DUDHWA NATIONAL PARK(UTTAR PRADESH)

GEOGRAPHY PROJECT

Konark Singh Shishodia

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• The Dudhwa National Park is a national park in

the Terai of Uttar Pradesh, India, and covers an

area of 490.3 km2

(189.3 sq mi), with a buffer

zone of 190 km2

(73 sq mi). It is part of the

Dudhwa Tiger Reserve. It is located on the Indo-

Nepal border in the Lakhimpur Kheri District, and

has buffer of reserved forest areas on the

northern and southern sides. It represents one of

the few remaining examples of a highly diverse

and productive Terai ecosystem, supporting a

large number of endangered species, obligate

species of tall wet grasslands and species of

restricted distribution.

GENERAL INFORMATION

• History

• Area

• Flora

• FLORAL WEALTH OF DUDhWA

• Fauna

• Birds

• FAUNAL WEALTH OF DUDHWA:

• Endangered species

• Climatic conditions

• Ecological importance

• Gallery

CONTENTS(DIRECTLY JUMP TO …)

• The area was established in 1958 as

a wildlife sanctuary for Swamp deer.

Thanks to the efforts of 'Billy' Arjan

Singh the area was notified as a

national park in January 1977. In

1987, the park was declared a Tiger

Reserve and brought under the

purview of the ‘Project Tiger’.

Together with the Kishanpur Wildlife

Sanctuary and the Katarniaghat

Wildlife Sanctuary it forms the

Dudhwa Tiger Reserve.

HISTORY

AREA

• LOCATION:

The Dudhwa National Park lies in the sub-Himalayan region referred to

as the Terai belt.

The Park is tucked between India and Nepal in the Lakhimpur-Kheri

District of the Indian State of Uttar Pradesh.

• GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION:

The Park lies between 28^18’N and 28^42’N latitudes and 80^28’E and

80^57’E longitudes.

• AREA:

Dudhwa National Park: 680 sq km (including 190 sq km Buffer Area).

Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary: 203 sq km.

Total Area (Dudhwa Tiger Reserve): 883 sq km.

• (The Dudhwa Tiger Reserve comprises of Dudhwa National Park , the

Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary and Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary)

• The area of the park falls within the Upper Gangetic plains and is a

vast alluvial plain ranging in altitude from 150 m (490 ft) in the

farthest southeast to 182 metres (597 ft) in the extreme north. The

park's mosaic of high forest interspersed with grasslands is

characteristic of the Terai ecosystems in India and the area is,

probably, the last prominent remnant of this type of ecosystem. The

forests, especially the sal forests, have always been very dense and

can be categorized into Northern tropical semi-evergreen forest,

Northern Indian moist deciduous forest, tropical seasonal swamp

forest and Northern tropical dry deciduous forest. The main flora

comprises sal, asna, shisham, jamun, gular, sehore and bahera. The

grasslands comprise about 19% of the park. The wetlands constitute

the third major habitat type and include the rivers, streams, lakes and

marshes. While many of the major wetlands are perennial with some

amount of surface moisture retained round the year, some dry up

during hot summer.

• The park is home to one of the finest forests in India, some of these

trees are more than 150 years old and over 70 ft (21 m) tall.

FLORA

FLORAL WEALTH OF DUDHWA

• GRASSES: 31species

SHRUBS, HERBS & CLIMBERS: 107 species

TREES: 89 species

WETLAND FLORA: 34 species

PTERIDOPHYTES: 7 species

BRYOPHYTES: 5 species

ALGAE: 17 species

FUNGI: 13 species

• Major attractions of Dudhwa National Park are the tigers (population 98 in 1995)

and Swamp Deer (population over 1,600). Billy Arjan Singh successfully hand-

reared and reintroduced zoo-born tigers and leopards into the wilds of Dudhwa.

Some rare species inhabit the park. Hispid hare, earlier thought to have become

extinct, was rediscovered here in 1984.

• In the mid 1980s, Indian rhinoceros was reintroduced into Dudhwa from Assam

and Nepal.

• The other animals to be seen here include Swamp deer, Sambar deer, barking

deer, spotted deer, hog deer, tiger, Indian rhinoceros, sloth bear, ratel, jackal,

civets, jungle cat, fishing cat, leopard cat.

• Dudhwa National Park is a stronghold of the barasingha. Around half of the

world's barasinghas are present in Dudhwa National Park. Smaller than the

sambar deer, the barasinghas have 12 antlers that collectively measure up to

100 cm (39 in). One can spot herd of these rare animals passing through open

grasslands. Around half of the surviving population of Barasinghas is found in the

park. These animals are smaller than sambar deer and weigh around 180 kg. Due

to their slightly woolly, dark brown to pale yellow cloak, the grasslands acts as

the perfect camouflage.

