One of the most majestic animals to still roam the surface of earth is the Rhinoceros (or, ‘Rhino’ in short), an endangered species. And one of their largest homes is the Kaziranga National Park in Assam. This makes it one of the most important National Parks in the world. The “UNESCO World Heritage Site” tag is just an official proof of it. But if you are pondering over why Kaziranga and Rhinos are so important, this article (in the first section) will certainly answer your questions to a large extent. Apart from that, the article (in the second section) has all the travel tips one needs to visit this national park in north-east India.
Kaziranga doesn’t disappoint many!
You reach a National Park after a hard, long drive, wake up early in the morning and go on a jungle trail or safari to catch glimpse of a star animal (like tiger or lion) in their natural environment. But most visitors get disappointed not to see one there! One common complaint of visitors to most national parks/ sanctuaries is that they hardly see any major wildlife there except for the deer and some birds.
Kaziranga National Park is refreshingly different. It’s almost certain that you will come across a great one-horned Indian Rhino there, for which it’s known world over. Apart from the rhinos, one can also easily see swamp deer, wild water buffalos, and the elephants; and if you are lucky, you will also spot some tigers and hornbills.
Suggested similar reading: Great Himalayan National Park || Sundarbans National Park
Interesting history of Kaziranga National Park
A wife convinces her man to set up the Kaziranga Reserve Forest
Though Rhinos are visible easily these days, back in 1904, Mary Curzon, wife of the the Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon, was not so lucky. On her visit to see the great Rhinos of Kaziranga, she saw none! Being annoyed with this, she convinced the Viceroy about the need for conservation of Rhinos. And thus came up the Kaziranga Reserve Forest in 1905. Much later in 1974, the government of India declared it as a National Park.
The UNESCO declared Kaziranga as a World Heritage Site in 1985 for its unique natural habitat. It describes the park as the single largest undisturbed and representative of Brahmaputra valley flood plain. With increasing tiger population, Kaziranga has also been declared as a Tiger Reserve in 2006.
Why Kaziranga and Rhinos are important?
Kaziranga’s biodiversity: Beautiful landscape and rich fauna & flora
With a sprawling 430 sq km area under the national park, Kaziranga is one of the largest national parks in India, and perhaps the finest, certainly for me. The sheer variety of wildlife and the high chance of witnessing them, make the park most worthy of a visit. Add to that the spectacular landscape with beautiful elephant grassland, crisscrossed by 4 rivers including the Brahmaputra. You have a real feast for the traveler’s spirit. Moreover, the tropical broadleaf forests with marshland make for a delightful jungle safari.
Kaziranga is home to 2413 one-horned Indian Rhinos (70% of the world population) and has one of the largest concentration of the royal Bengal Tiger and Asiatic Elephants. Among others, prominent ones are wild water buffalos, swamp deer, gibbons and variety of birds (490 species).
So, this makes Kaziranga with or without the Rhinos absolutely important for the environment and life.
Why should we care about biodiversity?
One can never overemphasize the importance of biodiversity in our lives. Everything on earth is interconnected; we don’t live in a vacuum. All the life forms- animals, plants and micro-organisms depend on each other, and the non-living things as well. We can never imagine the benefits we receive from the invisible bacteria and unpleasant insects!
Extinction of one species can lead to the same fate for many others dependent on them, and ultimately, the human beings. Thus, it’s only in our interest to preserve our biodiversity. To learn more, check out: Why biodiversity is important?
The majestic Rhinos of Kaziranga
Though Kaziranga is rich in biodiversity, its name and fame are largely connected to the Rhinos. So, let’s speak a bit more about this majestic animal. One of the most ancient of mammals, Rhinos are peaceful herbivorous giants, much like the elephants. Because of its heavy built, it has to munch up to 40 kgs of vegetation daily to survive. They live up to 45 years on an average.
Rhinos are especially important for maintaining a healthy ecosystem for other animals, both big and small sharing the habitat with them. They also help fostering the growth of several smaller organisms.
The Rhino Fun Facts!
Do you know?
- That black and white Rhinos are actually grey? (What’s in a name!)
- ‘Rhino’ literally means ‘Nose Horn’. BUT. The Rhino horn is not actually a horn! It’s a bunch of hair!
- They can run at 30-40 kms per hour! Don’t go by their size or appearance.
