Disturbance in DUDHWA! Of Melodies and Maladies of Dudhwa National Park

 The human-wildlife conflicts in Dudhwa are a matter of great concern. Resolving the difficulties will bring peace to these beautiful woodlands.

-  AMITAVA BANERJEE

The lone national park in the state of Uttar Pradesh, Dudhwa, has always attracted me for two reasons: its legendary pristine beauty and its uncommercialized ambience.

 

Dudhwa National Park, located at the north-eastern edge of the state, adjacent to the Indo-Nepal border, comes under the Terai-Bhabar region and shares the vast landmass of the extremely fertile Indo-Gangetic plain. This has largely contributed to the diversity of the forest and exuberant growth of its flora and fauna. Geographically it is situated in the Lakhimpur Kheri district of U.P. Its northern boundary is demarcated by the river Mohana along the Nepal border and the southern periphery is constituted by the river Suheli. Various tributaries of these rivers traverse this land and contribute largely in forming lakes, taals, rivulets, and marshlands.

The nature of vegetation here is mostly of tropical semi-evergreen deciduous, dry-deciduous and swamp types, consisting of trees like Sal, Jamun, Khair, Kachnar, Neem, and Semal. It is a safe home for more than 38 species of mammals which include Tiger, Swamp Deer, Elephant, Cheetal, Sambar, Bluebull, Hog deer, Rhinoceros (reintroduced in 1984) and other smaller mammals, 16 species of reptiles, and about 450 species of birds.

HISTORY