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Kaziranga
The Kaziranga National Park is the only National Park in the State situated
in central Assam with an area of 430sq. km. It is the home of the great
Indian one horned Rhinoceros (Unicornis). The landscape of Kaziranga is
of sheer forest, tall elephant grass, rugged reeds, mellow marshes and shallow
pools.
Kaziranga has a history of its own. Lady Curzon first heard about the Rhinos
of Kaziranga from her British tea planter friends and came to Assam in 1904-05.
Although she could not see the animal, she spotted hoof prints with three
toes and believed that such an animal did exist. On her return, she persuaded
lord Curzon to do something to save this animal from total annihilation.
Lord Curzon set the wheels of the British bureaucracy rolling, and on June
1, 1905, a preliminary notification announcing the intention of the Government
to declare 57,273.60 acres of Kaziranga as a reserved forest was issued.
Finally, Kaziranga was declared as reserved forest on January 3, 1908, and
was officially closed for shooting.
On January 28, 1913 the area of reserved forest was expanded with the inclusion
of another 13,506 acres. Kaziranga was declared a Game Sanctuary on November10,
1916. In 1938, the then conservator of forest, A.J.W. Milroy stopped all
poaching and opened Kaziranga to visitors. Because the word 'game' connotated
animals for hunting, in 1950, the then senior conservator of forest Mr P
D Stracey, changed the term to 'wildlife sanctuary'.
Gradually the sanctuary, begun as a nucleus encompassing a small area, expanded
to its present size. Finally on February 11, 1974, the name was changed
to Kaziranga National Park.
The one horned Rhinoceros, Elephant, Indian bison, Swamp Deer, Samber, Hog
Deer, Sloth Bear, Tiger, Leopard cat, Jungle cat, Hog badger, Capped langur,
Hollock gibbon, Jackal, Goose, Hornbills, Ibis, Cormorants, Egret, Heron
fishing eagle etc. all form a part of the very complex ecological balance
of the park. During Winter a large number of migratory birds are also seen
here.
How To Reach :
Kaziranga is 239 km from the Guwahati airport and 97 km from the Jorhat
airport. Regular bus services run by the State Transport Corporation, Travel
Agencies, Tourist taxis are available. The Bus stoppage for Kaziranga is
known as Kohora. The nearest railhead is Furkating at a distance of 75 km.
General Information :
The average temperature around Kaziranga National Park in summer is 32.2°
C and in winter 10° C. The average rainfall is 160 cm. Tourists are
advised to wear cotton in summer and woolens in winter. The best season
for visiting Kaziranga is November to April. The off season is from May
to October.
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