Valmiki National Park

Coordinates: 27°19′54″N 84°9′45″E / 27.33167°N 84.16250°E / 27.33167; 84.16250
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Valmiki National Park
Valmiki Tiger Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary
West Champaran District, Bihar, India
Nearest cityBettiah
Coordinates27°19′54″N 84°9′45″E / 27.33167°N 84.16250°E / 27.33167; 84.16250
Area898.45 km2 (346.89 sq mi)
Established1978
Governing bodyGovernment of Bihar
Websitehttps://www.valmikitigerreserve.com/

Valmiki National Park is a

West Champaran District of Bihar, India.[1] It is the only national park in Bihar.[2]
Valmiki Tiger Reserve covers 898.45 km2 (346.89 sq mi), which is 17.4% of the total geographical area of the district. As of 2022, there were 54 tigers in the Reserve.

History

The extensive forest area of Valmikinagar (formally known as Bhainsa Lotan)[3] was previously owned by the Bettiah Raj and Ramanagar Raj until the early 1950s.[4] It was declared a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1978. Valmiki National Park was established in the year 1990. Total area of the park is about 335.65 Km2. Valmiki Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park is the 17th Tiger Reserve of the country.[4] The Valmiki Tiger Reserve comprises the National Park and the Wildlife Sanctuary.

Location

It is located in West Champaran which derives its name from two words, Champa and Aranya, meaning forest of Champa trees. Geographically, it is situated between 83°0 50′ and 84°0 10′ E longitude and between 27°0 10′ and 27°0 03′ N latitude. Total forest area comprises about 900 square kilometres (350 sq mi), out of which the Valmiki Wildlife Sanctuary is 880 square kilometres (340 sq mi) and spread of the National Park is about 335 square kilometres (129 sq mi) area. In the north, the protected areas are bordered by Nepal's Chitwan National Park while the Indian state Uttar Pradesh bounds the sanctuary from western side. Bihar Government is turning 800 hectares of forest in VTR into Grassland making it India's biggest grassland.[5]

Geography

Himalayan Foot Hills of Valmikinagar, Bihar
Valmikinagar Hydel Project, Bihar
Gandak River, Valmikinagar, Bihar

The landscape of Valmiki National Park encompasses foothills of the

Gangetic plains bio-geographic zone of the Country, the forest has combination of bhabar
and terai tracts. Boulder and pebble deposits by the Himalayan rivers in foothills characterized the Bhabar tract while the finer sediments deposits feature Terai lands.

Someshwar Hill Range and Dun Hill system with knife-edge ridges and precipitous slopes, cliffs, spurs, gorges, narrow valleys.[7]

Older

lateritic formations on higher contours
and newer Alluvium on southern parts with reissuing springs akin to artesian flows.

Criss-crossing and meandering rivers, streams and rivulets, man-made canals; swamps and grasslands are featured on these lands.

River Gandak forms the western boundary of Valmiki wildlife sanctuary. It enters in India at Valmikinagar, where two rivulets Sonha and Pachnad joins it, forming a holy confluence ‘Triveni’. The river is called ‘Narayani’ in Nepal. Harha – Masan River system originates from the Valmiki Forests and forms Burhi Gandak River
down south. River Pandai flows into Bihar (India) from Nepal in the eastern end of the Sanctuary and meets Masan. All these rivers with their precursor and tributaries namely Rohua, Kotrahia, Manor, Bhapsa, Koshil, Singha, Dhonghi, Ganguli, Dhoram are full of youth and verve. Their cascades in wanton and wayward playfulness while descending from hills ridges and gorges are enchanting. Meeting the planes they slowly mature to serene grandeur.

Fauna

Fauna of Valmiki National Park
Spotted Deer
Sambar

Mammals

The wildlife found in the forest of VTR are the

Indian gaur, mongoose
can also be sighted. The tiger's population in the Reserve was 10 in 2010, which increased to 22 in 2013 and then 54 in 2022.

There is site in Madanpur forest block on the main road from Madanpur to Valmikinagar where large number of Indian

flying fox, a type of bat
can be sighted any time.

Reptiles

The reptiles which are commonly found in VTR are

Gharials are found in River Gandak, as would be the case with a river that connects to the Ganges.[9][10]

Birds

At present 241

nightjars
, etc. can be easily sighted.

Butterflies

The jungle of VTR abounds in various kinds of moth, caterpillars and butterflies. Some common butterflies like common Mormon, great Mormon, glassy tiger, great eggfly, club beak, grey pansy, lime butterfly, common crow can easily be sighted.

Flora

A lake in Darua Bari, Valmiki Tiger Reserve
Jungle in Valmiki National Park

As per Champion and Seth classification, there are seven forest types found in VTR, which makes VTR a special destination for nature lovers.

