My Travel Blogs: Wildlife

Showing posts with label Wildlife. Show all posts

Saturday, October 08, 2022

All those who have thought Indian one-horned rhinoceros only existed in Jurassic-era, then a trip to Kaziranga is a must for them. One of the most sought after wildlife holiday destinations in India, Kaziranga National park’s 430 square kilometer area sprinkled with elephant-grass meadows, swampy lagoons, and dense forests is home to more than 2200 Indian one-horned rhinoceros, approximately 2/3rd of their total world population. Formed in 1908 on the recommendation of Mary Curzon, the park is located in the edge of the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspots – Golaghat and Nagaon district. In the year 1985, the park was declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is said when Mary Curzon, the wife of the Viceroy of India – Lord Curzon of Kedleston, visited the park to see Indian one-horned rhinoceros; she wasn’t able to found even one. Then she persuaded her husband to take urgent measures to protect the dwindling species which he did by initiating planning for their protection. After a series of meetings and documentations, the Kaziranga Proposed Reserve Forest was created with an area of 232 km2 (90 sq mi) in 1905.

Along with the iconic Greater one-horned rhinoceros, the park is the breeding ground of elephants, wild water buffalo, and swamp deer. Over the time, the tiger population has also increased in Kaziranga, and that’s the reason why Kaziranga was declared as Tiger Reserve in 2006. Also, the park is recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International for the conservation of avifaunal species. Birds like lesser white-fronted goose, ferruginous duck, Baer’s pochard duck and lesser adjutant, greater adjutant, black-necked stork, and Asian Openbill stork specially migrate from the Central Asia during the winter season.

Undoubtedly, the park is known for its good population of animals but more than that its the wildlife conservation initiatives that take place in the park are more popular. With its amazing wildlife conservation activities, the park has successfully managed to grow the population of Greater one-horned rhinoceros, an endangered species. The vast expanse of tall elephant grass, marshland, and dense tropical moist broadleaf forests undoubtedly makes the park look beautiful but it’s the presence of Brahmaputra river, which makes it look enigmatic.

The Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR), famed for its one-horned rhinoceros, will formally open for tourists from October two for the season 2022-23.

Post-monsoon Wildlife Tourism: Kaziranga National Park

It’s no surprise that the Indian wildlife scene is one of the best in the world. With 106 national parks, 565 wildlife sanctuaries, 72 bird sanctuaries, 52 tiger reserves, 91,000 species of animals, 45,000 species of plants, 1317 species of birds, 472 species of amphibians and counting, it is safe to say that India is a megadiverse country.

Tigers, leopards, bears, birds and elephants draw a large number of enthusiasts to these wildlife parks. A majority of these visits happen during the daytime. Have you ever wondered how the forest is at nighttime? Various species of birds, animals and amphibians are most active at night and the best way to see them in action is to go for a night safari.

Bandhavgarh is one of the most loved national parks in India, famous for the Bengal tiger, leopard, sloth bear, Asiatic jackals and many more. Here you can do the night safari from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM in the Parasi & Pachpedi zone.

Night Safari At Bandhavgarh National Park

The Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Wildlife Sanctuary is found at Boaben and Fiema, twin communities 22 kilometers away from the Nkoranza North District of the Bono East region, Ghana. The 4.4 kilometer square (km²) forest, believed to have been created in the 1970s, houses many trees, birds, reptiles, deer and monkeys, two of which are the Geoffrey's Pied Colobus and Campbell Mona monkey. It is a home for about 700 monkeys. The village is a community where monkeys and human beings live together. The inhabitants in the village always leave food outside their homes for the animals. The monkeys see human beings as their own.

Villagers who live in the Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary have traditionally had a taboo against killing the black-and-white colobus Colobus polykomos and mona monkey Cercopithecus campbelli, which inhabit the forest around their villages. The sanctuary is an important example of how traditional values in Ghana have resulted in wildlife conservation. The author, partly funded from the Oryx 100% Fund, carried out an assessment of the current status of the forest and monkey populations. He found that the monkeys are not immediately threatened but that some of the forest that the monkeys rely on has become degraded or destroyed. Further erosion of the forest should be minimized by careful planning of future village expansion, constructing fire-breaks and controlling farming activities along the forest perimeter.

Boabeng Fiema Monkey Sanctuary, A Natural Tourist Site in Ghana

One of the many national parks in the Andaman Islands is the Mount Harriet National Park, which is considered as the main attraction and highest peak in the Archipelago of South Andaman. The main feature of Mount Harriet is its fauna and natural flora, which are up to now still unmatched. Just like a forest, Mount Harriet is covered with greenery and Port Blair can be seen from the top of the mount’s peak.

