West Bengal is a wonderful Indian state with various cultures, histories, and natural forms.
It is filled with mountains, rivers, and forests and is home to numerous communities and a vast biosphere rich in flora and fauna, stretching from the Himalayas to the Ganges.
Because of the lower Himalayas, dense forest lands, and several tributaries of the Ganga that flows through the state, various parts of West Bengal have a number of wildlife sanctuaries and national parks that you can visit.
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The mountains and valley forests are home to numerous animal and plant species which are popular tourist spots as well.
In this article, you will get to know about the following wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in West Bengal,
- Neora Valley National Park
- Sajnekhali National park & Wildlife Sanctuary
- Buxa Tiger Reserve (Wildlife Sanctuary)
- Ramnabagan wildlife Sanctuary
- Jore Pokhri Wildlife Sanctuary
Let us explore some more details about these places…
1. Neora Valley National Park
| Location | Kalimpong |
The Neora Valley National Park, located in Kalimpong, is an ideal destination for nature lovers and trekkers.
It’s filled with a diverse ecology of flora and fauna, lush green valleys, meandering rivers, with snow-capped mountains in the background.
The park is home to various endangered species of Leopards, Red Pandas, and Musk Deer.
It spans 88 square kilometers with elevations varying from 1,500 meters to 3,000 meters and is fed by the Neora River.
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Black Bear, Sloth Bear, Golden Cat, Leopard Cat, Goral, Barking Deer, Sambar, and Himalayan Flying Squirrel are some other animal species you can find here.
The park’s varied geography allows visitors to see a variety of avifauna at various altitudes, including the Rufous-throated Partridge, Chestnut Headed Tesia, Babblers, Golden-throated Barbet, Brown Wood Owl, Mountain Hawk Eagle, and others.
King Cobra, Green Pit Viper, and Lizards are pretty common here. The Neora Valley National Park also comprises other tourist attractions like Tiffin Dara and Red Panda Camp.
2. Sajnekhali National park & Wildlife Sanctuary
| Location | Sajnekhaling |
The Sundarban Reserve’s Sajnekhali Wildlife Sanctuary encompasses 362 square kilometers.
The main attraction of the area is the mangrove groves. Visitors come here to view the great diversity of birds, mammals, amphibians, and fish, among the natural scenic landscapes.
Pelicans, Rhesus Macaques, Spotted Deer, Wild Boar, Fishing Cat, crocodiles, and Otter are among the species that can be spotted here.
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Monitor Lizard, Fishing Cat. A sloth bear, panther, chinkara, and wild hog can also be found. You can access the waterways with the steamboats.
There were many kingfishers, mongooses, wild boars, and parrots in the area. The forest appears to be fantastic. The river waters and sunset are both breathtaking.
3. Buxa Tiger Reserve (Wildlife Sanctuary)
| Location | Buxa Forest, Buxa |
The Buxa Tiger Reserve is located near the international border and shares a border with Bhutan.
It has an extremely bio-diverse ecosystem that represents the highly native Indo-Malayan region and is part of the Terai EcoSystem.
It encompasses eight different types of forests and covers an area of 117 square kilometers.
This place also shelters rare animal and bird species such as Tigers, Asian Elephants, Leopard Cats, Bengal Floricans, Regal Pythons, Slender-billed Vultures, Great Hornbills, etc.
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Gaur, Wild Boar, Sambar, Civets, Chital, and Elephants are some of the most common animal species that you can easily spot here.
Wagtails, Common Teals, Black Storks, Large Whistling Teals, and Minivets are among the bird species that can be seen.
Other things to do in Buxa are visiting Buxa Fort and Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple.
4. Ramnabagan wildlife Sanctuary
| Location | Baburbag, Bardhhaman |
Ramnabagan Wildlife Sanctuary, also known as Ramnabagan Mini Zoo, is located in Mouza Baburbag, right in the heart of Burdwan.
It spans an area of approximately 14.31 hectares.
If you want to know how the reserved forest turns into a Wildlife Sanctuary, then I can say that the transformation from a reserved forest into a deer park happened in 1978 when six spotted deer were introduced, and then it was eventually declared a wildlife sanctuary.
This sanctuary stands amidst the tall and stately Teak, Sal, and several other known trees and therefore Ramnabagan Wildlife Sanctuary is recognized as one of the finest sanctuaries in several ways.
It is home to a variety of wildlife species such as the gray langurs, black-buck, snakes, owls, storks, mongooses, leopards, etc.
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5. Jore Pokhri Wildlife Sanctuary
| Location | Dalkajhar Forest, West Bengal |
Jore Pokhri Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Darjeeling District of West Bengal.
The picturesque view of the sanctuary and the vivid flora and fauna makes the place very attractive.
It is home to several high-altitude animals, including the Himalayan Salamander, known locally as Gora.
This location is about 20 kilometers from Darjeeling town and is well set on a hilltop. The scenic and panoramic views of the serene surroundings, make this place a must-see.
The main attraction of JorePokhri is the twin lakes after which the place is named, as Jore means ‘pair’ or ‘two’ and Pokhri simply means ‘Lake’ in Nepali.
There are many wild forest trails in the park where you can walk through and view different wildlife such as swans, reptiles, and other faunas.
Wildlife tours in West Bengal’s wildlife sanctuaries have captured the attention of many wildlife enthusiasts over the years.
It allows you to interact with and explore a new community as well as their physical environment, which is an important aspect of Indian ecotourism.
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Don’t forget to photograph the indigenous and exotic species of animals, birds, and beautiful landscapes.
If you are a nature lover make sure to visit these amazing Wildlife Sanctuaries & National Parks in West Bengal.
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