  • Bhabar – Dun Sal Forest
  • Dry Siwalik Sal Forest
  • West Gangetic Moist Mixed Deciduous Forest
  • Khair – Sissoo Forest
  • Cane Brakes
  • Eastern Wet Alluvial Grassland
  • Barringtonia Swamp Forest

Due to diverse topographical and edaphic factors, the reserve harbors varied vegetation types. The Botanical Survey of India has categorized seven vegetation types within the limits of the sanctuary and the national park:

  • Moist mixed deciduous
  • Open – land vegetation
  • Sub-mountainous semi-evergreen formation
  • Freshwater swamps
  • Riparian fringes
  • Alluvial grasslands and high hill savannah
  • Wetlands

The important tree species found in valley area of VTR are Sal (

Terminalia tomentosa), Bahera (Terminalia bellirica
), Asidh (Lagestromia parviflora), Simal (Salmelia malaberica), Satsal (Dalbergia latifolia), etc.

In hilly regions apart from Sal, Piyar (Buchanania cochinchinensis), Mandar (Dillenia aurea), Banjan (Anogeissus latifolia), Bhelwa (Semecarpus anacardium), Harra (Terminalia chebula), Bodera (Eugenia operculata), etc. tree species are found. There is a special attraction of cane brakes which is mainly found in Madanpur Forest block and it is good habitat for Tiger. Cane occurs in damp areas along all most all the nalas of Madanpur Range. In Hindi cane is known as BETTH and the name Bettiah (District Headquarters of West Champaran District) is derived from this BETTH.

There is a small isolated patch of Chir Pine (Pinus roxburghii) forest locally known as DHUP found in Raghia Forest block. Generally Chir Pine forest occurs at the altitude of 4000 ft. to 5000 ft. but here it is found between the altitudes of 1000 ft. to 1700 ft. which is unique.

The grasses found in VTR are munj (

Bauhinia vahlii
) Mahai (Butea parviflora), Panilat (Vitis repanda), Ramdatwan (Smilax parviflora), and Arar (Acacia pinnate).

There are several medicinal plants found in VTR. Some of them are Satawar (Asparagus racemosus), Safed Musli, Dudhkoraiya (Holarrahena

antidysenterica), Amla (

Piper longum
), etc.

Cultural diversity

Cultural diversity
Bagya - rice flour dumplings made Tharu people

The Valmiki landscape harbors vivid socio-cultural diversity. The

scheduled tribe, is the dominant community in the landscape. There are several theories on colonization of this community in the Himalayan terai. Their prime occupation is agriculture and staple food is rice. They are non-vegetarian and like chicken, pork, snails and fish and gents relish liquor locally prepared from jaggery. The primary language is Bhojpuri . Rama Navami
is their main festival. They also maintain socio-cultural relationship with the Tharus of Nepal. Their population is around 2.5 lakh.

The scheduled tribes other than Tharu in the Valmiki landscape are collectively called Dhangar – which means retained labourer in Oraon dialect. Dhangar comprises four tribes:

Chhotanagpur Hills. Each Dhangar tribe has its own dialect
and they observe their traditional festivals. Currently their population is around 0.5 lakh.

Communities other than the tribes are called "Baaji". They are outsiders and involved in agriculture as well as small business in the villages.

Indian tiger reserve in the state of Bihar
.

See also

References

  1. ^ "How this Bihar sanctuary tripled tiger numbers in 10 yrs".
  2. ^ "Plan for eco city near tiger reserve". Archived from the original on 24 June 2018.
  3. ^ "Places of Tourist and Historic Interest".
  4. ^ a b "History | Valmiki Tiger Reserve". www.valmikitigerreserve.com. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  5. ^ "Bihar developing India's biggest grassland for Tigers". IANS. news.biharprabha.com. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  6. ^ "Gorge". 21 January 2011.
  7. ^ "Highest mountain peak in Bihar - know about the Someshwar Hills". Testbook. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  8. ^ "Landscape & Biodirversity – Valmiki Tiger Reserve". Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  9. ^ a b Jhala, Y. V.; Gopal, R.; Qureshi, Q., eds. (2008), Status of the Tigers, Co-predators, and Prey in India (PDF), TR 08/001, National Tiger Conservation Authority, Govt. of India, New Delhi; Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, archived from the original (PDF) on 2 June 2013
  10. ^ a b Jhala, Y. V., Qureshi, Q., Sinha, P. R. (Eds.) (2011). Status of tigers, co-predators and prey in India, 2010. National Tiger Conservation Authority, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. TR 2011/003 pp-302
  11. ^ Garshelis, David L.; Joshi, Anup R.; Smith, James L. D. & Rice, Clifford G. "Sloth Bear Conservation Action Plan" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
  12. ^ "Valmiki National Park". The Hindu. 7 May 2007. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 13 June 2009.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Valmiki_National_Park&oldid=1218698319"