>BrownHairedGirl at 16:45, 26 May 2021

2021-05-26T16:45:31Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2019}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Dudhwa National Park
| alt_name = Dudhwa Tiger Reserve
| iucn_category = II
| photo = Dudhwa (30783128830).jpg
| photo_alt =
| photo_caption = Forest in Dudhwa National Park
| photo_width =
| map = India Uttar Pradesh
| map_alt =
| map_caption =
| map_width =
| location = [[Lakhimpur Kheri]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]]
| nearest_city = [[Palia Kalan]]
| coordinates = {{coords|28|30.5|N|80|40.8|E|display=inline, title}}
| area = 490.3
| established = 1977
| visitation_num =
| visitation_year =
| governing_body =
| world_heritage_site =
| url = http://uptourism.gov.in
}}
The '''Dudhwa National Park''' is a [[National parks of India|national park]] in the [[Terai]] belt of marshy [[grassland]]s of northern [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]]. It stretches over an area of {{convert|490.3|km2|abbr=on}}, with a buffer zone of {{convert|190|km2|abbr=on}}. It is part of the [[Dudhwa Tiger Reserve]] in the Kheri and Lakhimpur districts.<ref name=Mathur2008>{{cite report |author1=Mathur, P. K. |author2=Midha, N. |name-list-style=amp |year=2008 |title=Mapping of National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries, Dudhwa Tiger Reserve. NNRMS - MoEF Project, Final Technical Report |publisher=Wildlife Institute of India |location=Dehradun |url=http://moef.nic.in/downloads/public-information/Volume_IV_NPWS.pdf}} {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412062838/http://www.moef.nic.in/downloads/public-information/Volume_IV_NPWS.pdf |date=12 April 2015}}</ref> It is located on the Indo-[[Nepal]] border in the [[Lakhimpur Kheri District]], and has buffers of reserved forest areas on the northern and southern sides. It represents one of the few remaining areas of the diverse and productive Terai ecosystem, supporting many [[endangered species]], obligate species of tall wet grasslands and species of restricted distribution.<ref name="kumar09" />

==History==
[[File:DeerDudhwa Blue.jpg|thumbnail|right|Deer in Dudhwa]]
Dudhwa became a tiger reserve in 1979. The area was established in 1958 as a wildlife sanctuary for [[swamp deer]]. Thanks to the efforts of [[Billy Arjan Singh]] the area was notified as a national park in January 1977.<ref name="kumar09">{{cite book |author=Kumar, S. |year=2009 |title=Retrieval of forest parameters from Envisat ASAR data for biomass inventory in Dudhwa National Park, U.P., India. |publisher=Indian Institute of Remote Sensing and International Institute for Geo-information Science and Earth Observation |url=http://www.itc.nl/library/papers_2009/msc/gfm/kumar_shashi.pdf}}</ref> In 1987, the park was declared a [[tiger reserves of India|tiger reserve]] and brought under the purview of the ‘[[Project Tiger]]’. Together with the [[Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary]] and the [[Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary]] it forms the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve.<ref name=Mathur2008/>

==Climate==
Like most of northern India, Dudhwa has an extreme [[Climatic regions of India#Humid sub-tropical with dry winters|humid subtropical with dry winters]] (CWa) type of climate. Summers are hot with temperatures rising up to {{convert|40|C|abbr=on}}. During winters from mid-October to mid-March, temperatures hover between {{convert|20|and|30|°C|F|lk=off}}. The months of February to April are ideal for visiting the park.

Prevalent winds are westerly. The hot wind [[Loo (wind)|Loo]] blows strongly from mid-April up to end of May. [[Monsoon]] starting in mid-June and lasting up to September accounts for 90% of the rainfall of {{convert|150| cm|abbr=on}}. Temperatures range from between a minimum of {{convert|9|C|abbr=on}} in winter to a maximum of up to {{convert|45|C|abbr=on}} in peak summer.<ref name="kumar09"/>

==Habitat==
The area of the park falls within the Upper [[Gangetic plains]] and is a vast [[alluvial plain]] ranging in altitude from {{convert|150|m|ft|abbr=on}} in the farthest southeast to {{convert|182|m|ft}} in the extreme north. The park's mosaic of high forest interspersed with grasslands is characteristic of the Terai [[ecosystem]]s in India and the area is, probably, the last prominent remnant of this type of ecosystem. The forests, especially the [[Shorea robusta|sal]] forests, have always been very dense and can be categorized into northern [[Tropical evergreen forest|tropical semi-evergreen forest]], northern Indian moist [[deciduous forest]], tropical seasonal [[swamp forest]] and northern tropical [[dry deciduous forest]]. The main flora comprises sal, [[Terminalia tomentosa|asna]], [[Dalbergia sissoo|shisham]], [[Syzygium cumini|jamun]], [[Ficus glomerata|gular]], [[Streblus asper|sehore]] and [[Terminalia belerica|bahera]]. The grasslands comprise about 19% of the park. The wetlands constitute the third major habitat type and include the rivers, streams, lakes and marshes. While many of the major wetlands are [[perennial]] with some amount of surface moisture retained round the year, some dry up during hot summer.<ref name="kumar09" />

The park is home to one of the finest forests in India, some of these trees are more than 150 years old and over {{convert|70|ft|abbr=on}} tall.