FAUNA

BIRDS

• The park has a rich bird life, with over 350 species, including the

Swamp Francolin, Great Slaty Woodpecker and Bengal Florican. Dudhwa

also boasts a range of migratory birds that settle here during winters.

It includes among others, painted storks, black and white necked

storks, Sarus Cranes, woodpeckers, barbets, kingfishers, minivets, bee-

eaters, bulbuls and varied night birds of prey.

• Drongos, Barbets, Cormorants, Ducks, Geese, Hornbills, Bulbuls, Teal,

Woodpeckers, Heron, Bee Eaters, Minivets, Kingfishers, Egrets, Orioles,

plenty of painted storks, sarus cranes, owls and more. One can also

spot rare species like the Bengal florican.

• Dudhwa's birds in particular are a delight for any avid bird watcher. The

marshlands are habitat for about 400 species of resident and migratory

birds including the Swamp Francolin, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Bengal

Florican, plenty of Painted Stork, Sarus Crane, several species of owl,

Asian barbet, woodpecker and minivets. Much of the park’s avian fauna

is aquatic in nature and found around Dudhwa’s lakes such as Banke

Tal.

• BUTTERFLIES: 37 species

FISHES: 79 species

AMPHIBIANS: 10 species

REPTILES: 35 species

BIRDS: 449 species

(including Winter Migrants)

MAMMALS: 47 species

FAUNAL WEALTH OF DUDHWA:

ENDANGERED SPECIES

• MAMMALS: Hispid Hare, Giant Flying Squirrel, Ratel, Pangolin,

Blackbuck, Swamp Deer, Fishing Cat, Leopard Cat, Leopards, Tiger,

Sloth Beer and One Horned Rhinoceros.

• BIRDS: Black Crested Baza, Bengal Florican, Great Indian Hornbill,

Indian Pied Hornbill, Laggar Falcon, Shaheen Falcon, Red Headed

Merlin, Osprey and Peafowl.

• REPTILES: Crocodile, Gavial, Gangetic Soft-Shelled Turtle, Indian Soft-

Shelled Turtle, Peacock Soft-Shelled Turtle, Indian Tent Turtle,

Terrapin Batagur Basak, Eastern Hill Terrapin, Shell Terrapin and

Spotted Terrapin.

CLIMATIC CONDITIONS

• Like most of northern India, Dudhwa has an extreme Humid

Subtropical with dry winter (CWa) type of climate. Summers are hot

with temperatures rising up to 40 °C (104 °F). During winters from mid-

October to mid-March, temperatures hover between 20 and 30 °C (68

and 86 °F). The months of February to April are ideal for visiting the

park.

• Prevalent winds are westerly. The hot wind Loo blows strongly from

mid-April up to end of May. Monsooon starting in mid-June and lasting

up to September accounts for 90% of the annual rainfall of 150 cm

(59 in). Temperatures range from between a minimum of9 °C (48 °F) in

winter to a maximum of up to 45 °C (113 °F) in peak summer.

ECOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE

• Dudhwa is the last remnant of Terai region, one of the most

endangered ecosystems on the planet.

• This complex ecosystem is a beautiful mosaic of dense Sal jungles,

Grasslands and Swamps.

• Forty-seven species of mammals are found at Dudhwa; of these

thirteen species are endangered.

• Dudhwa is home to a sizable tiger population.

• This place is the last refuge for critically endangered sub-species of

the Swamp deer, Cervus duvauceli duvauceli (called Barasingha in

Hindi).

• Out of the seven species of deer in India, five (swamp deer, sambar,

barking deer, spotted deer and the hog deer) thrive at Dudhwa. The

only place in the world inhabited by 5 species of deer.

• Critically Endangered species like the Bengal Florican and Hispid Hare

have been rediscovered at Dudhwa.

• Besides 13 species of mammals, 9 species of birds and 11 species of

reptiles & amphibians are Endangered (listed in Schedule-1 of the

Wildlife (Protection) Act).

• The grasslands are the natural habitat of Indian one-horned Rhinoceros.

About a hundred and fifty years ago the last rhino was hunted to

extinction. Conservationists felt that Dudhwa could support a rhino

population. In 1984, rhinos from Assam and Nepal were introduced. The

rhinos are kept inside an electrical fence and their activities are strictly

monitored. The family has increased to 17, despite the initial hiccups.

• The Park affects the water and climatic conditions of the region. This is

absolutely essential for the human survival and agriculture (the main

thrust of local economy).

GALLERY

THANK YOU