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About Jaldapara Wildlife
Sanctuary
Ja ldapara
Wild Life Sanctuary is situated at the foothills of Eastern Himalayas
and on the bank of river Torsa. Jaldapara, the vast grassland with
patches of riverine forests was declared a sanctuary in 1943 for
protection of the great variety flora and fauna. The main attraction
in Jaldapara apart form its exquisite natural beauty, is the Asiatic
one horned rhino. The sanctuary holds the maximum number of rhinos
population in India after Kajiranga National Park in Assam. Among the
other major animals, the elephant, Indian bison, Royal Bengal Tiger,
leopard, spotted deer and hog deer can be seen here in plenty.
Jaldapara is a paradise for bird watchers. It is one of the very few
places in India, where the Bengal Florican was sighted. Set out with a
binocular and see the majestic flight of hornbill, racket-tailed
drongo and paradise flycatcher. See the splendors of sun set beyond
the vast grassland of Jaldapara from your Bungalow deck.
An adventurous elephant ride in the morning will take you deep inside
the grassland for the real excitement. The sights of rhino in a muddy
pond, the herd of elephants or the running deer are the thrilling
experiences in Jaldapara. Toto Para, adjacent to the sanctuary is
another major attraction for those interested in ethnic tourism. Toto
Para is the only settlement for the Totos, one of the most endangered
ethnic communities in the world. Their numbers are now reduced to mere
a thousand. Lot of initiatives has been taken by the governmental and
non-governmental agencies for the uplifting their living condition.
However, to live with them and to observe their traditional cultures
can still be a precious experience.
Hidden deep inside the Chilapata Forests the ruins of a thousand yeas
old fort of Nal King has a tremendous historical and archeological
importance. Built in the 5th century during the Gupta Empire the ruins
still recall the memories of the Golden Age. Because the site is not
maintained properly, it has now become the playground for leopards,
snakes and other animals.
Accomodation for the tourists visiting Jaldapara is normally arranged
in the Madarihat tourist bungalow |
