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 About
Dooars
Derived from the word 'doors', the Dooars form a gateway
to the hill stations of North Bengal and Bhutan. Spread
over a vast stretch of land 130 kms by 40 kms and
consisting of velvety green tea gardens and virgin
forests crisscrossed by the river Teesta and its
tributaries the region is famous for its wildlife
sanctuaries, the most notable of which is
Jaldapara,which is home to the famous one-horned Indian
rhino and some rare and endemic species like the Hispid
hare, Hogbadger and sloth bears. The forests in the
Dooars have a large variety of deer, namely, the sambar,
barking deer, spotted deer and the hog deer. The wild
life sanctuaries in the region are Mahananda, Gorumara,
Buxa Tiger Reserve and Rasikbill. The rich and varied
avifauna includes the Crested Eagle, Pallas' Fishing
Eagle, Bengal Florican and the Lesser Pied Hornbill.
Python, monitor lizards, krates, cobras, geckos and
about eight species of fresh water turtles enrich the
reptilian diversity. A great way of exploring the
sanctuary is on elephant back.
GETTING THERE
Air: Bagdogra is the nearest airport with good
connections to Kolkata and Delhi.
Rail: All the express trains stop at Birpara/ Hasimara
railway stations, both 20km away from the Jaldapara
Sanctuary.
Road: Jaldapara is 240 km from Siliguri down NH 31.
Places of Interest
Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary
 Jaldapara
Wildlife Sanctuary is about 124 km from Siliguri. It was
constituted in the year of 1941 for the protection of
wild life, particularly Great Indian one-horned Rhinos.
The forest is mainly savannah covered with tall elephant
grass. River Torsa runs through this forest sanctuary.
The major floras are Sal, Simul, Khair, Sisoo, Sidha,
Gamar, Mallotus, Kawla, Dilenia and Ficus.
In addition to the famous single horned Rhinos, the
wildlife also has tigers, leopards, wild elephants,
sambar, wild pigs, swamp deer, hog deer, spotted deer,
barking deer, gaurs or indian bisons, bengal florican,
jungle fowl, peafowl, Quail etc. The Sanctuary is home
for some rare and endemic species like the hispid hare,
hog badger etc, wild boar and sloth bears. Python,
monitor lizards, krates, king cobras, geckos and about 8
species of fresh water turtles enrich the reptilian
diversity. Elephant riding facility is available in the
sanctuary. 22 kms from Madarihat is Totopara, home to
the Toto Tribe, one of the few remaining tribes of its
kind in the world. Their customs and culture have
invoked great interest amongst anthropologists.
|
Total area |
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216.51 Sq.
Km. |
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Altitude |
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61-140 Meters |
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Temperature |
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6°C (Min);
39°C (Max) |
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Average rainfall
|
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3000 mm
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Best Season |
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October to
May, particularly March and April, when new
grass is growing |
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Best Time To Visit |
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Between
September and March, especially in winter to
catch a view of the migratory birds |
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Off Season |
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15th June to
14th September (Sanctuary closed) |
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Clothing
|
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Summer-
Cottons, Winter- W |
 How
to get at Jaldapara ( Approach & Access )
The place is well-connected by National Highways and
State Highways to important railway stations like New
Jalpaiguri and Siliguri. The Delhi-Gauhati and
Howrah-Gauhati routes also connect this area.. Major
stop at Falakata Railway station. Jaldapara is 19 kms
from here. Only passenger trains stop at Madarihat,
which is 7 kms from the sanctuary. Flights to Bagdogra,
which is approximately 140 km from Madarihat are
available from Delhi and Calcutta. You can also hire
your car from Siliguri or Jalpaiguri.
 Gorumara
National Park
Gorumara Park is the other one to have the Great Indian
One horned Rhinoceros. Elephants and bison's are also
found here.
Gorumara is situated beside the National Highway 31,
which connects Siliguri and Guwahati. The Gorumara
forest, declared a sanctuary in 1976, is also one of the
recent introductions to the National Parks map of India.
Starting with an area of 8.61 sq km, it now covers 79.85
sq. km. It is famous for being one of the last small
pockets in eastern India with a natural population of
the endangered one-horned rhinoceros. According to a
recent census, there are 19 one-horned rhinos, more than
50 elephants, 300 bison and 25 leopards in this
sanctuary, besides different species of deer and birds.
With the Murti and Raidak rivers flowing nearby and the
mountain ranges on the horizon, the pleasant natural
setting of the Park is an added attraction.
There are forest bungalows amidst beautiful surroundings
available for stay at Gorumara ( 2 rooms)and Murti.
Murti forest bungalow (4rooms and 2 dormitories) with
all modern amenities lies on the banks of river Murti
near the beautiful forests of Chapramari, a 45 minutes
drive from Lataguri. The nearby small town Lataguri has
many private resorts as well as the Gorumara National
Park nature Tourism center available for stay |
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