Why Wildlife in India?
- Wildlife in India is a country of sacred nature, with a thousand colors, strong cultures, religions, and ancient traditions.
- Exceptional Wildlife in India with many endemic species.
- A paradoxical approach to animals: between veneration and disturbance/overcrowding/traditions
- Comprehensive and unique tourism potential in a resilient and developing country
- With multiple activities: safari, ayurveda, meditation, trek, etc.
Where to discover Wildlife in India?
Wildlife in India North :
Ladakh: called Little Tibet, this region in the far north exceeds 3000m (Karakoram, Himalayan, Pir Panjal) and has Tibetan Buddhism (40%) and Islam (46%) as its main religions. This region is very arid but has the advantage of not experiencing any monsoon. There you can meet the Kiang (+4500m), the largest wild donkey, the red fox, the snow leopard, the Himalayan brown bear, the Bharal (+5000m), the Urial (mouflon), an ibex, a wild Himalayan Yak, a Pika (a mouse hare) and a Marmot (a large squirrel), the Himalayan Tahr (another type of mountain goat) and an incredible avifauner: the golden eagle, bearded vulture…Wildlife in India
Corbett National Park: Deforestation for the timber industry and agriculture has greatly degraded Corbett. Tiger hunting prospered until 1936 and then the first Indian national park was born. The Corbett reliefs are home to abundant vegetation and large numbers of animals. There are still Asian elephants and the rare gharial (crocodile with an elongated snout). The tiger population is quite numerous, compared to other places in the feline’s range. Almost all the animals of the Indian fauna are represented there. The banks of the Ramganga River are ideal places for observation. But they still offer elephant safaris there so we do not recommend it.
Spiti National Park: An isolated, depopulated, cold India, the Spiti Valley is perched at the heights of the Himalayas (3800 m). The particular Buddhist culture, similar to Tibet and Ladakh, is omnipresent and adds to the spirituality of the place. A wild, unreal world in search of ghosts: the snow leopard, the Himalayan wolf, a very mischievous species, and many other inhabitants of the mountains.
Wildlife in India North West :
Bera Reserve: In the Aravalli ranges, Bera offers a peaceful and beautiful setting for a leopard getaway, an elusive, shy, and camouflaged animal familiar enough with human habits to remain like a ghost in the darkness. The essential tracker – A passionate photographer, leopard lover, and ardent conservationist. A few years ago, this place provided a home and refuge for a healthy leopard population but was granted a mining lease. This would have been the end of the leopard’s last refuge. We managed to convince the Rajasthan government to stop mining and he dedicated his life to leopards, discovering them, and tracking them to better protect them. Maybe you will also see sloth bears…
GIR National Park: located in Gujarat. The uniqueness of this park lies in the fact that it has the last remaining population of the once widespread Asiatic lion in the world. These Asian lions are the ancestors of the African lions. In Gir, the last census counted 411 lions.
North East: 7 sisters: Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura
Kaziranga National Park (Assam): it covers 43,000 ha. The most isolated and wild area of India is a refuge for one-horned rhinos, tigers, elephants, panthers, sloth bears, water buffaloes or Ganges dolphins, various deer such as saro, swamp deer, sambar, the pig deer, monkeys such as the hooded langur and the hoolock gibbon. Unfortunately, they still offer elephant safaris, which we boycott.
Manas National Park (Assam): protected area classified as UNESCO which is home to endangered and emblematic species: tigers and red pandas.
Balpakram National Park (Meghalaya): Meghalaya means “home of the clouds” an isolated region of the “7 sisters” among the most beautiful treasures that nature offers: between waterfalls and primary forests.
Wildlife in India East :
Sunderbans: On the border with Bangladesh, the region is made up of countless arms and canals of the Ganges delta and down to the Bay of Bengal. There is the largest mangrove forest in the world. There is a rich but hidden biodiversity there, the emblem of which is the Bengal tiger.