==Fauna==
{{More citations needed section|date=December 2013}}
Major attractions of Dudhwa National Park are the [[Bengal tiger|tigers]] (population 58 in 2014){{Citation needed|date=June 2020}} and swamp deer (population over 1,600). [[Billy Arjan Singh]] successfully hand-reared and reintroduced zoo-born tigers and [[Indian leopard|leopards]] into the wilds of Dudhwa. Some rare species inhabit the park. [[Hispid hare]], earlier thought to have become extinct, was rediscovered here in 1984.

In March, 1984 [[Indian rhinoceros]] was reintroduced into Dudhwa from Pobitora Sanctuary in [[Assam]] and [[Nepal]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Kaziranga, The Rhino Land|last1=Oberai|first1=C.P.|date=2002|isbn=978-8176462594|publisher=B. R. Pub. Corp}}</ref>

The other animals to be seen here include [[swamp deer]], [[sambar deer]], [[barking deer]], [[axis axis|spotted deer]], [[hog deer]], [[sloth bear]], [[ratel]], [[jackal]], [[Viverrinae|civets]], [[jungle cat]], [[fishing cat]], [[leopard cat]].

Dudhwa National Park is a stronghold of the [[barasingha]]. Around half of the world's barasinghas are present in Dudhwa National Park.{{Citation needed|date=March 2010}} Smaller than the sambar deer, the barasinghas have 12 antlers that collectively measure up to {{convert|100|cm|abbr=on}}. One can spot herd of these rare animals passing through open grasslands. These animals are smaller than sambar deer and weigh around 180 kg. Due to their slightly woolly, dark brown to pale yellow cloak, the grasslands acts as the perfect camouflage.

=== Birds ===
The park has rich bird life, with over 350 species, including the [[swamp francolin]], [[great slaty woodpecker]] and [[Bengal florican]]. Dudhwa also boasts a range of [[migratory bird]]s that settle here during winters. It includes among others, [[painted stork]]s, black and white necked storks, [[sarus crane]]s, [[woodpecker]]s, [[Capitonidae|barbet]]s, [[kingfisher]]s, [[minivet]]s, [[bee-eater]]s, [[bulbul]]s and varied night [[birds of prey]].

There are also drongos, barbets, cormorants, ducks, geese, hornbills, bulbuls, teal, woodpeckers, heron, bee-eaters, minivets, kingfishers, egrets, orioles, painted storks, owls.

Dudhwa's birds in particular are a delight for any avid bird watcher where bengal florican is most popular between bird watchers. The marshlands are habitat for about 400 species of resident and migratory birds including the [[swamp francolin]], [[great slaty woodpecker]], [[Bengal florican]], plenty of [[painted stork]], [[sarus crane]], several species of [[owl]], [[Megalaimidae|Asian barbet]], [[woodpecker]] and [[minivet]]s. Much of the park’s avian fauna is aquatic in nature and found around Dudhwa’s lakes such as Banke Tal.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}

The endangered [[white-rumped vulture]] has been sighted in a group of 115 individuals.<ref>Singh, K. (2017). [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/115-endangered-vultures-sighted-on-a-tree-in-dudhwa-national-park/articleshow/59028140.cms 115 endangered vultures sighted on a tree in Dudhwa National Park]. The Times of India, 7 June 2017</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:The barasingha.jpg|[[Swamp deer]]
File:Dudhwa3.jpg|[[Hog deer]]
File:Dudhwa5.jpg|Elephants
File:Dudhwalive_chitra.JPG|[[Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle]]
File:Dudhwa1.jpg|Entrance to the park
File:Dudhwa River Side.JPG|Riverside
File:Swamps of Dudhwa National Park.jpg|Swamp
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikivoyage}}

{{National Parks of India}}
{{Protected areas in Uttar Pradesh}}
{{Lucknow division topics}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:National parks in Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Lakhimpur Kheri district]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Lakhimpur Kheri district]]
[[Category:Geography of Lakhimpur Kheri district]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1958]]
[[Category:1958 establishments in Uttar Pradesh]]

Dudhwa National Park - Revision history

>BrownHairedGirl at 16:45, 26 May 2021