Dudhwa National Park

                                                            The Sal Trees

During the last six years I have been to many national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in the northern and central India. Some, like Bandhavgarh and Tadoba , are my favorites where I go every year for wildlife photography .Dudhwa is  another one which got  added to my  favorite list  not because it is endowed, like all others,  with a variety of  wildlife but  because of its amazing natural beauty. Dudhwa is  one of the most beautiful wilderness I have come across so far. . This magnificent and divinely  beautiful forest  mesmerizes me. Its  spell is so strong that I can't resist  visiting Dudhwa again and again.

Dudhwa is located in the district of Lakhimpur-Kheri of Uttar-Pradesh in India and close to Indo-Nepalese border which is about thirty kilometers away at Gauriphanta. Lucknow is the nearest airport and the road distance from there should be around 240 kilometers. The total area of DNP, together with Kishenpur and Katarnia-Ghat Wildlife Sanctuaries , which form part of it , is about 680 square kilometers . River Suheli flows through  Dudhwa and is home of some real huge crocodiles.

                                                          River Suheli

                                                  Crocodiles of River Suheli   
The majestic tall and green Sal trees ( Shorea Robusta ) adorn the entire Dudhwa forest range. Together  with its acres and acres of expansive meadows , glades and tals ( ponds ) Dudhwa presents such a marvelous synthesis of  an ecological  system which is seen to be believed. Come to Banke Tal of  DNP if you want to see the Blue - Necked Crane catching a  heavy Mangur ( a fish species ) or a colony of Otters foraging waters in the company of Crocodiles.

                                                        A Big Catch

Dudhwa is home to a variety of wildlife. It houses about one hundred Royal Bengal Tigers, Leopards , many species of  Deer including the highly endangered Swamp Deer , Antelopes ,Sloth Bear, Wild Boar and Jackal . It is at Dudhawa where, beside Manas and Kaziranga ,  you find the most endangered  One-horned Indian Rhinoceros . Some were brought here in 1984 from Assam and now their numbers have gone up to
thirty - four ; a proof that relocation and conservation is very much possible and must be resorted  in order to save  endangered species of wild life . The success of Rhinoceros rehabilitation program also speaks the good work being done by the park officials.

                                                   Swamp deer at Kishenpur

Dudhwa has a sizable population of wild elephants. Many come from the Bardia National Park of Nepal which is connected with Dudhwa. Herds of wild elephants  can be seen in the  meadows . I had a chance of witnessing a rogue male being chased away by the forest personnel . I happened to be driving towards Salukapur when came the loud calls and shouts of something being chased away. All of a sudden there appeared  an elephant, in front of the jeep , at  a distance of about 100 feet . My driver was terrified . He slammed on the brakes and , hurriedly , put the vehicle in reverse. Since it was an excellent photo opportunity, I told him not to get flustered and to stop and stay on the pathway  after reversing. We had kept the engine running to make a quick escape  in case the rogue turns to us and decides to charge. Fortunately  the elephant ran straight and entered into forest in  front of him.

Dudhwa is great for birding. As a matter of fact it won't be an exaggeration if I call Dudhwa a birders paradise.
Apart from about 450 species of resident birds,  thousands of migratory birds flock Dudhwa between October - February every year. It is home to the near extinct Bengal Florican also. The White-rumped Shama , better known as  the singing Shama, many species of Green Bee Eaters , Crested Serpent Eagles, Rose ringed and Plum- headed Parakeets and  the little jungle owlet can be seen here.Multi - colored Giant Wood Spiders are another attraction.

                                                        Green Bee Eater

                                                       Crested Serpent Eagle

                                                    Jungle Owlet

                                                      Coot at Jhadi Tal

However , despite of all these pluses, Dudhwa remains relatively an unknown and a less visited place by the tourists and wildlife aficionados. Perhaps the successive Uttar Pradesh Governments and the Forest Department didn't care to popularize it. Similarly more tourist facilities need to be created. Though the Forest Department has constructed about fourteen Tharu Huts recently but their upkeep needs  lots of improvement. These huts display the  typical government attitude and style of functioning  which believes more at creating   but less at cleanliness, upkeep and maintenance.  Similarly the booking system is horribly outdated and unprofessional in this age of internet and e- commerce.
Dudhwa has many unanswered conservation issues also. For example it still doesn't have the Special Tiger Protection Force . Incidentally the Indo-Nepal border or the Terai area is notorious for poaching and cross border smuggling of wildlife body parts. Similarly the Kishenpur sanctuary is  badly encroached. It houses a big village also inside. The Government, which cares more for votes than saving forests from human encroachment , has granted the status of Ambedkar  Village to the offending villages thus pardoning and condoning the encroachment. Under the circumstances I doubt if Kishenpur survives for another two decades.

                                              Sunset at Kishenpur Sanctuary

<script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-2331515138562989"
     crossorigin="anonymous"></script>