introduced into Dudhwa in 1984-85. Presently, 13 rhinos can be spotted in Dudhwa.