INTRODUCTION
Palamau Tiger Reserve is situated within the lndo-Malayan
realm and is rich in flora and fauna, though the area is prone
to severe droughts. There are 107 villages in the buffer area
and three in the core with a human population of 65,000 and a
livestock population of 45,000. The core is distributed into two
parts, the actual core and the recently inducted 'satellite core'.
The park was brought under Project Tiger in 1973 and is
among the first nine Tiger Reserves of the country. The
core area was declared a National Park in September 1989.
CLIMATE(Palamau
Tiger Reserve)
The climate of this region is extreme with the maximum temperature
going well over 40°C in summers. In total contrast to this,
winters are quite cold with the minimum temperature dipping to
3°C. The monsoon months are from July to mid September.
LOCATION(Palamau
Tiger Reserve)
The Palamau National Park is located in the eastern
Indian state of Bihar and is in the western part of the Chotanagpur
plateau. The region extends from the latitude 23°25'-23°55'
in the North to the longitude 83°50'-84°25' in the East.
FLORA
AND FAUNA(Palamau Tiger Reserve)
The vegetation in this region comprises moist deciduous and
dry deciduous forests and includes sal and bamboo as the major
components. The western part of the Reserve is composed of dry
deciduous forests and the other part shows characters of moist
mixed deciduous nature. The entire area has a good distribution
of bamboo breaks. The herbarium recently prepared by the Tiger
Reserve authorities records a good number of medicinal plants.
At
the last count, there were around 44 tigers in the park. Other
important inhabitants of the sanctuary are wolves, hares, chital,
nilgai, monkey, common langur, gaur, leopard, and sambar. Elephants
are also seen in large numbers in the park.
ATTRACTIONS
(Palamau Tiger Reserve)
The world. s first tiger-census, based on pugmark count, was done
in the Palamau forests in 1932. One can drive through patches
of dense sal and bamboo forests in the park. Tiger, panther, sloth
bear,
gaur, Indian porcupine, wolf, wild boar, dhole (wild dogs), chinkara,
sambar, mouse deer and pangolin find refuge in these forests.
Elephants appear during the monsoon with the availability of water.
During the rest of the months, the water sources dry up and the
park faces acute water-scarcity. The park is spread over a core
area of 250 square kilometers and is also known as the Betla National
Park. Peafowl, red jungle fowl, and partridges are the common
birds here.
A
ride into the Tiger Reserve is quite exciting, if not always rewarding.
One can hire a guide and a jeep from the forest department. The
core of the forest is not open to tourists. Watch towers and ground
hides have been created to see the wildlife in relative stillness
and safety.
There
are two large forts looming in lonely isolation deep in the forests.
These forts are said to have been built by the Adivasi kings of
the Chero dynasty. Raja Medhni Raj, the ruler of Chotanagpur began
the construction and the task of completing the forts was left
to his son Pratap Raj while the father battled with invaders.
The main sentinel of the old fort is visible high up on the hill.
It has defences in three directions, and three main gates, the
largest named Singh Dwar (Lion Gate). The Nagpuri Gate has two
inscriptions in Sanskrit and Persian. On the imposing main gate
of the lower fort, some embellishments in blue tile are still
intact. The architecture is very Islamic which speaks of Daud
Khan. s conquest. During the British times a sum was paid regularly
for the upkeep of the forests and a lot of excavation and restoration
was carried out.
Palamau
Tiger Reserve (Travel Information)
By Air
Ranchi, situated around 140 km away, is the nearest airport with
regular air connections to Delhi, Calcutta, Patna and Lucknow
By Rail
The nearest important railway station is Daltongunj, connected
to many places in the region with regular trains. Ranchi and Gaya
are also convenient railway stations for the tourists coming from
Delhi and Calcutta respectively.
By Road
The sanctuary is well connected to other cities in the region
.
STAYING
THERE
There are quality accommodation facilities available at Betla.
The options include a three star hotel, tourist lodges, log huts,
and tree houses. One can have the unique experience of living
in a doll-like tree house in the forest. It is made of wood and
has fully furnished bedroom suites. It overlooks a watering hole
a few yards away where the animals gather in the summers to quench
their thirst and frolic in the clump of trees next to it. The
tourist complex also offers a lodge with fully furnished rooms
as well as a canteen.
TRAVEL
TIPS
STD/ISD facilities are available at the Palamau Wildlife
Sanctuary. Postal facilities are also available. Internet
is not available in the reserve area. Telegraph facility is available
at Daltongunj situated around 24 km away.
PLACES
NEARBY
In the surrounding areas of the Palamau Wildlife Sanctuary
is Ranchi around 140 km away. The city was, during the British
Raj, the summer capital of Bihar state and is now all set to become
the capital of the newly proposed Jharkhand state.
The
Hazaribagh National Park close by has an ecosystem and
inhabitants similar to that of Palamau, but is smaller in size.
Netarhat, the . Queen of Chotanagpur. is situated at an elevation
of 3,700 feet above sea level. Here, one is exposed to abundant
lush greenery and great landscape.
Area
: 97, 927 ha
Rainful : 600-1100 mm
Minimum Temperature : 3.0°C
Maximum Temperature : 45.0°C
Languages : Hindi, English
Best Time to Visit : February to April
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