National Parks of INDIA

National ParkAn area of scenic beauty, historical importance, etc. owned and maintained by a national government.

One or several ecosystems not materially altered by human exploitation and occupation, where plant and animal species, geomorphological sites and habitats are of special scientific, educational, and recreational interest or which contain a natural landscape of great beauty.

National parks in India are IUCN category II protected areas.

In 1972, India enacted the Wildlife Protection Act and Project Tiger to safeguard the habitats of conservation reliant species.

India's first national park was established in 1936 as Hailey National Park, now known as Jim Corbett National Park. By 1970, India only had five national parks.

As of April 2012, there were 102 national parks. All national park lands then encompassed a total 39,919 km2 (15,413 sq mi) km², comprising 1.21% of India's total surface area.

There are over 100 national parks and 500 wildlife sanctuaries in India, which reflect the importance that the country places on nature and wildlife conservation

No Name State Established Notable flora and fauna

1 Ranthambore National Park Rajasthan 1980 Tigers, Leopards,

Boars

2 Corbett National Park Uttarakhand 1936 Tigers, Leopards,

Elephants

3 Bandhavgarh National Park

Madhya Pradesh 1982 Tigers, leopards,

bears

4 Periyar National Park Kerala 1982 Nilgiri langur,

flying squirrel

5 Kaziranga National Park Assam 1974 Rhinos,

Elephants, Tigers

6 Sunderbans West Bengal 1984Royal Bengal Tiger, Fishing Cats

7 Kanha National Park Madhya Pradesh 1955 Tigers, leopars,

elephants

Top 20 National Parks of India

8 Gir Wildlife Sanctuary

Gujarat 1975 Asiatic Lion

9 Keoladeo National Park

Rajasthan 1981 Siberian cranes, ruddy shelducks

10 Manas national park

assam 1990 Assam roofed turtle, golden langur

11 Bandipur national Park

Karnataka 1974 Asian Elephants, tiger

12 Panna National Park

Madhya Pradesh

1973 Tiger, wolf, chital, sloth bear

13 Sariska National Park

Rajasthan 1982 Four- hourned Deer, Carecal, Leopard

14 Dudhwa National Park

Uttar Pradesh 1977 Tiger, Rhinoceros

15 Nandadevi National Park

Uttarakhand 1988 Tiger, leopard

16 Valley of Flowers

National Park

Uttarakhand 1980 Snow Leopard, Musk Deer, Red fox

17 Hemis National Park

Jammu & Kashmir

1981 Snow Leopard

18 Madhav National Park

Madhya Pradesh

1959 Indian Gazelle, Nilgai, sambar

19 Eravikulam national Park

Kerala 1978 Nilgiri Tahr, Atlas Moth, Elephant

20 Mudumalai National Park Tamil Nadu

Corbett National ParkEstablished in 1936, Corbett National Park is India's first Eco Park , located in the state of Uttarakhand.

Spanning across the span of 920.9 square km, Corbett National Park is India's most popular national park.

It is the home to 50 mammal species, 110 tree species, 25 reptile species and 580 bird species.

It is also a Tiger Reserve Project of the country preserving the endangered Bengal

Tiger.

This oldest park in the country is considered as the perfect adventurous destination. 

Accommodation facilities at Corbett are excellent .

Ranthambore National ParkRanthambore National Park is situated in Sawai Madhopur district of southeastern Rajasthan.

National Park area: 275km² core area. 392km² including buffer zone.

Besides tigers, the reserve has thriving bird population with more than 270different species of birds here.

Inside the park is a formidable fort that was built in the 10th century and coveted by many rulers due to its strategic position between north and central India.

The park itself is characterized by rocky plains and steep cliffs.

Kaziranga National ParkLocated in the state of Assam, it is a famous wildlife park of India. It is also aUNESCO World Heritage Natural Site.

 Kaziranga covers an area of 378 km2 (146 sq mi), with approximately 51.14 km2  (20 sq mi) lost to erosion in recent years.

It cherishes its population of one horned rhinoceros, though its also a TigerReserve. It can also be applauded for water buffaloes, elephants and otheranimals.

Crisscrossed by four major rivers, including the Brahmaputra, and the park includes numerous small bodies of water.

Kaziranga is recognized as an Important Bird Area by Birdlife International for conservation of avifaunal species.

The park celebrated its centennial in 2005 after its establishment in 1905 as a reserve forest.

SunderbansLocated in the state of West Bengal, and Created in 1973, the core area of Sunderban was declared a National Park in 1984.

