MarylinBrantley at 04:56, 22 February 2026

2026-02-22T04:56:15Z

New page

{{short description|National park in Jharkhand, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Betla National Park
| iucn_category = II
| map = India Jharkhand#India
| map_caption = Location in Jharkhand
| image = Entrance of Betla national park.jpg
| image_caption = Entrance of Betla national park
| location = [[Latehar district|Latehar]] and [[Palamu district]], [[Jharkhand]], [[India]]
| nearest_city = [[Medininagar]]
| coordinates = {{coord|23.87|N|84.19|E|format=dms||display=inline,title}}
| area_km2 = 226.32
| established = {{ubl| 1974 ([[Tiger Reserve]])|1986 (National Park)}}
| visitation_num =
| visitation_year =
| governing_body = [[Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change]], Jharkhand Forest Department
| url = [https://forest.jharkhand.gov.in/wings_wildlife_protectedarea_betla.aspx Betla National Park ]
| relief = y
| mapframe = Yes
}}
'''Betla National Park''' is a national park located in the [[Latehar district|Latehar]] and [[Palamu district]] of [[Jharkhand]], [[India]]. Its the only national park in the state.<ref>{{Cite web |author=OT Staff |date=2025-08-26 |title=Did You Know About Jharkhand's Only National Park, Betla? |url=https://www.outlooktraveller.com/experiences/nature/did-you-know-about-jharkhands-only-national-park-betla |access-date=2025-08-30 |website=Outlook Traveller |language=en}}</ref> It is spread over an area of {{cvt|226.32|km2}} and is a part of the [[Palamau Tiger Reserve|Palamu Tiger Reserve]].<ref name="news9live2024">{{Cite news|url=https://www.news9live.com/knowledge/natural-beauty-of-jharkhand-this-is-the-states-only-national-park-2508960|title=A journey to Betla National Park, the only national park in the state|publisher=news9live|date=23 April 2024|access-date=7 January 2025}}</ref> It was declared a national park in 1986. The park hosts a wide variety of wildlife.<ref name="tourism.webindia123">{{cite web|url=https://tourism.webindia123.com/tourism/wildlife/tigerreserves/betla_national_park/index.htm|title=BETLA NATIONAL PARK & TIGER RESERVE|website=tourism.webindia123}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/jharkhand/winter-holiday-rush-at-betla-netarhat/cid/1340501|title=Winter holiday rush at Betla, Netarhat|website=telegraphindia|date=11 November 2017}}</ref>

==Geography==
Betla was one of the first national parks in India to become a tiger reserve under [[Project Tiger]] in 1974.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Destination ::Jharkhand Tourism Development Corporation Ltd.|url=https://jharkhandtourism.gov.in/destinationDetails/70|website=jharkhandtourism.gov.in|access-date=2020-05-11|archive-date=2019-10-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191023060635/http://jharkhandtourism.gov.in/destinationDetails/70|url-status=dead}}</ref> It was declared a national park in 1986. It is spread over {{cvt|226.32|km2}} area in [[Palamu district|Palamu]] and [[Latehar district]] and is a part of [[Palamau Tiger Reserve|Palamu Tiger Reserve]], which comprises a total area of {{cvt|1129.93|km2}}.<ref name="news9live2024"/> The tourist zone area is {{cvt|53|km2}} in the buffer zone.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/national/dna-profiling-of-elephants-as-part-census-begins-in-jharkhand-news-286452|title=DNA Profiling Of Elephants As Part Census Begins In Jharkhand|publisher=Outlook India|date=15 May 2023|access-date=9 January 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/tiger-spotted-in-tiger-less-jharkhands-palamau-reserve-after-3-years-1201442.html|title=Tiger spotted in 'tiger less' Jharkhand's Palamau reserve after 3 years|date=18 March 2023|access-date=11 January 2025}}</ref> Betla is an acronym for [[bison]], [[elephant]], [[tiger]], [[leopard]] and axis-axis which are found in the Park.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://latehar.nic.in/places-of-interest/|title=Places of Interest|website=Latehar.nic|access-date=31 January 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.travelandleisureasia.com/in/destinations/india/netarhat-ecotourism-destination-in-jharkhand/|title=Jharkhand To Promote Netarhat As An Ecotourism Destination; Here's All About The Serene Hill Station|work=Travel and Leisure asia|date=20 December 2022|access-date=31 January 2025}}</ref> The park is under the administration of the Forest Department.<ref>{{cite web|title=List of National Parks of India|url=http://www2.wii.gov.in/nwdc/list_existing_np.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070109172600/http://www.wii.gov.in/nwdc/list_existing_np.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 January 2007|publisher=Wildlife Institute of India|access-date=8 March 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=List of National Parks of India|url=http://www2.wii.gov.in/nwdc/nparks.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120805215014/http://www2.wii.gov.in/nwdc/nparks.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 August 2012|publisher=Wildlife Institute of India|access-date=8 March 2012}}</ref>

