One of the few parks in the sub-continent where animals are as visible as in the African
plains, Kaziranga National Park in India’s eastern Assam province has extensive grasslands, lakes and forest.

In 1985, UNESCO declared the Kaziranga National Park a World Heritage Site. Known for the largest remaining population of one-horned rhinos, it is an important home for swamp deer, wild buffalo, hog deer, otters, Ganges dolphin and India’s only ape, the Hoolock gibbon.

It provides wintering ground for bar-headed geese and other migratory waterfowl. The park is open from November 15 to June 15 and the best time to visit is between November and April.

Lying along the mighty Brahmaputra River, the Kaziranga National Park covers an area of about 430 sq km. Its swamps and grasslands support the largest number of rhino in the sub-continent.

At Kaziranga, the open country makes wildlife viewing fairly easy. A day’s outing is often sufficient for visitors to see most of the major species here. Elephants take them into the park at dawn. As the mist lifts and the raising sun touches the hills in the distance, herds of barasingha and wild buffalo are to be seen in the marshes.

The most ferocious bovine in the world, the massive wild buffalo is impressive and can weigh up to 915 kg. Rhinos browse unconcernedly as the visitors pass by and an occasional herd of elephants or wild boar is also sighted.

The grasslands are raptor country and the crested serpent eagle, the Pallas fishing eagle and grey-headed fishing eagle can be seen circling over the marshes. The water-bird variety includes swamp partridge, bar-headed goose, whistling teal, the Bengal florican, storks, herons and pelicans.