Adventure & Wildlife Magazine - Vol 1|Issue 5-6| Nov 16 - Jan 17 Vol 2 | Issue 1 | Mar - May 2017 | Page 57

ADVENTURE & WILDLIFE
Kaziranga is also surrounded by lush green tea
plantations, most of them contributing heavily to
Assam’s economy.
Climate
The park experiences three seasons: summer, monsoon,
and winter. The winter season, between November
and February, is mild and dry, with a mean high of 25
°C (77 °F) and low of 5 °C (41 °F)] During this season,
beels and nallahs (water channels) dry up. The summer
season between March and May is hot, with
temperatures reaching a high of 37 °C (99 °F).
During this season, animals usually are found near
water bodies. The rainy monsoon season lasts from
June to September, and is responsible for most of
Kaziranga’s annual rainfall of 2,220 mm (87 in). During
the peak months of July and August, three-fourths of the
western region of the park is submerged, due to the rising
water level of the Brahmaputra. It was found that 70% of
the National Park was flooded as on 3 August 2016. The
flooding causes most animals to migrate to elevated and
forested regions outside the southern border of the park,
such as the Mikir hills. 540 animals, including 13 rhinos
and mostly hog deers perished in unprecedented floods
of 20 12. However, occasional dry spells create problems
as well, such as food shortages and occasional forest fires.
Fauna
The Kaziranga national park is rich in biodiversity and
is home to a vivid selection of creatures. It supports
breeding populations of 35 mammalian species, out
of which 15 are threatened as per the IUCN Red List.
The park has the distinction of being home to the
Vol 2|Issue 1|Mar - May 2017
world’s largest population of the Greater One-Horned
Rhinoceros (1,855), wild Asiatic water buffalo (1,666)
and eastern swamp deer (468). Significant populations
of large herbivores include elephants (1,940), gaur (30)
and sambar (58). Small herbivores include the Indian
muntjac, wild boar, and hog deer. Kaziranga has the
largest population of the Wild water buffalo anywhere
accounting for about 57% of the world population.
Kaziranga is one of the few wild breeding areas
outside Africa for multiple species of large cats, such as
Bengal tigers and leopards. Kaziranga was declared a
Tiger Reserve in 2006 and has the highest density of
tigers in the world (one per five km2), with a
population of 118, according to the last census.
Other felids include the jungle cat, fishing cat, and
leopard cat. Small mammals include the rare
hispid hare, Indian gray mongoose, small Indian
mongooses, large Indian civet, small Indian civets,
Bengal fox, golden jackal, sloth bear, Chinese pangolin,
Indian pangolins, hog badger, Chinese ferret badgers,
and parti-colored flying squirrel. Nine of the 14 primate
species found in India occur in the park. Prominent
among them are the Assamese macaque, capped and
golden langur, as well as the only ape found in India, the
hoolock gibbon.
Kaziranga has been identified by Birdlife International
as an Important Bird Area. Almost 478 species of birds
(both migratory and resident) have been spotted at
the park, including 25 globally threatened and 21 near
threatened species.
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