Mount Harriet was named after British soldier Robert Christopher Tytler’s wife Harriet. Aside from being a soldier, Tytler was a photographer and a nature lover hence he was able to capture the beauty of the area. From his pictures, you can see the islands around Mount Harriet with breathtaking beauty. Tytler was also served as the Superintendent of the Convict Settlement located in Port Blair from 1862 to 1864. It take 15 – 20 minutes by boat from Port Blair to Bamboo flat and another 15 – 20 minutes by road from Bamboo flat to Mount Harriet.

Mount Harriet National Park, Andaman Islands

Eravikulam National Park situated along the summit of the Western Ghats in the high ranges of Idduki district of Kerala. This is also the land of "Neelakurinji", a flower that blooms once in twelve years. The Park is breathtakingly beautiful and is easily comparable to the best of mountain ranges in the Alps. With the highest peak south of the Himalayas – the Anamudi, located here, nature enthusiasts have ample opportunities for trekking expeditions and wildlife spotting.

The park which is also known as Rajamalai National Park was a hunting preserve for the British planters and was owned by Rajamalai and Eravikulam during the British rule and then was forked over to Kannan Deven Hills for tea plantation. Later the area was declared as sanctuary with an objective of protecting the indigenous population of Nilgiri Tahr (most endangered mountain goat) when founded in the year 1975 and was then upgraded as the national park in 1978.

Eravikulam National Park

For many years, Zimbabwe was the country that most tourists chose to base themselves in to visit Victoria Falls, but as a result of the country’s political strife and economic instability in the 2000s, most travellers starting choosing Livingstone on the Zambian side instead. Zimbabwe has become a lot more stable in recent years, and tourism is again on the rise on the country, with more and more people choosing to stay on the Zimbabwean side of Victoria Falls.

There’s good reason to visit the Zimbabwean side: the country is home to two-thirds of Victoria Falls, as well as four out of the five waterfalls (Horseshoe Falls, Rainbow Falls, the Main Falls and the Devil’s Cataract) and almost all of the viewing points (16 out of 19), and it’s only on the side of the border the water flows year-round. Exploring the falls from Zimbabwe certainly won’t disappoint, no matter what time of year you go – the panoramas from the top of the gorge are simply astounding.

The town of Victoria Falls, which is situated a conveniently short walk from the falls themselves, has excellent tourist infrastructure, offering a wide range of lodging options, restaurants, bars, curio shops and markets and a smorgasbord of activities and adventures. Zambezi National Park is only a 10-minute drive from town and makes for a great safari experience (especially if you don’t have time to visit other Zimbabwean parks on your trip), with picturesque landscapes and herds of elephant, buffalo, zebra, giraffe and sable in a backdrop of picturesque riverine landscapes.

Victoria Falls Safari

Ghana wildlife is rich and diverse, with a large number of mammals, reptiles, insects and marine species to be found across the country's varied habitats. Unfortunately there is no one place in Ghana where you can see it all. Furthermore, many of the wildlife locations require long drive times.

There are 221 amphibian and reptile species, 724 bird species, and 225 mammalian species in Ghana. Of the bird species found in Ghana, about 66% live in the country all the time while the others are seasonal visitors. At least 20 species of endemic or near-endemic species of butterflies live in the country. There are several pressures on Ghana animals, including increased human land usage and overhunting. Poachers kill some wildlife for ivory or other body parts to use in traditional medicine.

The tawny eagle is the national animal of Ghana. This bird was chosen as a symbol of protection by strength. Two tawny eagles appear on the country’s crest, where they are seen with vigilant eyes as they are watching for signs of trouble.

Wildlife of Ghana

The term Chitwan is translated in the local language as the ‘heart of jungle’. Chitwan National Park is one of the premier destinations of Nepal. This heritage site covers 932 square kilometers of grassland, marshland and forests. The region has a decent animal population and thus, spotting animals and birds is quite easier. If you were very lucky, you would spot the famous leopards of the region or sloth bear. Very rarely, you would spot the Royal Bengal Tiger.

This Park with the adjacent Parsa Wildlife Reserve is the largest, longest protected, least disturbed and most studied of the sal forest communities of the Terai. The tall grasslands and riverine forest support a wild ungulate biomass and species diversity much higher than any other in the subcontinent. Rare species include tiger, gharial and the world's second largest population of Asian rhinoceros. The Himalayas provide a spectacular distant backdrop to a landscape much visited for its beauty.

Chitwan National Park

On the floor of the Great Rift Valley, surrounded by wooded and bushy grassland, lies the beautiful Lake Nakuru National Park. Visitors can enjoy the wide ecological diversity and varied habitats that range from Lake Nakuru itself to the surrounding escarpment and picturesque ridges. Lake Nakuru National Park is ideal for bird watching, hiking, picnic and game drives.

