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situated in the western part of the
Chotanagpur plateau. In 1974, the park was declared as a
Project Tiger Reserve. It is among the first nine Tiger
Reserves of the country. The core area of the park was
declared as a National Park in September 1989. The Betla
National Park covers an area of about 930 square kms of dry
and moist deciduous forests. Sal and Bamboo trees are found in
large numbers in the park. The recently prepared Herbarium by
the Tiger Reserve Authorities records a good number of
medicinal plants.
Wildlife Attractions in
Palamau National Park
There are about 39 species of mammals, 8 species of
snakes, 4 types of lizards, 6 types of fishes, 21 types of
insects and 170 species of birds in the Palamau or Betla
National Park. The Palamau National Park has a large variety
of wildlife like tiger, elephant, leopard, bison, sambhar,
wild boar, python, hyena, spotted deer (cheetal), chinkara,
rabbit, fox, common langur, wild dog, nilgai, porcupine, hare,
wild cat, jackal, Malabar giant squirrel, mongoose, wolf,
antelope, etc. There is a rich variety of birdlife in the park
as well. Peafowl, Red Jungle Fowl and Partridges are the
common birds which are found here.
Best time to visit Palamau National Park
The best time to visit the Palamau National Park is between
February and April. The region experiences extreme weather
conditions with the maximum temperature rising to 40°C in
summers. The winters are also quite severe with the minimum
temperature dropping to as low as 3°C. The tourists should
carry light cotton clothes during the summers and heavy
woolens during the winters.
Wildlife Viewing in the Palamau National Park
The tourists can drive through patches of dense forests of Sal
and Bamboo in the Palamau National Park. The guide and a jeep
can be hired from the forest department. The core region of
the forest is not open to tourists. There are tree top towers,
watch towers and ground level hideouts to view the wildlife.
Other Attractions in the Palamau National Park
Besides viewing birds and animals, the tourists can have a
look at the two large forts in the forest. It is believed that
the Adivasi kings of the Chero dynasty have built these forts.
Raja Medhni Raj, the ruler of Chotanagpur started the
construction of the fort but his son Pratap Raj completed the
fort. The fort had defenses in three directions and three main
gates. The largest gate was known as Singh Dwar or the Lion
Gate. The Nagpuri Gate has two inscriptions in Sanskrit and
Persian and the style of architecture is Islamic.
How to Reach Palamau National Park
By Air:
The nearest airport is located in Ranchi, which is situated at
a distance of 120 km.
By Rail:
The nearest railway station is located at Daltongunj. The
station is well connected with many places of the nearby
region with regular trains.
By Road:
The Palamau National Park is easily accessible by road and
well connected to other cities of the region by surface
network. |
