Rajaji National park, History, Feature, Fauna and Forest Type

Rajaji National Park

Rajaji National Park is a national park and tiger sanctuary that is located close to the Himalayan foothills and includes the Shivaliks. It was designated as a tiger sanctuary in 2015, making it the second in Uttarakhand and the 48th overall in India. The UPSC Syllabus includes Rajaji National Park and all national parks as a significant topics of Environment subject. The UPSC Mock Test can help candidates prepare for the exam with more precision.

Rajaji National Park History

In 1983, the three Uttarakhand sanctuaries of Rajaji, Motichur, and Chila were combined into one sizable protected territory and given the name Rajaji National Park in honour of the illustrious freedom fighter C. Rajgopalachari, also known as “Rajaji.”

Also Read: Periyar National Park

Rajaji National Park Features

A total of 820 square kilometres make up the Rajaji National Park & Tiger Reserve, which also contains portions of the Dehradun, Shiwalik, and Lansdowne Forest Divisions and the wildlife sanctuaries Rajaji, Motichur, and Chilla.  In 1983, these three reserves were combined to form Rajaji National Park, which bears the late Rajagopalachari’s name. The Shiwalik environment is represented by Rajaji National Park, which is located along the Shiwalik ranges’ hills and foothills in the Himalayan foothills.

Rajaji National Park, which incorporates the three sanctuaries Chilla, Motichur, and Rajaji, is dispersed across the Uttarakhand regions of Pauri Garhwal, Dehradun, and Saharanpur. The neighbouring Motichur and Rajaji sanctuaries are separated from the Chilla Sanctuary to the southeast by the Ganges River and the Chilla River.

Rajaji National Park Forest Types

The region has been identified as an Indus-Ganges Monsoon Forest type because it is covered in a variety of forest kinds, from semi-evergreen to deciduous, and from mixed broad-leaved to terai grassland. The Sal Forest and a few other forest types, such as the Western Gangetic Moist, Northern Dry Deciduous, and Khair-Sissoo forests, make up the bulk of Rajaji’s cover. Low Alluvial Savannah Woodlands are found on the park’s drier southern margins, in contrast to the Shiwalik Chir-Pine on the hills’ higher reaches.

Also Read: Eravikulam National Park

Rajaji National Park Fauna

The park is home to the Asian Elephant, whose northern and westernmost protected boundaries are this park, as well as the Cheetal, Barking deer, Sambar deer, Wild Boar, and antelopes like the Nilgai and Goral. Monkeys include the Hanuman Langur and the Rhesus Macaque.  Some of the small mammals that can be found in the area include the Indian Hare and the Indian Porcupine.

There are 400 different bird species in the area. The Crested Kingfisher, Crimson Sunbird, and Oriental Pied Hornbill are a few birds that call our refuge home. Additionally, it safeguards lesser predators like the Jackal, Hyena, Jungle Cat, Leopard Cat, Civets, Himalayan Yellow-Throated Marten, Himalayan Black, and Sloth Bears as well as carnivores like the Royal Bengal Tiger under Project Tiger.

Rajaji National Park as Tiger Reserve

The Union government has given its permission to the proposal to designate Rajaji National Park in Uttarakhand as a tiger reserve in 2015. After the Corbett Tiger Sanctuary, it is the second tiger sanctuary in the state and the 48th overall in India.

While covering about 300 km2, the Rajaji National Park is the centre of the Rajaji Tiger Reserve.  The Tiger Project will expand its territory to 1150 km2 and include the Shyampur range of the Haridwar forest division as well as portions of the Kotdwar and Laldhang forest division, which serve as a buffer zone.

Rajaji National Park UPSC

There are more than 500 elephants, 12 tigers, 250 panthers, and a variety of animals, such as spotted deer, sambhar, wild boar, barking deer, and goral. Rajaji National Park is the ideal place to see wildlife and birds because it has two types of bears—Himalayan Black and Sloth—and more than 400 different varieties of birds. Students can read all the details related to UPSC visiting the official website of StudyIQ UPSC online Coaching.

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