Nakuru National Park, the park most famous for the colonies of flamingos that live on the shores of the park’s Lake Nakuru. Lake Nakuru park Kenya is a premium game park, one of only three in the country and one of the most visited game parks in Kenya.

Lake Nakuru Park is known as bird lover’s hub because of the numerous birds that make home in this park. Lake Nakuru kenya Park is home to over 400 bird species including the flamingos that live on the lake and in the park’s savannah grasslands. The bird species include but not limited to African Fish Eagle, Slender-billed greenbul, Long-tailed widowbird, Rufous-throated wryneck, Montane white-eye,Red-capped lark, Northern puffback, Rüppell’s robin-chat, Shining sunbird and many more.

Lake Nakuru National Park

Tanzania is a feast for the senses. It is unparalleled for its natural beauty, unique wildlife viewing, and rich culture. The landscape is shaped by extremes. Where mountains, lakes, grasslands, and rainforests are not uncommon to see within the same area. Also safaris in Tanzania are some of the best in the world, with most of them never going without seeing one of the “Big 5” of game animals: lions, leopards, rhinoceros’, elephants, and buffalo.

Alongside these wild animals, the Maasai graze their livestock. Making themselves one of the few groups in the world to uphold their traditional, nomadic lifestyles in our modern times.

Tanzania - Great Migration

Kenya is a safari destination that offers incredible natural beauty, soul-stirring cultural encounters, sensational game viewing and, of course, the thrills and spills of the Wildebeest Migration. No wonder it’s the birthplace of safari travel!

From seeing the wildebeest mega-herds in the Masai Mara and Amboseli’s legendary elephant herds against the backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro to cultural encounters in Samburu, a Kenya safari will not disappoint. Plus, you can effortlessly combine our Kenya safari tours with gorilla-trekking adventures in Uganda or Rwanda, or even a tropical beach holiday overlooking the turquoise waters and fluttering palm trees of the warm Indian Ocean.

Kenya Safari

Rhino Walking Safaris specializes in luxury walking safaris in 12,000 hectares of pristine bushveld in the only wilderness concession in the Kruger National Park. The concession shares a 15km unfenced boundary with the famous Mala Mala and Sabi Sands reserve, with an abundance of wildlife moving freely between the two reserves. Follow animal trails on foot through this environmentally sensitive area that offers the Big Five as well as a diversity of fauna and flora.

Rhino Walking Safaris and its two camps, Plains Camp and Rhino Post Safari Lodge, lie within a private wilderness concession just north of Skukuza in the Kruger National Park, offering exclusive walking trails and game drive safaris. The park is home to an impressive number of species, has an amazing 16 different ecosystems, and ranks as a prime Big Five game viewing area.

South Africa Rhino Walking Safari

Journey from the depths of Ngorongoro Crater and the vast plains of the Serengeti to exotic Zanzibar. You’ll discover the breadth of Tanzania’s riches, including abundant wildlife, varied cultures, and valued traditions.

Highlights Include

Ngorongoro Crater: Descend to the floor of the crater, a World Heritage site that represents Africa in a microcosm: grasslands, swamps, lakes, forests, and some 25,000 mammals, including elephant, black rhinoceros, lion, hippo, and zebra. Plus, visit a local Maasai village to learn about their traditional lifestyle.
Serengeti National Park: Take exciting game drives in search of Africa’s “Big Five,” plus wildebeest, zebra, and Thomson’s gazelle.
Arusha and Tarangire National Parks: Take game drives in search of leopard, zebra, giraffe, and elephants in these two spectacular parks.

Tanzania Safari

Queen Elizabeth National Park is the most popular savanna park in Uganda and the best place to see lions including the Tree Climbing lions making it the perfect destination for a Uganda Wildlife Safari. It prides in a great diversity of habitats that include: lakes, savannah grasslands, forests and wetlands that serve as home to the biggest variety of large mammals in the country.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s most popular savannah reserve and has the widest variety of wildlife of any Ugandan park. The variety of habitats includes grassland savannah, forests, wetlands and lakes. This provides the setting for an extensive range of large mammals and primates. Four of the Big five are present (rhino are absent) and chimp tracking is available.

Queen Elizabeth National Park Safari

Kahuzi Beiga national park is the only park that harbors these lowland gorillas in their natural habitat. The most convenient place to track lowland gorillas is in the Democratic Republic of Congo. DR Congo is a volatile country too but has become relatively peaceful in recent years as a result of having the largest UN peace keeping mission in the world. Visitors can track the Eastern lowland gorillas in either Kahuzi Biega National Park or the Western lowland gorillas at Maiko National Park. Kahuzi-Biega National Park is the only place where one can track Eastern lowland gorillas. About 400 Eastern lowland gorillas live in Kahuzi-Biega National Park in 9 groups. Three of the nine groups have been habituated and are open for tracking. The park is located in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo – near Bukavu and Lake Kivu. Named after Mount Kahuzi and Mount Biega, Kahuzi-Biega National Park is one of the largest game parks found in DR Congo. The terrain found in Kahuzi-Biega National Park provides perfect habitat for these great apes.