Center :
Ranthambore National Park: The settings made up of lakes and palaces give the visions a scenic and grandiose aspect, unique in the world. While crocodiles bask in the sun, sambars, chitals, chinkaras and nilgais can be seen easily. The tiger population was one of the lowest in the history of the park in the 2000s with 32 individuals before increasing to more than 70. Ranthambore is surely one of the parks where it is easiest to see tigers. ..but also the most touristy!
Panna National Park: is a biosphere reserve recognized by UNESCO. The park is populated by tigers, axis deer, sambars, sloth bears, antelopes; The park is home to more than 200 species of birds. There are only around ten tigers but the place is wild and not very touristy.
Bandhavgarh National Park: It is here that in 1951, the last white tiger, named Mohan, was captured, from which the specimens populating zoos come. It contains historical remains including a statue of Vishnu, rocky hills, sal forests, bamboo, and meadows. There are nearly 200 species of birds, deer, reptiles, dholes, wolves, monkeys (very numerous), sloth bears, leopards and a significant population of tigers (approx. 75), but the The observation is “very touristy”. We no longer offer elephant safaris but still walks so we do not recommend it.
Pench National Park: The landscapes are covered by mixed forest and teak plantations. Many streams run through the park and an artificial reservoir has become an important observation point. The agriculture of the Gond tribes gives way to Indian fauna which is well represented there. You can see beautiful herds of gaurs and the muntjac appreciates the thick forests of the park. Leopards, dholes, jackals, striped hyenas and tigers all occupy a good place in the ecosystem, as well as the birdlife.
Kanha National Park: It was created to save a rare deer, the deer (barasingha). This reserve, declared a national park in 1955, was extended. The incredible diversity of banyan trees several hundred years old make this place a magical place and there is no doubt that we are in the heart of the jungle book. There are nearly 200 to 300 species of birds, deer, gaurs, reptiles, dholes, wolves, sloth bears, jackals, leopards and tigers.
Satpura National Park: The terrain of the national park is extremely rugged and consists of sandstone peaks, narrow gorges, ravines and dense forests, with a significant altitude (up to 1,352 m). There are leopard, sambar, chital, Indian muntjac, mouse deer, antelopes, nilgai, chinkara, wild boar, bear, fox, porcupine, flying squirrel and Indian giant squirrel. There are a variety of birds (hornbills and peacocks). Elephant safaris are still offered there so we do not recommend it.
Tadoba National Park: Nicknamed “the jewel of Vidharba”, this reserve has set up an innovative protection system with the help of the villagers. Volunteers are hired and rotate every 3 months thanks to subsidies so that families can benefit from assistance and be involved in protection. The park has several areas with very different habitats: a very large lake: raptors and crocodiles and meadows (chitals, gaurs, sambars). Tigers and leopards are found in significant numbers, as well as many sloth bears and a large population of dholes. Tadoba is less touristy than the most famous but known to locals.
Wildlife in India South :
Kerala National Park: Boasting remarkable landscapes, with its subtropical savannahs, its picturesque hill station, its large expanses of spice plantations, its lush forest as well as the richness of its traditional culture, Kerala is a magical region . Wild elephants, witnesses of biodiversity supported by the noble mountain ranges “The Western Ghats”. You can also see herds of wild bison to the south.
Kabini National Park: Nagarhole brings together Kabini and Bandipur, separated by a river. To preserve the natural behavior of wildlife, a third of Nagarhole is closed to tourism and forest management. There is a healthy elephant population and predators in large numbers. Kabini benefits from ongoing scientific work, including Ullas Karanth where tigers are studied. Kabini Lake is a crucial source of water for the life that revolves around the lake (animal, plant and human). Deer and elephants gather in large numbers on its banks.
Bandipur National Park: Only 80 squire km out of 874 are open to tourism, with few people. Expanses of short grass dotted with gigantic bamboos, with lots of water points. A very green park where elephants are numerous and all Indian fauna is present: herds of dholes in particular. The tigers are present, but difficult to see. In the morning, a mist envelops unreal landscapes. But a busy road crosses the park (outside the tourist zone) causing animal deaths (leopards, tigers).
The Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park: recognized by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve since 2001. Facing Sri Lanka, visitors can explore certain protected islands and reefs and see several species of dolphins.