Dhudhwa National Park

The Dhudhwa National Park is one of the most exhilarating national parks in India. The National Park is located at the India-Nepal border in the Lakhimpur – Kheri district in Uttaranchal. Often called the Last Terai, the Dhudhwa National Park holds the last few acres of the thickly dense forests at the foothills of the Himalayas.

It is as lively as it is vulnerable. Wildlife that has been under threat throughout India has managed to survive here against all odds. Spread over an area of around 500 sq km and home to many endangered species; it is a great destination for wildlife enthusiasts and bird watchers alike.

The Dhudhwa National Park is inhabited by a diverse number of animal species. The National Park was made a tiger Reserve in 1979 and hosts a considerable number of Tigers. Consider yourself lucky if you spot one, since the Tigers are rarely seen due to the dense forest cover. Leopards also roam these forests.

These cats are supported by huge herds of Swamp Deer or the Barasingha, whom they prey upon. The swampy depressions, lakes interspersed with thickets of tall coarse grass, form the habitat for these magnificent 12 horned deer. Hunted by shikaris and habitat loss has led to the decline in their numbers. The decline in the Barasingha’s numbers is the reason conservation efforts were started.

One of the several successes of the Dhudhwa National Park’s conservation efforts was the introduction of the one horned rhinos to the park. The grass lands were an excellent terrain for them. This was done to ensure their survival by extending their habitat and attempting to save them from full extinction.

This project was started in 1984, and 7 rhinos were relocated from Assam and Nepal. Presently there are about 13 rhinos living there. The rhino zone is currently out of bounds for visitors.

Sharing the forest with them are other species like the Jackal, Sloth Bear and Wild Pig. Apart from Tigers and Leopards, the cat family is represented by the Fishing Cat, the Leopard Cat and the Jungle Cat. Civets and Hispid Hares can also be seen in the park.

The family of reptiles is represented by the Monitor Lizard, Crocodiles, Pythons and other snakes.

The Dhudhwa National Park is residence for more than 400 species of birds – Resident and Migratory. Adorning the forest are the enthralling different species of storks, Colorful woodpeckers, kingfishers, sarus cranes, orioles and……Sunbirds ….and…....Owls.

A diverse range of owls live in the Dhudhwa National Park. Be it the great Indian Horned Owl, the tawny owl, the forest eagle owl, the brown wood owl, the brown fish owl, the dusky horned owl or the jungle owlet you can see them all.

You can spot barbets, bee eaters, minivets and bulbuls flitting in and out of the forest cover, making it a truly birdwatcher’s paradise.

Sharing a border with Nepal, the Dhudhwa National Park has diverse vegetation ranging from tall Sal trees to swamps and a mixture of grasslands. Known as the Last Terai, the National Park is set in the last few acres of the magnificent thick and dense forests in the foothills of the Himalayas. The dense thickets and Sal forests suddenly open into vast grasslands without any warning.