==Flora==
The forests of the park have a vast range of vegetation consisting of [[Shorea robusta|sal]] and [[bamboo]] as the major components along with a number of medicinal plants. The [[North Koel River]] and its tributaries flow through the northern portion of the park, producing grasslands.<ref name="Economictimes2021">{{Cite news|url=https://m.economictimes.com/news/india/leopards-now-rein-in-tigers-palamu-abode-once-credited-with-worlds-1st-tiger-census/articleshow/83279349.cms|title=Leopards now rein in Tigers Palamu abode, once credited with world's 1st tiger census|publisher=Economic Times|date=6 June 2021|access-date=7 January 2025}}</ref><ref name="tourism.webindia123"/>

==Fauna==
[[File:Monkey in betla park.jpg|thumb|A monkey in the Betla National Park]]
[[File:Wild gaur.jpg|thumb|[[Gaur]] in Betla National Park]]
The park has a diverse ecosystems and an abundance of wild animals. The national park is home to variety of wild animals including [[chital]], [[sambar deer|sambar]], [[gaur]], [[Indian elephant|elephants]], [[nilgai]], [[muntjac]], [[wild boar]], [[Golden jackal|jackal]], [[Indian wolf|wolf]], [[Indian leopard|leopard]], [[tiger]], [[Striped hyena|hyena]], [[sloth bear]], [[Colobinae|langurs]], [[Rhesus macaque|rhesus monkeys]], [[Indian giant squirrel]], [[Chevrotain|mouse deer]], [[four-horned antelope]]s, [[Small Indian civet|small indian civet]], [[Indian pangolin]], [[Indian porcupine]], [[mongoose]] and [[jungle cat]].<ref name="tourism.webindia123"/><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7R2aDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT46|title=National Parks of India|author=R. S. Bisht|page=46|publisher=Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting|year=1995|isbn=9788123022963|access-date=7 January 2025}}</ref>

The park hosts a variety of birds including the [[hornbill]], [[peafowl]], [[red jungle fowl]], [[black partridge]], [[white-necked stork]], [[black ibis]], [[Grey-headed swamphen|swamphen]], [[quail]], [[Bucerotidae|pied hornbill]], [[wagtail]], [[harial]], [[dove]], [[drongo]], [[crested serpent-eagle]], [[forest owlet]] and [[Common hawk-cuckoo|papeeha]].<ref name="tourism.webindia123"/><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JYFmoOWfmX8C&pg=PA61|title=Handbook of National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries and Biosphere Reserves in India|author=Sharad Singh Negi|page=61|publisher=Indus Publishing Company|year=2002|isbn=9788173871283|access-date=7 January 2025}}</ref>

==Other points of interest==
*[[Palamu Fort]], 17th century fort built by [[Chero dynasty|Chero Kings]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/my-kolkata/places/in-jharkhand-the-twin-forts-of-palamu-near-betla-are-the-remains-of-the-mughal-era-chero-dynasty/cid/1857554|title=Tracing history at the Mughal-era forts of Palamu|publisher=Telegraph India|date=25 March 2022|access-date=7 January 2025}}</ref>

==Ecotourism==
The park provides several opportunities to observe a variety of wildlife at close range. Jeep safaris are available with guides for venturing inside the park. Watch towers have been constructed to view the wildlife.<ref name="tourism.webindia123"/>

===Access===
Betla National Park is {{convert|25|km|mi|abbr=on}} south from [[Medininagar]], {{convert|65|km|mi|abbr=on}} northwest from [[Latehar]] and {{convert|170|km|mi|abbr=on}} northwest from [[Ranchi]].<ref name="Economictimes2021"/><ref name="news9live2024"/>

===Accommodation===
The accommodation facilities in the tourist complex include hotels, tourist lodges, log huts and tree houses inside the forest.<ref name="prabhatkhabar2023">{{Cite news|url=https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/jharkhand/palamu/no-entry-removed-in-betla-national-park-some-new-rules-implemented-for-visiting-tourists-advance-booking-started-jbj|title=बेतला नेशनल पार्क में नो इंट्री खत्म, घूमने के लिए कुछ नए नियम लागू, एडवांस बुकिंग शुरू|publisher=[[Prabhat Khabar]]|date=30 September 2023|access-date=7 January 2025|language=Hindi}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Betla National Park }}
{{Wikivoyage inline|Betla National Park}}

{{National Parks of India}}
{{Palamu Division topics}}
{{Protected areas of Jharkhand}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:National parks in Jharkhand]]
[[Category:Latehar district]]
[[Category:Chota Nagpur dry deciduous forests]]
[[Category:Protected areas with year of establishment missing]]

Betla National Park - Revision history

MarylinBrantley at 04:56, 22 February 2026