Betla National Park

The Palamu Tiger Reserve within Betla National Park in the Chota Nagpur Plateau is one of India’s initial nine “Project Tiger” tiger reserves. It is situated on a steep landscape, which adds to its appeal. Betla is an acronym for bison, elephant, tiger, leopard, and axis. In 1932, the world’s first tiger census was held here. Betla is, in fact, among the earliest national parks to be included in Project Tiger. This national park provides superb animal viewing opportunities.

About The Betla National Park 

Betla National Park is a national park in Jharkhand, India, and is situated on the Chota Nagpur Plateau in the Latehar and Palamu districts. The park is home to a diverse range of species.

The Palamu Tiger Reserve originally included 1,026 square kilometres, but in 1989, a supplemental 226 square kilometres and 63 square kilometres of the Mahuadar Wolf Sanctuary were introduced to the park. Betla was among the first national parks in India to be designated as a “Project Tiger ” reserve in 1974. The Forest Department is in charge of the park’s management.

Waterfalls and hot springs may be found throughout the park. There are also two ancient forts known as Palamu Forts, one of which is located near Betla – at 400 feet (120 metres) – and was built as the seat of Chero Kings in the 16th century. Although it is now deep into the forest, the original fort’s main sentinel can be seen high on the hill, with three major entrances. Betla has waterfalls and natural hot springs on the one side, while on the other, there are historical relics such as the Chero kings’ fort from the 16th century.

Palamau is famous for being the site of the world’s first tiger census, which took place in 1932. The Indian Forests Act of 1947 designated this region as a protected area. It was designated as a wildlife refuge in 1973. In 1974, the Palamau Tiger Reserve was established. The reserve’s total size is approximately 1014 square km. Poaching and overgrazing were rampant in the area before Palamau was designated as a Tiger Reserve.

The forest departments are in charge of the park’s management. In 1986, Betla was designated as a National Park. The park’s total size is approximately 226.33 square km.

Flora and Fauna

The park’s woodlands in Jharkhand are home to a diverse range of flora, including sal and bamboo, as well as a variety of medicinal herbs. The grasslands are created by the North Koel River and its tributaries, which run past the park’s northern section.

The park has a wide range of ecosystems as well as a large number of wild species. Elephants are most commonly spotted in big groups between the conclusion of the rainy season and the beginning of the summer months in March. Interestingly, the name of the national park, “Betla”, is an acronym of the following words: bison, elephant, tiger, leopard, axis-axis(Chital). These are the animals that are prevalent in the Betla national park.

The national park hosts a wide variety of wildlife. The sloth bear and panther are predators, whereas the wolf, jackal, and hyena are scavengers that inhabit the national park. Big herds of gaur and chital, vast families of langurs, rhesus monkeys, Indian giant squirrels, mouse deer, sambhar deer, four-horned antelopes, nilgai, kakar, tiny Indian civets, ant-eating pangolin, porcupine, and mongoose are among the other creatures found. The park’s remaining white tigers were sent to zoos.

Birds prevalent in arid deciduous woods include the hornbill, peafowl, red jungle fowl, black partridge, white-necked stork, black ibis, swamp grey, quail, pied hornbill, wagtail, harial, dove, drongo, crested serpent eagle, forest owlet, papeeha, and others. Waterbirds such as the common whistling duck, cotton teal, knob-billed duck, snipe, and geese flock to the Kamaldah lake.

Information For Visitors

The park offers a number of possibilities to see a variety of species up close. There are elephant safaris and jeep drives within the park with guides accessible. To see the animals, watchtowers and ground shelters have been built. The park is open all year round. During the warmer season (May to June), wildlife observations are at their peak when the foliage isn’t as dense. From November to March is the most pleasant time to visit in terms of weather.

Conclusion

Betla, one of India’s first tiger reserves, was established in 1974 and is home to lush tropical vegetation and diverse biodiversity. The Betla National Park began as a refuge before being elevated to its current status. The park has an average elevation of roughly 1000 feet, and while it is open all year, the best months to visit are November through March. The park, which covers 250 square kilometres, is crisscrossed by decent roads that allow motorists to have a closer look at the wildlife amid deep woodlands. Permanent occupants include Gour, Chital, Elephant, Tiger, Panther, Sloth, Wild Bear, and Sambhar, Nilgai, Kakar, and Mouse Deer. Langurs are found in huge groups.