Discover Richness of Flora and Fauna in Kaziranga National Park

Kaziranga is one of India’s most stunning and well-maintained national parks. The Brahmaputra River floodplains surround the Forest, cultivating and nourishing the area’s environment. This national park, “Hotspot of Biodiversity,” is due to its enormous diversity of Flora and fauna. The four types of vegetation that make up most of the Kaziranga National Park’s environment set this excellent Forest apart from many other kinds of Indian wood. Its vegetation comprises tropical moist mixed deciduous forests, tropical semi-evergreen forests, and alluvial savanna woods.

The Forest can be attributed to the difference in altitude between its eastern and western regions. Hence, the extensive grassland dominates the park’s western side at a lower elevation. Kaziranga National Park flora and fauna can flourish and survive because of a temperate climate and abundant food resources. As a result, the Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary is a rich natural habitat for the magnificent Indian One-horned Rhinos and a substantial population of Indian Elephants and Wild Buffaloes.

The most breathtaking sight for wildlife fans is when herds of wild elephants, often numbering up to 200, are spotted migrating from the Mikir Hills to the bheels (marshes or ox-bow lakes). Except for the unique Western Ghats monkeys and the recently discovered Arunachal macaque, the park is home to all of India’s free-roaming primates. The only ape to be found in India is the hoolock gibbon. Some endangered and threatened species of Bengal slow loris, Assamese macaque, capped langur, and golden langur are also found here. The Ganges Dolphin, which is seriously endangered, lives in the rivers of Kaziranga. Start the game by scrolling to learn more about the Flora and fauna of Kaziranga National Park.

Fauna of Kaziranga National Park

The growth and survival of unusual and diverse fauna in Kaziranga National Park are supported by a mild climate and sufficient food supplies. As a result, the Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary provides a rich natural home for the magnificent Indian one-horned rhinos and supports substantial populations of wild buffalo and Indian elephants. Wild elephant herds, often up to 200 firms, can be seen moving from the Mikir hills to the bheels (marshes or ox-bow lakes), providing wildlife fans with the most breathtaking spectacle.

Mammals

One-horned Rhino

The Great One-Horned Rhino is a regular sight in Assam, India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Pakistan. However, it only occurs in the tall grasslands and woodlands in the Himalayan foothills. The Indian rhinoceros is a skilled swimmer who can run at rates of up to 25 mph (40 km/h) for brief periods.

Tigers are the only natural enemies of Indian rhinos in the jungle. Big cats occasionally kill unprotected calves, although adult rhinos are less vulnerable because of their size. The greatest danger to rhinos is humans, who typically hunt them for sport or to use their horns.

The big Indian rhino is mostly a grazer that moves through its habitat of thick grass in a tunnel-like manner. They are known to eat aquatic plants that are submerged or floating, as well as foliage, fruits, and branches of shrubs and trees.

Vulture

A vulture is a predatory bird that eats Carrion, the current vulture species. Old World vultures are 16 surviving species indigenous to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are only found in North and South America and comprise seven species identified as Cathartidae members. The bald, featherless head many vultures have is one of their distinctive features. This exposed skin is supposed to help regulate body temperature and keep the head clean during feeding.

In the cold, vultures have been seen to hunch their bodies and tuck in their heads; in the heat, they have lengthened their necks and expanded their wings. To cool their bodies, they also urinate on themselves. A group of vultures in flight is called a “kettle,” and those sitting on the ground or in trees are called a “committee.” A “walk” is a collection of feeding vultures.

Birds

Ferruginous Duck

The ferruginous duck (Aythya nyroca) is commonly known as the Ferruginous Pochard. It has a common white-eye or white-eyed pochard and is a medium-sized diving duck native to Europe and Southwestern Asia. The scientific name combines the Russian word for duck, nyrok, and the Greek word aitia, a seabird referenced by writers such as Hesychius and Aristotle.

Although less social than other Aythya species, these birds are gregarious and can form large flocks in winter, where they are prevalent, frequently mixing with other diving duck species like tufted ducks and common pochards.

From January on, they start to form pairs, and when courting, the male will frequently twist his tail so that it dives into the water, creating a triangular white patch on the under tail coverts. It often forms colonies with gulls at protected locations like islands in areas where it is widespread. When available, it nests in lone, dispersed, and hidden places.

Baer’s Pochard

Eastern Asia is home to the diving duck, Baer’s Pochard (Aythya baeri). Originally from northeast China and southeast Russia, it now breeds in northern and central China. It migrates to southern China, Vietnam, Japan, and India in the winter. The species of Baer’s pochard are monotypic. The Middle Amur is where the holotype was found.

Baer’s pochard was formerly a common species in its range but is now scarce. There may be less than 1,000 mature individuals, and its population is still shrinking. The leading causes are thought to be habitat loss and hunting. As a result, the IUCN has classed this species as severely endangered, and China has listed it as a first-class protected animal.

Also Check out Popular Kaziranga Wildlife Tour Packages

Reptiles

Reticulated Pythons

The reticulated python (Malayopython Reticulatus) is a type of snake. It is one of the three heaviest and longest snakes in the world. It is classified as a minor concern on the IUCN Red List due to its widespread distribution. Nevertheless, it is hunted across several nations in its range for use as pets, in traditional medicine, and for its skin.

It has a wide range, is an excellent swimmer, has established colonies on numerous small islands, and has been observed far out at sea. Reticulated Pythons are a non-venomous constrictor, just like all pythons. Reticulated pythons have been known to murder adult people and consume them in at least two instances.

