JALDAPARA , GORUMARA , BUXA

The Dooars comprises of deciduous forests and grasslands and is home to some of West Bengal's most varied flora and fauna. The three most important parks here are listed below.

The Dooars comprises of deciduous forests and grasslands and is home to some of West Bengal's most varied flora and fauna. The three most important parks here are listed below.

Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary:

The Jaldapara wildlife sanctuary is situated in the Alipur Duar subdivision of Jalpaiguri District, in north Bengal.  The sanctuary covers an area of 216 sq. kms with forest, swamps and grass lands. The river Torsha runs through this area.

The sanctuary is home to the endangered Great Indian One Horned Rhinoceros and the Gaurs. Elephants, deer of various types, bears and  the Indian Bison, the Crested Eagle and the Fishing Eagle can also be seen.

Pics: 1) The one horned rhino and 2) the Crested Serpent Eagle.

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.

Anthropological & Cultural Heritage

This is the land where the primitive "Toto" tribe holds its last stand - refusing to be swamped by the main stream of civilization. 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 .

Bania ruins , the remains of an old fort and a big lake in Bania block, speak of the existence of an ancient settlement and culture. Locals believe that Nala Raja of the Epic lived here and the fort is called the "Nala Rajar Garh.

Quickfacts:

Total area : 216.51 km2
Location:
Latitude : 25° 58' to 27° 45' N
Longitude : 89° 08' to 89° 55' E
Topography
Altitude : 60 - 140m above msl
Climate
Temperature : 
2°C (Min); 41°C (Max)
Average rainfall : 992 mm 

PLACES OF INTEREST

Gorumara National Park:

This park is the other one to have the Great Indian One Horned Rhinoceros. Elephants and bisons are also found here. 

The Chapramari forest is nearby.

Buxa Fort & Tiger Reserve: 

This park is located in eastern Dooars. It is 2600 ft above sea level and is a two hour trek from Santrabari. The park is a tiger reserve. But this park has a high level of plant and animal biodiversity. Other than tigers, the Indian Bison, gaurs, bears and elephants are also found here. The rivers of Raidak and Jayanti flow through the forest.

Because of its remoteness the fort was used as a prison by the British. Many freedom fighters were imprisoned here. After independence, it has served as a refugee camp for Tibetans and Bangladeshis.

Wildlife

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. 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.

SINGHALILA NATIONAL PARK

Singhalila National Park is the highest located National Park(between 2400 m to 3650m A.S.L.) in West Bengal, and is situated in the extreme north western boundary of  Darjeeling District. The park is not only famous for its wildlife but also offers one of the best trekking routes in the eastern Himalayas -from Maneybhanjang near Darjeeling, via Tonglu to Sandakphu (35Km) and Phalut. The view of the Kanchendzonga range of peaks from Sandakphu is a breathtaking and unforgettable one. Viewed from Phalut, the Kanchedzonga looks close enough to touch. There is also a motorable road upto Sandakphu. Rail, road and air routes via New Jalpaiguri, Siliguri and Bagdogra, connect Darjeeling from Calcutta and Delhi.

MAHANANDA WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

The Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary constitutes the forests of the lower catchment area of the Mahananda river, and covers an area of 159.86 sq.km. Situated at the western end of the elephant migration route, more than 150 elephants shelter here during the monsoon and winter seasons. Migratory water birds are common in winter. The other animals found are the rare mountain goat (Serow), some tigers and herds of Gaur, leopards, wild pig, arieties of deer and monkeys, jungle cats, porcupines, civets, monitor lizards and snakes. The Sanctuary offers some beautiful trekking routes from Sukna. Golaghat, Deorali and the Latpancher-Mana track are the favorites for trekking and bird watching. Sukna, about 7 km from Siliguri, is the main entry point, and has a Nature Interpretation Centre.

GORUMARA NATIONAL PARK

Gorumara National Park, is one of the recent introductions to the National Parks map of India. It is famous for being one of the last small pockets in Eastern India with a natural population of the Great Indian one horned Rhinoceros. The Indian Elephant and the Indian Bison are also found. The National Park is found in the localities of Lataguri, Chalsa and Nagrakata, beside National Highway 31 which connects Siliguri and Guwahati. Siliguri is well connected by air, with flights from Calcutta, Delhi and Guwahati.

BUXA FORT

Buxa Fort is located at an altitude of about 2600 ft A.S.L. at a two-hour trekking distance from Santrabari. The trek is a very pleasant one with some beautiful scenery en route. Originally established as a cantonment by the British East India company in 1873, it was used by the British as a deportation camp for political prisoners during India's struggle for freedom. The area's general inaccessibility, as well as dense forests, made it ideal for this.Some illustrious freedom fighters who were imprisoned here were - Triloki Sen,, Arun Guha, Surendra Mohan Ghosh, Hemendra Ghosh, Anil Roy, Maj. Satya Gupta, Amalendu Dasgupta, Jagannath Das Gupta, Khitish Chandra Mullick, Bhupati Majumdar and many others. Post-independence, it lost its significance and until today remains rather neglected. In the sixties, Buxa Fort was used as a relief camp for Tibetan refugees. The Tibetan Buddhist monks who also sheltered here, attracted quite a few national and international tourists. During 1970-71, it was again used as a relief camp for Bangladeshi refugees for about six months. The trekking route to the fort both from Mahakal and Santrabari, is set amidst breathtaking scenery and provides trekkers with an opportunity to sample nature in a form unspoiled by modern influences. Details regarding Buxa are available from the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation, Calcutta.

JALDAPARA:

• Gorumara,
• Buxa Duar,
• Nalrajar Garh,
• Mainaguri.