GUWAHATI: The UNESCO World Heritage site, Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve will be shut for tourists from May 31, 2024, announced the Divisional Forest Officer, Assam Wildlife Division.
Earlier, it was announced that both Elephant and Jeep Safaris for visitors in the National Park would be closed for the 2023-24 tourists season starting May 1 and May 16, respectively, due to the bad weather and difficult road conditions inside.
However, the DFO later extended the Jeep Safari in Kaziranga National Park until May 31, 2024. The extension offered tourists more time to enjoy the park’s natural beauty and wildlife.
It is also to be mentioned that the Elephant Safari also remains closed for the current tourist season.
The Kaziranga National Park is located in the Golaghat district and Nagaon district of Assam. It is famous for being home to two-thirds of the world’s Indian rhinoceros population and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A census conducted in March 2018 by the Forest Department of the Government of Assam and Wildlife NGOs revealed that the park’s rhino population was 2,613. This includes 1,641 adult rhinos (642 males, 793 females, 206 unsexed), 387 sub-adults (116 males, 149 females, 122 unsexed), and 385 calves.
Earlier, the Orang National Park and Tiger Reserve (ONPTR) has been closed for visitors with effect from May 15 until further notice.
The gipsy safari and the elephant safari will also be closed during this period. Presently, a total of 125 one-horned rhinos and 26 Royal Bengal Tigers, besides other flora and fauna, are the main attractions for tourists in this park.
The Orang National Park & Tiger Reserve, known for its dense forests and diverse habitats, will stop offering jeep and elephant safaris.
Located on the northern banks of the Brahmaputra River, Orang is an important sanctuary for the Royal Bengal Tiger, as well as other species like the Great Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros and the Asian elephant.
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