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| JALDAPARA
WILD LIFE SANCTUARY | ||||||
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| Animals you will see | ||||||
The Jaldapara Sanctuary is home for the Great Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros. Herds of elephants can frequently  be
found using it as feeding grounds. Hog deer, spotted deer, barking deer and sambar
are found, as are  Gaur
or Indian Bison. Tigers and leopards might also be seen moving stealthily through
grass and bush, if one is lucky. The Sanctuary is home for some rare and endemic
species like the hispid hare, hogbadger etc, also for wild boar and sloth bears.
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| Birdwatching | ||||||
A
rich and varied avifauna is found here-the Crested Eagle, Pallas’s Fishing Eagle
and shikra are common. So are
Jungle fowl, peafowl, partridges and sometimes the Bengal Florican and lesser
Pied Hornbill. Python, monitor lizards, krates, cobras, geckos and about 8 species
of fresh water turtles enrich the reptilian diversity. | ||||||
| Terrain | ||||||
| Lying at the foothills of the Bhutan hills(Eastern Himalaya) the sanctuary is a mixture of a mosaic of woods, grassland, swamps and streams with great diversity of fauna and flora. | ||||||
| People | ||||||
| This is the land where the primitive "Toto" tribe holds its last stand - refusing to be swamped by the main stream of civilisation. Toto have their home in "Totopara " - a village that lies to the north of the sanctuary. Their customs and culture have been the subject matter of great anthropological interest. This remote village has a small population of 950 . | ||||||
| Climate | ||||||
| November
to February : 10 - 21 degree C March to April: 24 - 27 degree C May to October: 27 - 37 degree C Average Rainfall: 382 cm. | ||||||
| Threats faced | ||||||
| The biotic pressure on the sanctuary is high due to its shape and smallish size. Some villagers enter the sanctuary for collection of firewood, grass and various other forest produce. Often the local people set fire to the grassland, which is important for the animals. The poaching of rhino for horns was the problem in the past. However, it has been drastically reduced due to intensive poaching. There are some plywood factories and saw mills in the fringe localities which are sometimes involved in the illegal felling of timber. The proliferation of weeds and the invasion of grassland by the woodland is a problem which is not in favour of the rhino and other inmates of the sanctuary. | ||||||
| Conservation Notes | ||||||
| The staff posted in the sanctuary is dedicated to the protection of the rhino and its habitat. The sanctuary is under constant biotic pressure from more than 32 surrounding revenue villages, 12 forest villages and 9 tea gardens with over 90,000 people and their cattle. This pressure for grazing of livestock, collection of fuel wood, small timber, fodder grasses, thatch grasses and other non-wood produce affects the wildlife of the sanctuary. Strict control of poaching and grazing, collecting good intelligence about poachers, strengthening of communication and intensive patrolling within the sanctuary are now integral work to the management. Habitat improvement works have been given priority to not only increase the rhino habitat but also rehabilitate degraded forests. These are mainly eradication of weeds and subsequent plantation with indigenous fodder grasses. In selective areas, woody species are removed to facilitate the natural regeneration of fodder grasses. The existing grassland is maintained by controlled burning in specific areas. The fringe villages are increasingly being involved in the conservation efforts. Eco-development works are undertaken in these villages in consultation with them. The villagers are encouraged to use the resources of the sanctuary with minimal disturbance. Efforts are on to improve the agriculture systems, generate alternate income and reduce dependence on forests. | ||||||
| Projects | ||||||
| In
accordance with the National Wildlife Action Plan, a programme has been taken
up for strengthening wildlife management and eco-development capabilities in Jaldapara
Wildlife Sanctuary with the financial support of the UNDP under an agreement signed
by the UNDP , Govt of India and West Bengal and the Wildlife Institute of India,
Dehra Dun. This scheme is to ensure that an integrated management-cum-ecodevelopment
plan of the Sanctuary is upgraded and implemented with stakeholders' participation
and agreement, i.e. to ensure conservation of biodiversity on a sustainable basis
in an area with significant biodiversity value. The UNDP grant-in-aid totals 2.00
lakh US Dollar.
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| Getting there | ||||||
Air : Bagdogra is the nearest airport from where tourist can reach Jaldapara by road-route, noted below. (Shiliguri to Bagdogra - 13 kms). Rail: All the mail & express trains stop at Birpara/Hasimara railway stations both are 20 kms away from the sanctuary. Only passenger trains stop at Madarihat railway station which is 7 kms away from the sanctuary. Madarihat Tourist Lodge is in walkable distance from the rly. station. Road: Jaldapara is connected by road with Darjeeling and Shiliguri. (a) Darjeeling-Shiliguri-Jalpaiguri-( via New Teesta Bridge )-Mainaguri- Dhupguri- Gairkata- Birpara- Madarihat ( 140 miles or 224 kms.) (b) Darjeeling- Siliguri- Sevoke- Bagrakot- Mall- Chalsa- Nagrakata- Binaguri- Madarihat ( 214 kms.). Journey time from Shiliguri is about four hours. Entry-point to the sanctuary is at Madarihat, which is connected with Bagdogra airport and New Jalpaiguri/Shiliguri by road. Distance between Shiliguri and Madarihat is 214 km, takes 4 hours. | ||||||
| Neighbourhood | ||||||
| Various excursions around Jaldapara, all which offer scenic views of mountain greenery and rivers, include Totopara (30 km), Buxa Duar (60 km), Jayanti (75 km), Bhutal Ghat (85 km) and Nalajar Ghat. | ||||||
| Accomodation | ||||||
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| Best Time for Viewing | ||||||
| Jaldapara is open from November to the end of April, with March being the best month to view animals, as they graze on new shoots. | ||||||
| Useful Tips | ||||||
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| Survival Guide | ||||||
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| Booking Information | ||||||
| Bookings
can be made from the office of the West Bengal Tourism Centre Siliguri: M-4 Building, Hill Cart Road, Darjeeling Phone: (0353) 511974, 511979, 432561 Kolkata: 3/2, B.B.D. Bag (East), Kolkata -700 001 Phone: (033) 248 8237, 248 5168 | ||||||
| Click for a virtual safari of Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary | ||||||
| Click for a Photo Gallery of Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary | ||||||
