India
is home to a rich diversity of wildlife supplemented
by an equally rich variety of flora and fauna. The
sight and sounds of a majestic elephant, a peacock’s
dance, the stride of a camel, the roar of a tiger are
unparalleled experiences in themselves. Watching birds
and animals in their natural habitats is an experience
in itself.
The
country offers immense opportunities for wildlife
tourism. The immense heritage of wildlife in India
comprises of more than 70 national parks and about 400
wildlife sanctuaries including the bird sanctuaries.
A
paradise for the nature lovers, these forest areas are
also crucial for the conversation of the endangered
species like the Leopard, Lion, Asiatic Elephant, the
Bengal tiger and Siberian Crane. Spread across the
length and breadth of India, these reserves and forest
areas, right from the Ranthambore National Park in
Rajasthan to the Hazaribagh Wildlife Sanctuary in
Bihar, from the foothills of Himalayas, the Jim
Corbett National Park to six national parks in
Andaman; the Indian Wildlife circuit is an Incredible
treat, unmatched by any other experience.
Elephant,
Deer, Panther, Wild buffalo, Wild ass, the one horned
Rhinoceros, Porcupine, Snow leopards etc are some of
the animals you can sport in The Himalayan region.
India
harbours eighty percent of the entire population of
the one horned rhinoceros in the world. The Kaziranga
Game Sanctuary is an ideal habitat for the rhino and a
popular destination with the naturalists and
environmentalists as well as the wildlife traveller.
The
Great Indian Bustard and blackbuck of the Karera
Sanctuary also attract a lot of tourists. The Madhav
National Park originally called the Shivpuri National
Park is another rich habitat for the wildlife in close
proximity to the historical town of Gwalior and being
close to a often visited cultural and heritage
destination enjoys its fare share of tourism inflow.
The Corbett National Park one of the most popular
National Parks in the northern region for the wildlife
enthusiast as well as the holiday makers is changing
the way wildlife tourism. These National Parks and
Wildlife Sanctuaries are promoters of wildlife tourism
in India.
India
has its fair share of Tiger Reserves. India’s
National Animal, the tiger happens to be a symbol of
strength and speed. India boasts of two-dozen Tiger
Reserves. The fastest mammal on Earth, the tiger
happens to be the joy and pride of India. The Royal
Bengal tiger is amongst the most majestic species of
the tiger. Sixty percent of the total population of
the wild tigers in the world resides in India. Amongst
the best-known tiger reserves in India is the
Bandhavgarh in Madhya Pradesh. It is often referred to
as the crown in the wildlife heritage of India.
Tourists at Bandhavgarh can spot Royal Bengal Tigers,
cheetals, leopard, gaur, sambhar, and many more faunal
species. The highly successful Project Tiger has shown
once again that man can only undo in small ways the
loss and destruction of natural habitat due to
continuous growth and expansion of the population.
Indian
wildlife has its share of native birds along with the
migratory birds. Several hundred species of birds can
be spotted across India. The Himalayan region is well
known to be the natural habitat for the Pheasant,
griffon vulture and ravens. The Keoladeo Ghana
National Park popularly known as the Bharatpur Bird
Sanctuary in the Indian state of Rajasthan, in close
proximity of Delhi, is home to indigenous water birds,
waterside birds, migratory water birds, land migratory
birds, and domestic land species. Tourists from far
and wide are attracted to the Bird Sanctuary. At the
Dudhwa wildlife reserve migratory birds like Egrets,
herons, storks and cormorants share space with the
ducks, gees and teals. The region of Andaman is home
for the rare species of birds like the Narcondum
hornbill, Nicobar Pigeon and the Megapode.