Rajaji National Park

November 19, 2021
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Contents

  • Geography of the place: Uttarakhand
  • Landscape of the National Park
  • Ecology of the National
  • Park Flora
  • Fauna
  • Wildlife Conservation:
  • Project Tiger and Project Elephant

Geographical Location:

                    Uttarakhand

  • Lies between 28o 44′ & 31o 28′ N Latitude and 77o 35′ & 81o 01′ East longitude
  • Area of the state is 53483 sq. km

               Terrain and Topography
Hilly with large areas under snow cover and steep slopes

Physiology

Represents a cross- section of the Himalaya-

  1. The Trans-Himalaya
  2. Greater Himalaya or Himadri
  3. Lesser Himalaya
  4. Shiwalik Ranges
  5. The Plains of
    Dehradun, Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar.

Landscape of the National Park

  • Located in the Dehradun, Pauri Garhwal and Haridwar districts of Uttarakhand
  • The Ganges flows through the National Park for a distance of 24km.
  • The park has innumerable streams and brooks- making it rich and diverse.
  • Also offers ample opportunities to nature lovers to enjoy the captivating landscape.

Ecology of the Park

  • Has the largest area representing Shiwalik Eco-system.
  • The forests at the foothills are endowed with Sal trees and bamboo shoots.
  • Represents vegetation of several distinct zones and forest types
  • Low Alluvial Savannah Woodlands cover the
    drier southern margins of the park, in contrast to the Shiwalik Chir-Pine on the high reaches of the hills.

Flora

Catamixis bracharoides Eremostachys superba Anogeissue latifolia
Terminalia tomentosa Adina cordifolia
Terminalia ballerica
Lannea coromandelica Garuga pinnata
Lagerstromia parviflora

Fauna

  • Mammals: Elephants, Tiger, Mountain goat, Goral, Sambar, Barking deer, Hog deer, Nilgai, Wild pigs, etc.
  • Reptiles and insects: Pythons, King cobras, Indian monitor lizard, scolid wasps along with 60 species of butterflies
  • Birds: Chestnut-headed, Blue tailed, Green and Blue- bearded Bee-eaters, etc.

Wildlife Conservation

                    Project Tiger:

  • Rajaji tiger reserve holds a population of approximately 200 tigers.
  • The launching of Project Tiger in the Park has helped immensely in the conservation of tigers
  • Ample funding has improved infrastructure and resources, including trained manpower to protect wildlife and improve the quality of their habitat.
  • Steps like setting up Rajaji Tiger foundation and
    State Tiger Protection Force also helped in the long pending issue of rehabilitation of tribals and the shifting railway track.

Project Elephant:

  • Rajaji is a part of the Shivalik Elephant Reserve notified in 2002 – one of the 11 Elephant reserves in India and the only Elephant Reserve in the state.
  • This reserve holds a population of more than 1500 elephants.
  • The Park marks the northernlimits of the Asiatic elephant, is one of the safest heavens for jumbos in the country.
Celebrating Biodiversity