Kabini is a wonderful place to witness several flora and fauna species. Kabini Nagarhole Tiger Reserve also houses rivulets and streams where animals come to drink water, so you might spot a tiger taking a drink. Elephants and tigers are the main attractions of this national park as they have a high-density population.
Elephant and jeep safari lets you observe wild animals and colorful birds in their natural habitat without disrupting nature. Jungle safari also takes you to the dense foliage to see the maximum number of wildlife closely. Kabini and Taraka are the large water reservoirs in the park, and the woodland differentiates the park from others in the country, making it one of the best wildlife experiences.
Declared a national park in 1974, Kabini National Park is known for its wild elephant sightings in India. Other fauna in Kabini National Park include leopards, wild pigs, common langurs, sambar, chital, black panthers, deer, four-horned antelope, bonnet macaque, and more. Kabini is also among the top forests to capture leopards in India. In addition, kingfishers, hornbills, trogons, larks, and more are some of the bird species in Kabini National Park.
Read below to know the flora and fauna of Kabini National Park in detail.
Fauna Of Kabini National Park
Rich flora helps the fauna thrive in any national park, which is also true in Kabini National Park. You can spot a Royal Bengal Tiger and Asiatic Elephants roaming in Kabini, making it one of the best experiences of your life. Their population is higher compared to other animals in this national park. Other than tigers and elephants, you will spot wild dogs, spotted deer, sambar deer, wild boar, gaurs, sloth bears, etc.
Additionally, Kabini hosts a large number of birds like peafowls, Indian paradise flycatchers, and ospreys. Around 250 species of birds live in Kabini National Park and can be spotted on a safari tour. Some native birds residing here are peacocks, black woodpeckers, doves, parakeets, bulbul, bee-eaters, the Indian Pitta, and eagles.
Here, you can take a look at the top fauna in Kabini National Park.
Mammals
Northern Plains Gray Langur (Semnopithecus entellus)
This species in Kabini National Park is also called sacred langur, Bengal sacred langur, and the most famous one is Hanuman langur. It is a species of pirate in the family of Cercopithecidae. They are distributed in different regions of India, from the Himalayan to the south. Hindu pilgrims on the banks of the Jalangi River also introduced Gray Langur to western Bangladesh. As for their physical description, their fur is primarily light-colored, with darker fur on the limbs and back. Also, the ears, hands, face, and feet are all black.
The Northern Plains Gray Langur is both terrestrial and arboreal. Their natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. Besides all this, they are least concerned about the IUCN Red List, but it is threatened by habitat loss, road kills, attacks by dogs, forest fires, and diseases from domestic animals.
Bonnet Macaque (Macaca Radiata)
Found in different habitats, Bonnet Macaques are one of the most familiar faunas in Kabini National Park. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has listed them as lower risk or least concern. Besides, they are arboreal and excellent swimmers. You can often spot them in dry prairies, though it is not their ideal habitat. Bonnet Macaques can live in harmony with other primate species like Nilgiri Langurs.
Also, they co-exist with humans and are found mainly on the outskirts of human settlements. In these areas, they rely on trash and food from villagers and visitors. As a result, you will find them sleeping most of the time or eating from large Ficus trees. Bonnet Macaques have two distinct subspecies – dark-bellied Bonnet Macaques and pale-bellied Bonnet Macaques. Generally, they are grayish brown or golden brown with no hair on their face.
Small Indian Civet (Viverricula Indica)
Small Indian Civets are found across Asia, from southern and central China to Indochina and India. They are distributed in the Indonesian islands of Java, Bali, and Sumatra. Their habitat is variable, and they have adapted to distinct living conditions due to their vast geographical range. They also live near human settlements. As for their physical appearance, they have yellow, brown, and orange pelage decorated with white and black rings on their necks.
Small spots cover their body, with six to eight dark stripes on their back toward the tail. Generally, Small Indian Civets are solitary and nocturnal species. But sometimes, they can be seen in pairs, mainly for mating and hunting. Their food mainly consists of disease-causing pests like mice and rats. They are also sold as pets to control rodents and for their fur.
Golden Jackal (Canis Aureus)
One of the top fauna in Kabini National Park, the golden jackal, is found in North and East Africa, Southeastern Europe, and South Asia to Myanmar. They are widely distributed and overlap biotopes with the black-backed jackal in East African savannas. Golden Jackals live in dry, open spaces with short, arid grasslands and steppe landscapes. This species’ diet consists of 54% animal food and 46% plants.
They also consume young gazelles, rodents, ground birds, their eggs, frogs, fish, insects, fruit, etc. Physically, they are 70 to 85 cm long, with a tail of about 25 cm. While standing, they look 40 cm tall. The fur of a golden jackal is short and extremely coarse. Also, their coat is ordinarily yellow to pale gold and brown-tipped, but it changes as per the region and season. Besides, they mate in pairs and are strictly monogamous.
Birds
Indian Roller (Coracias Benghalensis)
A medium-sized bird, Indian Roller is about 30 to 35 cm long and weighs 160 to 180 g. They are distributed throughout the Indian subcontinent, Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Indian Rollers perform rolling aerial acrobatics with turns and twists, hence the name. They belong to the family of rollers, Coraciidae. They look pale, purplish brown at their neck and throat with whitish shaft streaks. Their breast, nape, and back are brownish, and their abdomen, vent, and crown are blue.
The feathers of the Indian Roller are purplish blue with pale blue bands. This bird’s diet is primarily moths, beetles, crickets, locusts, wasps, ants, etc. Not only these, but Indian Rollers also feed on snakes, lizards, and frogs. They have a low forest dependency and inhabit different ecosystems with open areas like grasslands, farmlands, plantations, and rural gardens.