- When Rhinos want to communicate with each other, they just poo! (No wonder they poo 23 kgs/day)
There is a beautiful little story written by Rudyard Kipling: “How the Rhinoceros got his wrinkly skin“. Enjoy!
Extinction of Rhinos and conservation efforts in Kaziranga
The sad story of Rhino extinction
In the last few decades, governments all over the world, the WWF and large number of Civil Society Organizations are making extraordinary efforts to save the Rhino. And the efforts have started showing positive results. Poaching in Africa and Asia has come down.
Successful Rhino conservation in Kaziranga
Kaziranga’s conservation drive has been extremely successful (check status). The major two threats facing the Rhinos of Kaziranga are poaching and the annual floods. Strict police patrolling in the forest area, and construction of mud platforms (safety against floods) have meant that the dwindling greater one-horn Indian Rhino population (around 200 in 1905) has now increased to reach the 2400 mark. Rhino poaching has come down from a peak of 41 in 2013 to only 1 in 2021.
Thus, Kaziranga has proved to be as much important to the survival of Rhinos, as Rhinos have been important to the fame of Kaziranga.
Need for community-led conservation
In spite of its success, the hardline conservation measures in Kaziranga have faced severe criticism at times. A BBC documentary published in 2017 is a case in point. It pointed the authorities’ alleged “shoot at sight” orders, and eviction of villages as taking the conservation efforts a bit too far.
I think that even though conservation is important, life and livelihoods of the poor living in the forest peripheries for hundreds of years can not be compromised. Because this is not a sustainable method of conservation. There has to be a balance between wildlife conservation, and human welfare. Moreover, the community needs to be part of the conservation efforts for long-lasting results.
My visit to Kaziranga to see the Rhinos
A winter morning in Kaziranga
I visited Kaziranga to see the Rhinos (of course, for more than that) in the winter of December 2019 with a friend- Putul from Guwahati. Winters are quite pleasant in Assam with day-time temperatures hovering around 22 degrees (Celsius). The trip was a bit adventurous and a bit fun. We didn’t stay many days there; otherwise, it could have been more fun.
{If you are interested in adventurous trips, read: “Triund Peak: Trekking in a Garden“}
We reached in the national park area late in the evening, and checked into a family-run guesthouse in Kohora.
There are four major gates to enter the national park (Mihimukh- central, Bagori and Ghorakati- western, Agaratoli- eastern). We entered from the Mihimukh gate, one of the popular gates (Bagori is the other one).
Elephant safari in the elephant grassland
When I went there, we had to book an elephant safari at the gate only; there was no online method. So, we had to reach there well before 5 AM to book a ride; otherwise, we would have to miss it that day!
Once we had the booking, they took us by a jeep to the elephant pick up point. It was indeed an interesting sight to see a high platform built there for getting on to the elephant back. There were at least 15-20 elephants waiting for their rides. Each elephant carried 2-3 visitors. The experienced mahouts expertly guided the elephants towards probable rhino sighting locations. The landscape covered with elephant grass and trees was fascinating.
My first Rhino sighting
To be honest, visiting Kaziranga without seeing Rhinos would have left me unfulfilled. Fortunately for me, it was not too long after starting, we came to our first Rhino sighting. It was just 8-feet away from us, and was eating away the grass nonchalantly. I was of course quite excited to see a Rhino for the first time in my life.
I wished I had carried my DSLR with me! (thus, the pictures of animals are not great!). Though we wanted to stay there for a little longer, there were so many other visitors wanting to have their turn! So, we had to move.
The mahout kept guiding through the forests and small rivers. And we sighted another Rhino in 15 minutes. And then a lot of other wildlife like the swamp deer and wild water buffalos. Riding that elephant through the forests for over an hour was a great experience in itself.
After the elephant safari, we spent substantial time within the periphery of the park enjoying its natural beauty.
Kaziranga : Travel Tips
Best time to visit:
Kaziranga remains closed due to heavy rains during the monsoon times- June to October. So, November to May are the months when Kaziranga is open for visitors. In late winter/ early summer a lot of wild animals flock around the water bodies; so, are easily witnessed. Winter months (Nov-Feb) are actually pleasant; March-May are hot and humid.
