Kaziranga National Park sets records for highest tourist footfalls for the season 2023-24
3rd April, 2024
Kaziranga National Park in Assam that is a UNESCO World Heritage site has witnessed a historic influx of tourists in 2023-24.
As per the official records, the authorities at Kaziranga National Park has stated that around 3.27 lakh tourists have visited the National Park this tourist season.
Tourist flow is still continuing as the season is still on and is expected to draw tourists upto May 2024 until the monsoon season in Assam kicks in and the park gets inundated with the flood waters.
Every year, Kaziranga National Park opens to tourists for the season starting October and extending upto mid May. The authorities at the park, organize Jeep and Elephant safari rides for visitors who can go inside the park to witness the rich flora, fauna and avifauna of Kazirana National Park and offcourse the pride of Assam and Kaziranga National Park, the Indian One Horned Rhinoceros species.
Apart from the Rhinos, Kaziranga is also home to the big 5 and also it is becoming very popular for its species of the Indian Tigers. The rare Golden Tiger species spotted at Kaziranga National Park is also drawing a lot of visitors to the state and this in turn generates ample revenue for the locals who are engaged in tourism related activities like hotels, safari, restaurants, parks, etc.
Jeep and Elephant Safari rides at Kaziranga National Park to remain closed for visitors during PM Modi’s visit
2nd March, 2024
Hon. PM Narendra Modi will be visiting Kaziranga National Park from March 7th to march 9th and to ensure that proper security measures are in place, the authorities of Kaziranga National Park have decided to stop the jeep and elephant safari rides for guests during this period of the PM’s visit to Kaziranga National Park. The jeep safari rides will be closed to visitors from March 7th to March 9th (forenoon) at the Kohora range and elephant safari rides will be closed from March 8th to March 9th at the Kohora range. This will allow proper security measures to be in place and the PM can go for the safari rides at the Kohora range of Kaziranga National Park.
Golden Tiger spotted again at Kaziranga National Park
1st March, 2024
Good news for all the wildlife lovers as the rare Golden Tiger species has been spotted again at Kaziranga National Park. A Coimbatore based photographer who was organizing a tour of his guests at Kaziranga National Park successfully captured the image of the Golden Tiger here at Kaziranga National Park. A few years back, an IFS officer had put up the picture of the Golden Tiger of Kaziranga National Park on his twitter handle that garnered a lot of views. Welcome to Kaziranga National Park, to spot this majestic Golden Tiger species.
32 km long elevated corridor to come up at Kaziranga National Park
27th February, 2024
In order to protect the lives of the many endangered animals of Kaziranga National Park, the Hon. CM of Assam, has announced that there will be a 32km elevated road corridor along the park. This comes as good news for the authorities of Kaziranga National Park who have to deal with a lot of challenges during the monsoon season time, especially where in they have to put adequate safety measures along the National Highway that runs along Kaziranga National Park. This comes as a great news to the authorities of Kaziranga National Park as the National Wildlife board had approved the road project near Kaziranga National Park for an elevated expressway. During the monsoon season, the NH37 that runs across Kaziranga National Park proves to be deadly for the animal species who try to migrate to higher grounds. Though various speed control measures are kept in place, yet many animals lose their lives to speeding vehicles along the highway stretch. This move will boost the infrastructure of Kaziranga National Park and the project will be a 35km elevated road project, that would cost approx. 6000 crores. This good news about Kaziranga National Park was announced by the Hon. CM of Assam, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sharma on his official twitter handle.
Kaziranga National Park starts tea tourism to boost tourist footfalls
Feb 28, 2024
The flavorful tea of Assam is known across the World and along with it is also renowned – the pride of Assam – the Indian One Horned Rhinoceros species of Kaziranga National Park. In a major boost to the tourism infrastructure of Kaziranga National Park, authorities have decided to introduce tea tourism at Kaziranga National Park. The area around Kaziranga National Park is filled with vast stretches of lush tea gardens and this will allow the tourists to witness the beauty of these tea gardens and also at the same time have the opportunity to explore these tea gardens and tea factories to witness how the flavorful tea of Assam is processed. In addition to the jeep, elephant and boat safari rides at Kaziranga National Park, the tea tourism will give a significant boost to the tourism infrastructure of Kaziranga National Park.
Man injured in rhino attack near Kaziranga National Park
On Saturday, a distressing incident occurred involving a rhinoceros in the Bafala area, suspected to have strayed from the Kaziranga National Park. Regrettably, one individual was injured during his morning walk when the rhino unexpectedly attacked him. The victim sustained serious injuries and was promptly admitted to the Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH) for medical attention.
Furthermore, while attempting to guide the rhino back towards its natural habitat within the national park, forest guards resorted to firing shots, resulting in another individual sustaining injuries. This unfortunate occurrence underscores the complexities and challenges associated with wildlife conservation efforts.
Exciting Discovery of New Species in Kaziranga National Park
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to provide a corrected version of the recent announcement regarding the discovery of two previously unknown species within the dense forests of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve.
Wildlife enthusiasts and conservationists in Assam were thrilled by the recent revelation of the binturong (Arctictis binturong) and the small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus) in this pristine wilderness. These discoveries contribute significantly to the rich biodiversity of the region and underscore the importance of ongoing efforts in wildlife monitoring and conservation.
Chirantanu Saikia, a dedicated tour guide and photographer from Tezpur, captured a rare sighting of the elusive binturong on camera. Similarly, Arun Vignesh, the Divisional Forest Officer of Eastern Assam Wildlife, played a pivotal role in documenting the small-clawed otter.
The binturong, also known as the bearcat, is a mammal native to South and Southeast Asia. This nocturnal creature, known for its arboreal lifestyle, is seldom encountered. With the majority of its population in India located in the Northeast region, it is classified as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to declining numbers and habitat loss.
In January 2024, during a jeep safari in Kaziranga’s Burapahar range, Saikia captured a photograph of an unidentified animal perched atop a tree, later identified as the elusive binturong.
The small-clawed otter, recognized as the smallest otter species globally, inhabits a wide range extending from India across South and Southeast Asia to southern China. Although predominantly found in protected areas such as West Bengal, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh within the Indian subcontinent, recent surveys have yet to confirm their presence in historical habitats like the western Himalayas and parts of Odisha.
Adapted to various aquatic environments, including rivers, streams, and wetlands, this otter species feeds on fish and crustaceans. However, their elusive nature and preference for densely vegetated habitats present challenges for conservation efforts.
Both species are listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 and are classified as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List due to threats such as habitat destruction, poaching, and declining prey populations.
These discoveries underscore the ecological significance of Kaziranga National Park and emphasize the importance of continued conservation efforts to protect the diverse wildlife of the region.
