Five hours from Lucknow, towards the forests of Terai, is a place of rare bio-diversity—Dudhwa National Park (DNP). After the carving out of Uttaranchal from Uttar Pradesh, Dudhwa was the only National Park that remained in UP. Today, the DNP faces immense pressure but continues to be home to a beautiful range of flora and fauna. Nine species of endangered birds, tigers, rhinoceros, leopards etc are the main attraction of this park.
DNP has a population of over 100 tigers. The unique features of the big cats is that they have adapted themselves to all the three habitat areas in the park, says Vikranth Nath of Karavan Heritage & Nature Conservation Society. Dudhwa also has a prominent and well-protected tiger habitat, says CB Tiwari, another wildlife activist.
“Dudhwa is home to nine species of endangered birds too,” says Suresh Chaudhari, a wildlife activist and photographer. These are the Black Crested Baza, Great Indian and Indian Pied Hornbills, Laggar Falcon, Shaheen Falcon, Red Headed Merlin, Osprey, Peafowl and the Bengal Florican. The re-discovery of the Bengal Florican in 1980 at Dudhwa was a landmark event. This critically endangered bird and the Great Indian Rhinoceros thrive in similar habitat. The presence of the Bengal Florican boosted the confidence of naturalists about the success of the Rhino Rehabilitation Project in Dudhwa. Finally, the permission was obtained for the unprecedented project of reviving the rhino after almost a hundred years of its extinction at Dudhwa.
The sight of the Great Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros in the park is the most exciting. The Forest Department has sought funds from the Union Government for making a separate enclosure for Banke-bull rhino to prevent the problem of inbreeding among the rhinos. Tharu huts are the added attraction for tourists, says Neeraj Srivastava of the Indian Bird Conservation Network. He says there is a thrill in staying in the huts as it puts you in harmony with the environment. The Tharus, said Srivastava trace their roots to Rajasthan.
{{/usCountry}}The sight of the Great Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros in the park is the most exciting. The Forest Department has sought funds from the Union Government for making a separate enclosure for Banke-bull rhino to prevent the problem of inbreeding among the rhinos. Tharu huts are the added attraction for tourists, says Neeraj Srivastava of the Indian Bird Conservation Network. He says there is a thrill in staying in the huts as it puts you in harmony with the environment. The Tharus, said Srivastava trace their roots to Rajasthan.
{{/usCountry}}VP Singh of the Terai Nature Conservation says there was a need for protecting the swamp deer which is exclusive to Dudhwa. He says the course of Sharda has changed and that has affected the habitat of the swamp deer, the ‘barasingha’. All this could be protected only if the State Government takes care of the field staff. According to a source in the DNP, there is a shortage of 55 men for the field staff in the park. “The staff should also be provided fast-moving vehicles and sophisticated arms to fight the forest mafia,” says a forester.