India’s Top 5 National Parks
There’s no denying that India has a rich and abundant biodiversity that is spread across a vast topography – contrasting across places such as the Thar Desert, the Himalayas, the Sunderbans, and the Western & Eastern Ghats.
Similarly, the national parks located in India are also some of the major treasure troves for nature lovers and India’s Top 5 National Parks
not just in India but around the world as well. These national parks contain a wide variety of climatic and geographical diversity as the Indian subcontinent is already home to about 10 percent of the world’s species. In this article guide, we’ll be taking a look at the top five national parks in India and thereby know in-depth about its flora & fauna.
The List Of India’s Top Five National Parks
- Jim Corbett National Park
Jim Corbett National Park is one of the oldest national parks established in India. Located inside the Himalayan foothills of the Indian state, Uttarakhand, the national park was named after the hunter ‘Jim Corbett.’ Jim Corbett became a conservationist later in his life and thereby helped in the establishment of this national park, which was previously known as Hailey National Park, in 1936.
The national park is currently enclosed with several deciduous forests, and the place is also home to various wildlife creatures, such as leopard, elephant, deer, rhinoceros, and black beer. The place is also a protected reserve to contain one of the endangered species in the world – the Royal Bengal Tiger. Moreover, the reserve is also great for bird watchers, performing elephant tours, and carrying out other nature-related activities.
- Sundarbans National Park
Established in the delta region of the Sundarbans in West Bengal, the national park is known for its dense mangrove forests. Compared to other national parks located in India, this is one of the largest reserves home to the Royal Bengal Tiger along with numerous reptiles, birds, and other invertebrate species as well.
The main reason why the Sundarbans National Park is so much popular is because of its exclusivity to showcase the beauty of hundreds of Royal Bengal Tigers. However, wildlife lovers can also find monkeys, deers, wild boars, and crocodiles inside the park too. The place has also been declared as a world heritage site by UNESCO.
- Kanha National Park
It shouldn’t come as a surprise why the Kanha National Park has already received the honor of providing the beautiful setting for ‘The Jungle Book’ written by none other than the prominent author, Rudyard Kipling. Located in Madhya Pradesh, about 160 KM from Jabalpur, the place also has a significant population when it comes to leopards, Royal Bengal Tigers, Indian wild dogs, and sloth bears.
The reserve has been popularly known for its conservation and reserve programs through which many endangered wildlife species have been saved. In case you’re planning to visit the same, it should be known that March & April is the best time to visit since the weather will be hot & humid, and wildlife creatures would be coming out of their shelters in search of water. It’s also the largest national park located in Central India.
- Ranthambore National Park
Ranthambore National Park is one of the most photographed national parks located in India, particularly for its beautiful lakes and rustic environment. The place was a former hunting ground for the Maharaja of Jaipur, Rajasthan, and is named after the 1,000 years old Ranthambore Fort.
The place is home to almost 50 Royal Bengal Tigers, and the travel distance is quite manageable if you’re heading out from Delhi. Apart from being a good place to spot tigers, the reserve also houses the Sambar Deer, the Indian Gazelle, golden jackal, honey badger, pangolin, striped hyena, and other wildlife creatures.
- Bandhavgarh National Park
Bandhavgarh National Park was once the hunting grounds for the Maharaja of Rewa, the place is now home to the highest number of Royal Bengal Tigers. The reserve is also the natural habitat for the highest density of white tigers – thereby attracting tourists and nature lovers.
The place is currently spread over an area of 448 square kilometers along with a crossing area of 105 square kilometers. Some of the other wildlife animals found inside the national park are the Indian Bison, wild boar, Sambhar, deer, sloth bear, leopard, and the like. The place is also famous for its exotic collection of various types of bird species.