How to reach:
Being state capital of Assam, Guwahati is well connected with rest of India by air and railway. From Guwahati, one can take a private taxi to Kaziranga, approximately 200 kms away (3 hours) towards east of Guwahati. Local buses are frequently available for a budget option. Furkating is the closest major railway station to Kaziranga (75 kms), from where one has to take a taxi. So, I would suggest taking a bus or taxi from Guwahati is a better option.
Safari information:
Elephant safari:
- Gates: Mihimukh and Bagori
- Timings: 5.30 AM- 6.30AM and 6.30 AM to 7.30 AM; it’s better to take the earlier one.
Jeep safari:
- Gates: All four gates (Mihimukh, Bagori, Ghorakati, Agaratoli)
- Timings: 8.00 to 10.00 AM and 2.00 to 4.00 PM.
Where to stay:
Nearest convenient places are: Kohora and Bagori
- Suggested budget options: Manorama lodge (Kohora) | Homestaytion (Kohora) | Kaziranga Florican lodge
- Government accommodation: There are 8 properties of the government to choose from. Check out by clicking on the link.
- Luxury stay options: Diphlu River Lodge | Resort Borgos | Landmark Woods | Bon Habi Resort | Dhanshree Resort | Jupuri Ghar | Iora – the Retreat | Infinity Resort | Nature Hunt eco camp |
Where to eat:
Helpful planning tips:
- One can club the Kaziranga trip with a day or two in Guwahati. The major attractions in Guwahati are the famous Kamakhya temple, and the mighty Brahmaputra river.
- Elephant safari is far better than jeep safari. It takes you really close to the animals.
- Keep at least two days in hand. Take one elephant safari from Mihimukh, and one from Bagori. And maybe one jeep safari to cover wider areas within the national park.
- Keep a binocular with you for better wildlife sighting.
Concluding Remarks
Rhinos keep fighting for survival
Rhinos seem to be safe in the Kaziranga, but only for the time being. More and more threats are cropping up by the day. Among others, land encroachment, traffic on the highway passing through the national park, mining, and rapidly increasing tourism are some of the new menaces. So, the authorities have to find out ways of controlling the pressure of tourism in terms of need for hotels, restaurants, roads, etc. Indeed, Sustainable tourism is the order of the day.
Besides, increasing population in the forest periphery means need for more farmland, and houses. Understandably, the authorities face a daunting task to avoid man-animal conflict, and maintain a balance.
So, the ancient mammals have to keep fighting against their adversaries every day in order to survive.
A few questions to ponder over
I hope earnestly that you got some answer to your question of why Kaziranga and Rhinos are so important. However, to conclude, I would like to pose a few questions to myself, and for you to ponder over.
Why is survival of the Rhinos important in Kaziranga and elsewhere? The convenient answer is: because, they are good for biodiversity (which is good for human beings). Then, why is biodiversity important? The most convenient answer, again, is: Because, it’s good for us. It’s useful for our life and livelihoods.
Is not this too selfish and too arrogant of us to have these reasons for the survival of the Rhinos and importance of biodiversity? Can’t they be there as they are? Even if they were not useful to us? Don’t they have the right to just be there on the planet irrespective of their utility to human beings?
I am leaving you with this ethical aspect of conservation. Do share your thoughts with me on the subject.
Putul Bhuyan
Thanks for sharing the Kaziranga trip, undoubtedly it was a pleasant trip for both of us.
stampedmoments
Absolutely, very pleasant and enjoyable trip.
Thanks a lot for planning and taking care of everything.
Jayvanti Einjen
Nice
stampedmoments
Thank you.
SOUMEN CHATTERJEE
A great article to read. 1st I would like to answer the questions asked by you By helping protect rhinos, we’re helping to conserve their habitat for the benefit of people and wildlife, helping support local communities and making sure natural resources are available for generations to come. This is one point. Of course they can be there in the biodiversity as they are but then it will again create a threat to their survival as there are poachers who would any how hunt them or kill me. As human beings or children has their right for survival so does the the animal and we should protect them.
Coming back to the blog One of the most majestic animals to still roam the surface of earth is the Rhinoceros which is an endangered species. And one of their largest homes is the Kaziranga National Park in Assam. This makes it one of the most important National Parks in the world. The “UNESCO World Heritage Site” tag is just an official proof of it. In the Kaziranga National Park apart from the rhinos, we can easily see swamp deer, wild water buffalos, and the elephants; and if we are lucky, you will also spot some tigers and hornbills.
