Rajaji National Park

2022-02-15T09:59:04Z

103.99.13.118:

{{Short description|national park in Uttarakhand, India}}
{{More citations needed|date=April 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2017}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Rajaji National Park
| iucn_category = II
| photo =
| photo_caption =
| location = [[Uttarakhand]], [[India]]
| nearest_city = [[Haridwar]] and [[Dehra Dun]]
| map = India Uttarakhand#India
| relief = 1
| coordinates = {{coords|30|03|29|N|78|10|22|E|display=inline, title}}
| area_km2 = 820
| established = 1983
| visitation_num =
| visitation_year =
| elevation_min =
| elevation_max =
| governing_body = [[Principal Chief Conservator of Forests]], Uttarakhand
}}

'''Rajaji National Park''' is an Indian [[List of national parks of India|national park]] and [[Tiger reserves of India|tiger reserve]]<ref>http://projecttiger.nic.in/News/25_Newsdetails.aspx</ref> that encompasses the [[Shivaliks]], near the foothills of the [[Himalayas]]. It is spread over 820 km2.,<ref name=nic/> and three districts of [[Uttarakhand]]: [[Haridwar]], [[Dehradun]] and [[Pauri Garhwal]]. In 1983, three wildlife sanctuaries in the area namely, [[Chilla (Rajaji National Park)|Chilla]], Motichur and [[Rajaji]] sanctuaries were merged into one.<ref name=nic>[http://rajaji-nationalpark.co.in] Official website of [[Haridwar]].</ref>

Rajaji National Park has been named after [[C. Rajagopalachari]] (''Rajaji''), a prominent leader of the Freedom Struggle, the second and last [[Governor-General]] of independent India and one of the first recipients of India's highest civilian award [[Bharat Ratna]] (in 1954).

== Tiger reserve status ==

The Union government has given the nod to a proposal to grant the Rajaji National Park in Uttarakhand the status of a tiger reserve. It will be the second tiger reserve in the state after the Corbett Tiger Reserve and 48th Tiger Reserve of India. As per directions of the Tiger Conservative Authority of India, the Rajaji National Park will be core area of the Rajaji Tiger Reserve, while about 300 km2. of Shyampur range of the Haridwar forest division and parts of Kotdwar and Laldhang forest division, which function as a buffer zone, will also be included in the Tiger Project, augmented area to 1150 km2.

Final approval was accorded to Kudremukh (Karnataka) and '''Rajaji (Uttarakhand)''' for declaring as a tiger reserve in 15 April 2015.<ref>https://www.rajajitigerreserve.org.in/rajaji-national-park.php</ref> Rajaji became the second tiger reserve in Uttarakhand.<ref>http://hillpost.in/2015/04/rajaji-becomes-second-tiger-reserve-in-uttarakhand/103025/</ref>
<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/rajaji-park-notified-as-tiger-reserve/article7120327.ece | title=Rajaji Park notified as tiger reserve | newspaper=The Hindu | date=20 April 2015 | access-date=8 October 2020 }}</ref>

== Flora ==
<gallery>
File:THE INDIAN JUNGLE.jpg
</gallery>

Rajaji National Park of India is nestled between the Shivalik ranges and the Indo-Gangetic plains. Broadleaved deciduous forests, riverine vegetation, scrubland, grasslands and pine forests form the range of flora in this park. The dense jungles here are home to vivacious wildlife. The varied topography of the national park is also responsible for vivid animal life inhibited here. The under-wood is light and often absent, consisting of rohini [[Mallotus philippensis]], amaltas [[Cassia fistula]], shisham [[Dalbergia sissoo]], Sal [[Shorea robusta]], palash [[Butea monosperma]], arjun [[Terminalia arjuna]], khair [[Senegalia catechu]], baans [[Dendrocalamus strictus]], semul [[Bombax ceiba]], [[Desmodium oojeinense|sandan]], chamaror [[Ehretia]], amla [[Phyllanthus emblica]], kachnar Bauhienia variegata, ber [[Ziziphus mauritiana]], chilla [[Casearia]], bel [[Aegle marmelos]], etc.

