Introduction

India a unique subcontinent has vast variations in geography, climate and vegetation. As a consequence there is exciting diversity in habitats and wild life. The mighty is Himalayan is the highest mountains in the world; offer a wide spectrum of landscapes and wild life.

Tropical forests in its extremity contrast with the pine and coniferous woodland of the western Himalayans. Natural cover varies with altitude and these evergreen forests are bounded with high alpine meadows nearer the snowline and temperate forest of short stout trees in the lower elevations. In the foothills are deciduous trees, with shrubs, bamboos. Fern and grass.

Best Time to Visit: November- May

Indian Wildlife is very rich in Flora & Fauna. Tiger is among the most popular Wild Species & is Tiger, one of the world’s most beautiful animals, faces extinction today. In this century alone, three sub species of tigers have been driven to extinction. Today there are 23 Tiger reserves in India & around 3500-4000 tigers in the wild, which is more than all the other species of tigers in the world (tame & wild) put together. India is one of the very few countries in the world where you can still see a tiger in the wild.

The rich and fascinating variety of India's wildlife can be seen in the 80 national parks, 440 sanctuaries and 23 tiger reserves established by the Government of India in an attempt to conserve this vital resource. More than 500 species of mammals, 1, 220 species of birds, 1, 600 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 57, 000 species of insects populate the subcontinent. India harbours 60% of the world's wild tiger population, 50% of Asian elephants, 80% of the one-horned rhinoceros and the entire remaining population of the Asiatic lion.

Details of few important National Parks & Wild Life sanctuaries in Northern India is given below:-

RANTHAMBORE

It is an outstanding example of Project Tiger's efforts at conservation in the country. The forests around the Ranthambore Fort were once the private hunting grounds of the Maharajas of Jaipur. The desire to preserve the game in these forests for sport was responsible for their conservation and subsequent rescue by Project Tiger. Chital, nilgai, and chinkara, are the other inhabitants of the region. The avian population comprises of black storks, quails, Bonelli's eagles, spur fowls, crested serpent eagles and painted storks. During the winter months, the Park attracts a lot of migratory birds, primarily a variety of ducks

BANDHAVGARH

It is a small National Park; compact, yet full of game. The density of the tiger population at Bandhavgarh is the highest known in India. This is also white Tiger country. These have been found in the old state of Rewa for many years. The last known was captured by maharaja Martand Singh in 1951 . This White tiger, Mohun, is now stuffed and on display in the Palace of the Maharaja of Rewa.

KANHA NATIONAL PARK

In Madhya Pradesh, forms the core of the Kanha Tiger Reserve created in 1974, under Project Tiger. Stretching over 940 sq km, the vegetation, chiefly made of sal and bamboo forests, grasslands and streams, this park is the sole habitat of the rare hardground barasingha.

CORBETT NATIONAL PARK

Nestling in the foothills of the Himalayas, the Corbett National Park extends over an area of 1318 sq. Kms. Varied topography and vegetation gives Corbett a rich diversity in habitats and natural beauty. It was the first National Park to be established in India in the year 1936 and it was here that the prestigious "Project Tiger" was launched in 1973.

Corbett is Asians paradise with around 600 species being recorded here and has numerous other mammalian species. Besides Tiger, Leopard one can also see Jungle cat, Leopard cat, Himalayan black bear, Sloth bear. Four species of deer- Hog deer, Sambar, Chital and barking deer are found here. These herbivores can be seen in vast numbers in the chauds (vast grasslands with very high elephant grass). One can also see big herds of Indian elephants in these grasslands specially in summer. The Ramganga river flows through the park and a man made reservoir serves as the feeding ground for large number of birds. One can also see the Indian Marsh Crocodile along with the long snouted fish eating Gharials. Another species quite common in this area is the Common Indian Otter.

Sal is the dominant tree species in Corbett with Jamun, Shisham, Khair, Mahua, Flame of the forest (Palash), Silk Cotton tree (Simal) etc. being the other tree species.

SARISKA WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

Sharp cliffs of hills and narrow valleys of the Aravallis dominate the landscape of Sariska, whose forests are dry and deciduous. Within the Sariska wildlife sanctuary there are the ruins of medieval temples of Garh-Rajor, belonging to the 10th and 11th centuries.

A 17th century castle on a sharp hilltop at Kankwari, provides a panoramic view of flying Egyptian vultures and eagles.  The area was declared a sanctuary in 1955 and became a National Park in 1979.

The Sariska park is home to numerous carnivores including Leopard, Wild Dog, Jungle Cat, Hyena, Jackal, and Tiger. These feed on an abundance of prey species such as Sambar, Chitel, Nilgai, Chausingha, Wild Boar and Langur. Sariska is also well known for its large population of Rhesus Monkeys, which are found in large numbers around Talvriksh.

The avian world is also well represented with a rich and varied birdlife. These include Peafowl, Grey Partridge, Bush Quail, Sand Grouse, Tree Pie, Golden backed Wood Pecker, Crested Serpent Eagle and the Great Indian Horned Owl.

1,224 bird species reliably recorded from India,. In total there are 1219 extant native species including migrants and vagrants (but excluding 3 species now known to be extinct in the country, and 2 introduced species). There are 923 breeding species (911 residents, plus 12 suspected residents).

BHARATPUR BIRD SANCTUARY

 One of the finest bird parks in the world, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary (Keoladeo Ghana Natiuonal Park) is a reserve that offers protection to faunal species as well. Nesting indigenous water- birds as well as migratory water birds and waterside birds, this sanctuary is also inhabited by Sambar, Chital, Nilgai and Boar.

FLORA IN BHARATPUR

More than 300 species of birds are found in this small wildlife park of 29-sq-kms of which 11-sq-kms are marshes and the rest scrubland and grassland. Keoladeo, the name derives from an ancient Hindu temple, devoted to Lord Shiva, which stands at the center of the park. 'Ghana' means dense, referring to the thick forest, which used to cover the area.

While many of India's parks have been developed from the hunting preserves of princely India, Keoladeo, popularly known as Bharatpur Wildlife Sanctuary, is perhaps the only case where the habitat has been created by a maharaja. In earlier times, Bharatpur town used to be flooded regularly every monsoon. In 1760, an earthen dam (Ajan Dam) was constructed, to save the town, from this annual vagary of nature. The depression created by extraction of soil for the dam was cleared and this became the Bharatpur Lake.

At the beginning of this century, this lake was developed, and was divided into several portions. A system of small dams, dykes, sluice gates, etc., was created to control water level in different sections. This became the hunting preserve of the Bharatpur royalty, and one of the best duck - shooting wetlands in the world. Hunting was prohibited by mid-60s. The area was declared a national park on 10 March 1982, and accepted as a World Heritage Site in December 1985.