The history is also interesting which states that the UNESCO declared Kaziranga as a World Heritage Site in 1985 for its unique natural habitat. It describes the park as the single largest undisturbed and representative of Brahmaputra valley flood plain. With increasing tiger population, Kaziranga has also been declared as a Tiger Reserve in 2006.
Kaziranga has a rich biodiversity which is rich in flora and fauna.With a sprawling 430 sq km area under the national park, Kaziranga is one of the largest national parks in India.The sheer variety of wildlife Add to that the spectacular landscape with beautiful elephant grassland crisscrossed by 4 rivers including the Brahmaputra. Very rightly said Kaziranga is home to 2413 one-horned Indian Rhinos (70% of the world population) and has one of the largest concentration of the royal Bengal Tiger and Asiatic Elephants. Among others, prominent ones are wild water buffalos, swamp deer, gibbons and variety of birds (490 species).
Very rightly said we should conserve the biodiversity to protect rhino.Rhino is one of the most ancient of mammals, Rhinos are peaceful herbivorous giants, much like the elephants. Because of its heavy built, it has to munch up to 40 kgs of vegetation daily to survive. They live up to 45 years on an average. Dats awsome fact.
Of course there is a need for community level intervention for conservation of rhino. Excited to read about Kaziranga Elephant safari in the elephant grassland and it was so much fun filled to read that you got a chance to see the magestic animal. Great to know about the travel trips which we should follow.
I really loved the blog 😊
stampedmoments
Yes, that’s true; without our preservation, Rhinos will not survive long.
But my question is for the whole of humanity. Is it necessary for the Rhinos to be useful to us to survive?!
I think it’s their right on the earth to be there, as we have.
Ajita Sharma
An informative and engaging piece of work.Looking forward for more.
stampedmoments
Hey Ajita! After quite some time!
Thanks a lot for reading, and sharing your feedback.
Nayan Kakati
Very informative article. Appreciate your concern for Rhino in Assam in particular.
stampedmoments
Yes, Nayan. Rhinos are such a majestic species, but sad to see them on the verge of extinction.
I loved visiting Kaziranga with Putul.
Thanks for reading, and sharing your feedback.
Sanjib Sarangi
Wonderful piece to read. Thoroughly enjoyed, Suvendu. You captured facts, stories, concerns around need for Rhino’s at Kaziranga ecosystem. You also suggested tips for the travelers, few insights to reflect future needs. I am with you on Community led Conservation as a tool. I think, Carrying Capacity based tourism is a must to reduce the challenge of over tourism in coming day. Finally, excellent blog.
stampedmoments
Thank you so much, Sanjib bhai.
I know, you have been working in this field (sustainable development and biodiversity) since a long time.
Your views are absolutely important, and insightful.
Tourism demand-supply management is a big challenge for authorities.
Civil society organizations can play an important role, definitely, especially in community-led conservation measures.
Pinkle
Nice writing. The layout is good too. The links are interesting and informative.
stampedmoments
Thanks a lot, Pinkle.
If you may, please share your thoughts on the questions that we raise in the blog, at the end of the article.
Because I think you are passionate about environment and wildlife; we would love to have your views noted on the blog.
Nancy Lessnick
Enjoying the information you are sharing! Great job!
stampedmoments
So sweet of you to read our content, and share feedback!
It means a lot.
Thank you!
Abhimanyu
Very well captured! It is making me want to visit kaziranga soon!
stampedmoments
I assume that you must have visited at least once already.
It’s worth visiting again and again. Too bad that I had only one day!
Thanks a lot, Abhi for your feedback.
Shrusti
Have been planning to visit for many years now! Will definitely save your suggestions!
stampedmoments
Yeah, so many places, and so few days!
Visiting all the places with a regular job is difficult.
But yes, Kaziranga is worth visiting at least once.
Thank you.
Sara Hevia
Fantastic article, very interesting
stampedmoments
Thank you, Sara!
Thanks for being an encouragement, always.
Shrikant Bansod
What. A. Place. India’s one of the best national parks!
The stunning national park by itself is worth seeing. But the rhinos and the elephants and the migratory birds simply make it an outstanding experience.
It’s another vibe to see the animals chilling…the safari ride hits on another level. A place worth ticking off the bucket list.
stampedmoments
Looks like you have already been there!
Yes, absolutely, one of India’s best national parks.
It’s serene and beautiful.
Thanks a lot, Shrikant.