Lowland Gorilla Trekking- Kahuzi National Park

Maasai Mara National Reserve located in south west Kenya is a vast scenic expanse of gently rolling African savannah plains measuring 1510 square kilometers in area and bordering the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania to the south. Masai Mara is a unique wildlife conservation haven, famous for its spectacular natural diversity of wildlife and happens to be a premier Kenya Safari location in East Africa, offering visitors many reasons to visit this animal paradise. Large numbers of Lions, Cheetah, Elephant, Rhino, African Buffalo, Wildebeest, Giraffe, Zebra and many more animals are found in the park in their natural habitat, unconfined and free to roam the vast wilderness stretching for miles on end.

It is no surprise then that tourists from the world over travel here not least because the reserve has been voted one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. Regarding the origin of the name, the word 'Maasai' comes from the Maasai tribe, nomadic inhabitants of the area and the word 'Mara' is their word for 'spotted', referring to the ubiquitous flat topped acacia trees, shrubs and bushes that dot the landscape across most of the reserve.

Maasai Mara National Reserve Safari

Ranthambore National Park is a vast wildlife reserve near the town of Sawai Madhopur in Rajasthan, northern India. It is a former royal hunting ground and home to tigers, leopards and marsh crocodiles. Its landmarks include the imposing 10th-century Ranthambore Fort, on a hilltop, and the Ganesh Mandir temple. Also in the park, Padam Talao Lake is known for its abundance of water lilies.

Ranthambore National Park is dotted with structures that remind you of bygone eras. There are numerous water bodies scattered all across the park, which provide perfect relief to the wild animals during the scorching hot days in summers. A huge fort, after which the park is named, towers over the park atop a hill. There are many ruins of bygone eras scattered all over the jungle, which give it a unique, wonderful and mixed flavour of nature, history and wildlife. Tigers at Ranthambore National park have been known to even hunt in full view of human visitors.

Ranthambore National Park

The great Serengeti wildebeest migration is the movement of vast numbers of the Serengeti's wildebeest, accompanied by large numbers of zebra, and smaller numbers of Grant's gazelle, Thomson's gazelle, eland and impala. These move in an annual pattern which is fairly predictable. They migrate throughout the year, constantly seeking fresh grazing and, it's now thought, better quality water.

The precise timing of the Serengeti wildebeest migration is entirely dependent upon the rainfall patterns each year – here we explain how the broad pattern works.

Serengeti Wildebeest Migration

Nairobi is Kenya’s capital city. In addition to its urban core, the city has Nairobi National Park, a large game reserve known for breeding endangered black rhinos and home to giraffes, zebras and lions. Next to it is a well-regarded elephant orphanage operated by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Nairobi is also often used as a jumping-off point for safari trips elsewhere in Kenya. Nairobi, Kenya's capital and largest city, still conjures all the romance and adventure of its colorful colonial days. The city evolved from a humble camp for railway workers in 1899 to the capital of British East Africa by 1907.

Today, Nairobi's rich history and tribal culture is brought to life in its excellent museums. The Karen Blixen Museum is a big hit - especially with fans of the Out of Africa book and film, who come to see where the namesake Danish author toiled on her coffee farm in the beautiful Ngong Hills.

Nairobi City Tour

The quintessential Maasai Mara safari delivers many attractions, as the reserve is home to an excellent year-round concentration of game, including the more than two million wildebeest, zebras and other antelopes that make up the famous Great Migration.

The reserve is a photographer’s and naturalist’s paradise, with abundant elephant, buffalo, giraffe, lion and cheetah alongside the migratory wildebeest and zebra. Leopards are frequently encountered, endangered black rhino hide in the dense thickets and large rafts of hippo and enormous crocodiles are found in the Mara River. The park is also home to over 450 bird species.

Saturday, October 08, 2022

Friday, July 08, 2022

Friday, March 11, 2022

Friday, March 04, 2022

Saturday, February 19, 2022

Thursday, February 17, 2022

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

Tuesday, February 15, 2022

Friday, February 11, 2022

Thursday, January 27, 2022

Saturday, January 15, 2022

Monday, January 10, 2022

Saturday, January 08, 2022

Friday, January 07, 2022

Thursday, January 06, 2022

Thursday, December 30, 2021

Tuesday, December 28, 2021

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