Indian Pythons

The Indian Pythons (Python molurus) is a sizable snake species indigenous to Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent’s tropical and subtropical climates. Other names include Asian rock python, Indian rock python, and black-tailed python. Despite being smaller than the Burmese python, its near relative, this snake is among the biggest in the world. It typically grows up to 3 meters (9 feet 10 inches) and has a softer coloration than the Burmese python. It is non-venomous, just like all pythons.

Flora of Kaziranga National Park

Alluvial inundated grasslands with towering elephant grass thickets, short grasses, tropical wet evergreen forests, and tropical semi-evergreen forests comprise Kaziranga National Park vegetation. However, Kaziranga’s primary plant features are the dense and tall elephant grass and the tiny swamplands that the River Brahmaputra’s retreating flood waters left behind.

Four different species of vegetation predominately cover Kaziranga National Park, making it distinctive from other national parks. Check out the dominant vegetation of Kaziranga.

Alluvial savanna woodlands
Alluvial inundated grasslands
Tropical moist mixed deciduous forests
Tropical semi-evergreen forests

Pithraj Tree

The Pithraj Tree, Aphanamixis polystachya, is a tree in the Meliaceae family. It is indigenous to Bangladesh, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka. It is a plant that is frequently utilized in Ayurveda as a medicine. The tree is known as royna in Bengali. Pithraj is another name for this tree. Oil can be used as biodiesel and for illumination but is not edible.

Excellent wood is employed in shipbuilding and construction, namely the 20-meter-tall tree. The leaves are compound, imparipinnate, alternating, and oblong-lanceolate, with an entire border and an acuminate apex. Flowers have panicle inflorescences and are polygamous. Fruit is a single-seeded, subglobose, pale-reddish capsule.

Magnolia hodgsonii

A Magnolia species found in Bhutan, southwestern China, Tibet, northeastern India, northern Myanmar, Nepal, and Thailand, Magnolia Hodgsonii (syn. Talauma Hodgsonii) is native to the woods of the Himalayas and southwestern Asia. Its Chinese name is gai lie mu. It has a subtropical environment and grows at moderate altitudes between 850 and 1500 meters.

A modest, 15 m-tall evergreen tree, it is. The leaves have a leathery feel and are ovate-oblong, 20–50 cm long, and 10–13 cm wide. The blooms bloom from April to May and have nine tepals measuring up to 9 cm long, with the inner sepals being white and the outside sepals being greenish. The fruit comprises a collection of 40–80 follicles and is 13–15 cm long.

Elephant Apple

It is a 15-m-tall evergreen shrub or small to medium-sized tree. The leaves range from 15 to 36 cm long and have an outwardly corrugated surface with imprinted veins. The branches of this plant produce excellent firewood. The flowers have five white petals and numerous yellow stamens, and they are huge, measuring 15-20 cm in diameter.

Each of the 15 carpels in the fruit, which has a 5 to 12 cm diameter, contains five seeds enclosed in a fibrous yet palatable pulp. Indian cuisine uses tart fruit pulp in curries, jam (our Khatta), and jellies. However, fruit collection from the Forest’s heart is not allowed because it is a vital source of nutrition for elephants, monkeys, and deer. Commercial fruit sales are also outlawed to prevent the Forest’s food chain collapsing.

Albizia

More than 160 species of primarily quickly-growing subtropical and tropical trees and shrubs comprise the genus Albizia, which belongs to the Fabaceae family’s subfamily, Mimosoideae. The genus is pantropical, appearing primarily in the tropical regions of the Old World in Asia, Africa, Madagascar, America, and Australia. Some species are regarded as weeds in certain areas.

They are also known as irises, silk trees, or silk plants. The plants may be called Albizia because the generic name is still frequently spelled with a double “z” despite being obsolete. The generic name pays tribute to Italian nobleman Filippo degli Albizzi, who, in the middle of the 18th century, brought Albizia julibrissin to Europe. Although certain species are referred to as “mimosa,” the term is more appropriate for the genus Mimosa of plants. Southeast Asian species used for lumber are sometimes referred to as “East Indian walnut.”

Kamala Tree or Kumkum Tree

The Spurge family includes the plant Mallotus Philippensis. As a result of the fruit covering, which yields a red dye, the tree is also known as the Kamala tree, red Kamala tree, or kumkum tree. It must be distinguished from Kamala, a non-related plant, flower, and occasionally metonymic spiritual or artistic notion, which in several Indian languages means “lotus.”

Many different regional names are used for Mallotus Philippensis. Kamala frequently manifests on the edges of rainforests. Or in disturbed areas that aren’t on fire or regions with moderate to heavy rainfall. A 40-cm-diameter bush or small to medium-sized tree can grow to 25 meters. The base of the trunk is uneven and fluted. The gray bark is either smooth or sporadic corky lumps or wrinkles. Little branches have a grayish-brown color, and tiny hairs are covered in rust at the end. Leaf scars can be seen.

The biodiversity in Kaziranga National Park is vibrant. It is the perfect location for bird enthusiasts because it has been designated an Important Bird Area. There are 479 species present, most of which are endangered, both resident and migratory. In addition, according to the records, Kaziranga National Park is home to 42 kinds of reptiles. Kaziranga is recognized for the diversity of its Flora and is one of the most alluring national parks for wildlife. So, what are you waiting for? Plan your Kaziranga National trip with Indian Visit.