Painted Stork (Mycteria Leucocephala)
Spread throughout the Indian subcontinent, Painted Stork’s population extends from Sri Lanka to Indochina and southern China. They are found in various habitats and are often restricted to shallow freshwater wetlands and marshes. These bird species in Kabini National Park are predominantly non-migratory and only go local. Some even migrate to west Burma. Painted Storks have also been spotted in flooded agricultural fields in Delhi, the capital of India.
They are 93 to 102 cm tall when standing, and their weight is 2 to 5 kg. Besides, they are the only storks in the genus Mycteria family with a black pectoral band. You can even see a long, heavy yellow bill and face. In addition, there is a white plumage with a rose color near their tail feathers. Small birds are pale brown without a pectoral band. Fishes are the primary source of food for Painted Storks.
Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus)
Bar-headed Geese form monogamous pairs and are known to be seasonal breeders. They are native to central Asia, where they breed, and are found in India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Japan, and other nearby regions. As winter comes, the Bar-headed Geese migrate to South Asia and reside near water bodies. During the breeding season, they prefer high-altitude lakes, rivers, streams, and freshwater lakes.
Bar-headed Geese can also be spotted in farmlands, marshes, and rocky regions. Their range in India extends from the northeast to the southern parts. Their diet mainly consists of grass, and they are often observed looking for aquatic plants near rivers and lakes. Apart from that, Bar-headed Geese also consume tubers, roots, nuts, and grains. Occasionally, they hunt for insects, small fish, and crustaceans.
Kingfisher (Alcedinidae)
Kingfishers are one of the most beautiful fauna in Kabini National Park. They are from the families Alcedinidae, Halcyonidae, and Cerylidae. They are distributed worldwide but mainly prefer tropical regions and range from 10 to 42 cm in length with large heads. Their bill is long and massive compared to their compact body. The feet of Kingfishers are tiny. The tail is either short or medium-length.
These colorful birds are famous for their dramatic hunting techniques. Kingfishers take their prey back to the perch and shock the fish by beating it against it and then swallowing it. Many species of this bird also consume reptiles, amphibians, and crustaceans. Most Kingfishers are river dwellers, like the belted kingfisher.
Flora Of Kabini National Park
The fauna of Kabini National Park lives peacefully inside deep jungles, thanks to the flora of Kabini National Park. It has one of the most dense and beautiful forest areas that attracts tourists from across the globe. The diverse plant life makes Kabini Forests a significant attraction for nature lovers. The forests are mainly composed of moist deciduous forests, and the flora in Kabini National Park has deciduous trees. The most famous flora found in Kabini include Teak and Eucalyptus. Others are Silver Oak, Crocodile Bark, Lagerstroemia lanceolata, Indian Kino Tree, Grewia Tiliaefolia, Axlewood, and Bonesets.
Here is the top fauna in Kabini National Park. Take a look.
Rosewood (Dalbergia Latifolia)
Indian Rosewood is a dark-red hardwood tree that is found in tropical areas. It is known for its weight, strength, and appeal. The wood of this tree is highly prized as it has a huge demand for making furniture and musical instruments. Also, Rosewood needs soil that is abundant in humus. It grows fast and is also called Sheesham in North India. Rosewood is found in India and southern Iran. A crooked variety of rosewood trees is D. sissoo, whose flowers are white or pink. Further, the maximum height of this tree is 25, and 2 to 3 m in diameter.
Teak (Tectona grandis)
An interesting fact about Teak trees is that they can live for 100 years! Also, they grow up to 150 feet or 46 m tall. Their leaves are reddish-green in color and are rough to the touch. They shed their leaves during the dry season, which regrow during the rainy season. You can also see flowers on teak, as well as extremely pale blue blossoms. It is a beautiful tree, but its commercial value is mostly lumber. The flowers and fruits of Teak are called drupes. Under the trunk of the tree is the heartwood, a deep, dark gold, which can withstand weather and resist decay. Besides, Teak is used to make medicine in Asia.
Sandalwood (genus Santalum)
Referring to the wood (heartwood) from tree species, Sandalwood belongs to the family Santalaceae and genus Santalum. It is an aromatic tree that can grow up to 30 feet tall. Also, Sandalwood is a small evergreen tree with yellow to maroon flowers, red-black fruit, and oval leaves. The tree produces sandalwood oil, which is antibacterial, anti-fungal, and antiviral. Therefore, the tree treats acne, blemishes, and other skin infections. Also, it is a tropical tree found across India, like Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Odisha, but majorly in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Silver Oak (Grevillea robusta)
One of the most interesting trees in the world, Silver Oak leaves, has unique ridges that can be used to fingerprint somebody. Also, a mature Silver Oak can grow two feet in diameter at its base and weigh 300 pounds (136 kg). In addition, the average growth is 4 feet per year for ten years. Also known as Quercus hypoleucoides, Silver Soak is commonly called European Oaks. They are 35 m tall and have lived for as long as 400 years. They start to look beautiful after age 40 when flowers begin to grow on them, making them significant in horticulture culture.
The flora and fauna of Kabini National Park are quite interesting. It is one of the best wildlife locations known for animals and birds. Nature lovers, birdwatchers, and those interested in botany will love exploring Kabini National Park’s flora and fauna. Tigers, leopards, elephants, Kingfishers, bar-headed geese, and more are the top species to be observed on a jeep or elephant safari tour. Book a wildlife tour to Kabini National Park with Indian Visit if you wish to see them in person. For more clarification about the tour, connect with our travel experts today.