It was declared a Biosphere Reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

The splendid mangrove forests of Bengal, are included within this area, which got its name from the throngs of sundari trees.

Sunderbans has amazing river bodies as well as forest areas. Bengal tigers, crocodiles and snakes are some creatures you can spot here.

It is one only one of its kind in the world. It is spread over more than 50 islands and extends into neighboring country of Bangladesh.

The park can be only accessed by boat. And the exploring the park & surrounding is truly a thrilling experience which should not be missed on wildlife tours in India.

It is the wildlife park in India where tigers know how to swim.

Gir Wildlife SanctuaryLocated in the state of Gujarat, it is also known as the Sasan Gir National Park.

Established in 1965, Gir Wildlife Sanctuary is spread over an area of 2450 hectares of area.

Very popular for its handsome Asiatic lions, It is a haven encompassing around 300 Tigers in its vicinity.

With amazing flora and fauna, the park is treated well and is looked after by the government forest department and various NGOs.

A nice place to check out the lions and reservoir.

Periyar National ParkSituated on the Western Ghats, and touching the borders of Tamil Nadu, this national park in Kerala, is very popular for its sheer beauty and tourism.

This one is also a Project Tiger Reserve of the country, and also offer jeep safaris for its tourists.

Spanning over 350 sq km, Periyar National Park is known for encompassing two majestic mammals – Elephants and Tiger.

Located in Kerala, Periyar National Park is the most visited ecoparks of India.

Herds of Indian elephants can be seen near the Periyar Lake.

Tourists can enjoy rich flora and fauna of the park by taking boat cruise over the picturesque Periyar Lake. 

The beautiful lakes, and rafting on them enhances the fun.

Keoladeo National ParkThis is another World Heritage Site situated in Bharatpur region of Rajasthan. It was declared a protected sanctuary in 1971.

It is famous for the various species of birds and migratory birds like Siberian cranes.

These diverse habitats are home to 366 bird species, 379 floral species, 50 species of fish, 13 species of snakes, 5 species of lizards, 7 amphibian species,7 turtle species, and a variety of other invertebrates.

The 29 km2 (11 sq mi) reserve is locally known as Ghana, and is a mosaic of dry grasslands, woodlands, woodland swamps, and wetlands.

It is also a major tourist centre with scores of ornithologists arriving here in the hibernal season.

Valley of FlowersValley of Flowers National Park is an Indian national park, located in West Himalaya, in the state of Uttarakhand and is one of the very few places in India where God have showered his immense blessings.

Spanning over an area of 87.5 Sq. Kms, the Valley of Flower was declared a National Park in the year 1982. This Reserve is in the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves since 2004

It is known for its meadows of endemic alpine flowers and the variety of flora. This richly diverse area is also home to rare and endangered animals, including the Asiatic black bear, snow leopard, musk deer, brown bear, red fox, and blue sheep. Birds found include Himalayan Monal Pheasant and other high altitude birds.

At 3600 meters above sea level,(3352 to 3658 meters) the gentle landscape of the Valley of Flowers National Park complements the rugged mountain wilderness of Nanda Devi National Park to the east. Together they encompass a unique transition zone between the mountain ranges of the Zanskar and Great Himalaya. wide.

Kanha National ParkKanha is a popular Tiger Reserve of India located in Madhya Pradesh was created in 1974 under Project Tiger.

Spanning over an area of 940 sq kms, in the two districts Mandla and Balaghat. Kanha National Park houses the largest population of Tigers in India.

With brilliant flora and forest areas, this park is famous for its sloth bear, leopard, wild dog, and of course the Bengal tiger.

This was the park that the Central Indian Barasingha, also known as the hard ground barasingha, was brought back from the virtual edge of extinction.

The lush sal and bamboo forests, grassy meadows and ravines of Kanha provided inspiration to Rudyard Kipling for his famous novel "Jungle Book "

Bandhavgarh National ParkLocated in the Umaria district of the state of Madhya Pradesh Bandhavgarh National Park is a wonderful wildlife destination in India.

Tigers dominate the 437 km² reserve in numbers rarely seen on the subcontinent.

The park is rich its flora and fauna. It is known for housing big population of tigers and Along with that, a lot of leopards and deer's can be seen. other wildlife attractions like mammals, avifauna, reptiles, vegetations, etc are there.

Tourists can explore the park conveniently by exciting jeep safari or elephant safari in the park.

As with so many other national parks in India, Bandhavgarh also has a fair share of cultural attractions as well.

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