Dudhwa National Park

Location : Indo-Nepal Border

Area : 49,029 hectares / 614 sq. km.

Established : 1958 as a wildlife sanctuary 1977 as a national park, 1988 as a tiger reserve.

Description

Dudhwa lies on the India-Nepal border in the foothills of the Himalaya and the plains of the ‘terai’. The main attractions of the park are its Swamp Deer (population over 1,600) and tiger (population 98 in 1995). The park is famous for the untiring efforts of ‘Billy’ Arjan Singh, one of India’s leading conservationists, who was instrumental in the creation of Dudhwa as a sanctuary of the Swamp Deer. Later he successfully hand-reared and re-introduced zoo-born Tigers and Leopards into the wilds of Dudhwa.

The forests here are reminiscent of the forests of Bardia on the Nepal side, with huge Sal trees, tall termite mounds, patches of riverine forests and large open grasslands. Its lakes offer excellent opportunities for observing Swamp Deer and birds from ‘machans’. In the mid 1980s, Indian Rhinoceros was reintroduced into Dudhwa from Assam and Nepal. The park has a rich birdlife, with over 350 species, including the Swamp Partridge, Slaty-backed Woodpecker and Bengal Florican.

Season

Mid November-mid June, the best period being February-April.

Access

Drive from Delhi (8-9 hours) or take the train to Shahjehanpur and drive to Dudhwa (3 hours). Alternatively fly to Lucknow and drive to Dudhwa (245 km, 6 hours).

Nearest Railway Station : Dudwa (4 km.), Palia (10 km.), Mailani (37 km.)

Nearest Airport : Lucknow, Dhangarhi (Nepal, 35 km.)

General Details

Headquarters : Lakhimpur (Kheri), UP, India

Altitude : 150-183 meters Nearest Town: Palia (10 km.) Nearest petrol pump! Hospital / market /bank / Post & Telegraph Office are at Palia

Temperature : Max Min Summer : 40ºC 20ºC Winter : 30ºC 4ºC

Clothing

Summer: Cottons
Winter: Light woollens *Preferably 'khaki', olive green, grey or other inconspicuous clothing which does not alarm or scare away the animals.

Accommodation and facilities

At the southern edge of the park lies the well-known TIGER HAVEN, the residence of ‘Billy’ Arjan Singh and open to tourists. It is a rustic farm house with good accommodation and is well placed for productive safaris inside the park. Safaris are by 4- wheel drive motor vehicles and by elephants. There is also a Forest Rest House inside the park. At Dudhwa, Forest Rest Houses, Log Huts, Dormitory and Tharu Huts. Forest Rest Houses at Sonaripur, Sathiana, Bankati, Belrayan, Kila, Chandan Chauki.

Mammals