== Fauna ==

Rajaji National Park is predominantly formed from dense green jungles, and this environment forms a habitat for a number of animals. The park is at the northwestern limit of distribution for both [[elephant]]s and [[tiger]]s in [[India]]. The park is most renowned for its elephants. The mountain goat, [[goral]] is another noteworthy resident. It is mainly confined to the precipitous pine-covered slopes. Besides the huge pachyderms and the nimble goats, you might come across huge herds of [[chital]], sometimes as many as 250 to a herd. [[Sambar (deer)|sambar]], barking deer, [[hog deer]], [[nilgai]], wild pigs and [[sloth bears]] also inhabit these forests though you may not always catch a glimpse of these. The rhesus macaque and the common langur are fairly common here. [[Tigers]] and [[leopards]] are the prime predators in Rajaji. The [[leopard cat]], jungle cat, civet and yellow-throated marten are other carnivores. Mammals like the jackal and the Bengal fox scavenge in the park. The Himalayan black bear though uncommon, can be sighted in the higher reaches of the park. Other wild animals found in the park include:

* [[Asian elephant]]
* [[Bengal tiger]]
* [[Indian Leopard]]
* [[Striped hyena]]
* [[Jungle cat]]
* [[Goral]]
* [[Indian hare]]
* [[Sloth bear]]
* [[Himalayan black bear]]
* [[King cobra]]
* [[Jackal]]
* [[Barking deer]]
* [[Sambar (deer)|Sambhar]]
* [[Wild boar]]
* [[Rhesus macaque]]
* [[Hanuman langur|Indian langur]]
* [[Indian crested porcupine|Indian porcupine]]
* [[Monitor lizard]]
* [[Python (genus)|Python]]

Over 315 species of birds are found in the park, whereas the wider region has over 500 species of birds, including both residents and migrants.<ref name=nic/> The most prominent avian species include pea fowl, vultures,<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Joshi|first1=Ritesh|title=The Return of the Nature’s Guard: Endangered Vulture’s Population on Rise in Rajaji National Park, North India|journal=International Journal of Environmental Protection|volume=2|issue=8|page=1|url=http://www.ij-ep.org/paperInfo.aspx?PaperID=941|access-date=2 August 2015}}</ref> [[woodpecker]]s, [[pheasant]]s, [[kingfisher]]s and [[Megalaimidae|barbets]], supplemented by a number of migratory species during the winter months. The park is also home to the [[great pied hornbill]], [[pied kingfisher]] and the fire tailed sunbird. This area is the first staging ground after the migratory birds cross over the Himalayas into the Indian subcontinent.{{Citation needed|date=March 2012}}

The rivers which flow through the park harbour species of fish such as [[trout]] and [[mahseer]].

==Access==
The park has several gates, and is accessible from many cities in Uttrakhand e.g. [[Dehradun]], [[Kotdwar]], [[Haridwar]] and [[Rishikesh]]. [[Saharanpur]], which is linked by [[train]] to other parts of India, is another popular point to reach the Mohand area of the park in nearly an hour by road.

==Incidents==

Rajaji National Park was in the news in April 2010 when a forest fire which started on the fringes of the park, spread out over a large area and threatened the [[Chandi Devi Temple, Haridwar|Chandi Devi Temple]].<ref>[http://www.ndtv.com/news/cities/fire-rages-for-2nd-day-at-rajaji-national-park-19684.php Article], [[NDTV]].com, 10 April 2010</ref>
There are also many leopards that are becoming man eaters leading to many man-animal conflict situations. Elephants require a very large area and they may wander into populated areas. Unfortunately, Rajaji is just outside the Indian city of [[Haridwar]] and there are many wild animals wandering in the city.{{Citation needed|date=November 2020}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{National Parks of India}}

https://rajajinationalpark.org/about/

{{Uttarakhand}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:National parks in Uttarakhand]]
[[Category:Memorials to C. Rajagopalachari]]
[[Category:Pauri Garhwal district]]
[[Category:Haridwar district]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1983]]
[[Category:1983 establishments in Uttar Pradesh]]

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Rajaji National Park