NATIONAL PARKS AND WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES OF DOOARS

BUXA TIGER RESERVE

175 km from Siliguri. The name "Buxa Tiger" has been derived from Buxa Fort at an altitude of 867 metres on the Sinchula Range guarding the most important of the eleven routes into Bhutan), which once was used for detainees during freedom movement of India. This Tiger Reserve comprises the forest area of Rajabhatkhawa, Nimati, Barobisha, Rydak, Raimatang Jainti, Buxaduar and Bhutanghat. The main rivers are Sankosh, Raidak, Jayanti, Churnia, Turturi, Phashkhawa, Dima and Nonani. Area of the Tiger Reserve is 759 sq. km. with a core area of 331 sq. km. Buxa Tiger Reserve was set up in the year 1982-'83, which later in the year 1992, January, was declared a National Park.

JALDAPARA NATIONAL PARK

A national park situated at the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas in Alipurduar District of northern West Bengal, India, and on the banks of the Torsa River. Jaldapara is situated at an altitude of 61 m and is spread across 216.51 km2 (83.59 sq mi) of vast grassland with patches of riverine forests. It was declared a sanctuary in 1941 for protection of its great variety of flora and fauna.

Today, the park has the largest population of the Indian one-horned rhinoceros in the state, an animal threatened with extinction,[2] and is a Habitat management area (Category IV).[3] The nearby Chilapata Forests is an elephant corridor between Jaldapara and the Buxa Tiger Reserve. Nearby is the Gorumara National Park, also known for its population of Indian rhinoceros. The Office of the Divisional Forest Officer, Jaldapara Office is situated at Nilkuthi, Cooch Behar and the Office of the Assistant Wildlife Warden is situated at the heart point of the national park, i.e. Madarihat

MAHANANDA WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary is located on the foothills of the Himalayas, between the Teesta and Mahananda rivers. Situated in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India; it comes under Darjeeling Wildlife division and can be reached from Siliguri in 30 minutes. Sukna, the gateway to the sanctuary, is only 13 km from Siliguri and 28 km from Bagdogra airport. The sanctuary sprawls over 159 km2 of reserve forest and was started as a game sanctuary in 1955. In 1959, it got the status of a sanctuary mainly to protect the Indian bison and royal Bengal tiger, which were facing the threat of extinction. Birds at Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary includes some very endangered species like Rufous-necked Hornbill, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Great Hornbill etc.

GORUMARA NATIONAL PARK

This park is located in the Dooars region of Jalpaiguri district. River Murti, Jaldhaka and Ingdong have passed through this national park. In the year 1949, Garumara Forest was declared as wildlife sanctuary when it was a small forest. Later in the year 1992, it was declared as a National Park, comprising of 89 kms. of diverse forest.

Lataguri is the nearest small Tourist Strip near Garumara National park. Private Resorts / Accommodation are available here. Tourist may visit Garumara in day time staying at Lataguri.

Day visit permission to the National Park may be obtained from : Nature Interpretation Centre, Department of Forest 9Govt. of West Bengal), Lataguri.