Indravati National Park, Chattisgarh

Area of the park : 1258.37 sq km
Year of Establishment : 1981
Best season to visit : The best time to visit Indravati National Park is between 15 December and 15 June.

Located in Bijapur district of Chattisgarh, India, Indravati National Park is famous for what is believed to be the last remaining population of the rare wild buffalo. The park, which gets its name from the Indravati River that passes nearby, is amongst the best in the state and also its only Tiger Reserve. It was in 1981 that Indravati was recognized as a National Park, which was subsequently followed by the Tiger Reserve recognition in 1983, making it one of the most happening destinations for watching wildlife.

The unique topography has a lot to do why Indravati has so successfully managed to sustain such a large and wide range of wildlife. Littered with undulating hilly terrains, the altitude levels of the park also show considerable variations ranging between 177 m to 599 m above sea level. Apart from the precious wild buffalo, which happens to be the pride of the park, the Hill Mynas is another incredible species that would take your breath away. In fact the diverse wildlife of the park has many other rare and endangered animals, some of which are native to the place, that would give parks with more famous names a run for their money. Add to that the verdure vegetation and alpine hills, and what you get is an irresistible destination that would leave you asking for more.

What constitutes the impossibly good looking landscape and nurtures the wildlife?

The park is mostly dominated by moist and dry deciduous trees, and as such you will find an abundance of plant species like Sal, Teak and Bamboo. As we have already said it is the last known destination of the wild buffalo, and as such there must be a special reason for it. One visible reason is the presence of large expanses of grasslands which provide the necessary nutrients needed by this powerfully built animal. These grasslands also sustain other herbivores like Chital, Barking Deer, Nilgai, and Gaurs which are among some of the important animals of the park. Among the trees, Teak, Lendia, Salai, Mahua, Tendu, Semal, Haldu, and Jamun are the predominant species that are found spread across the park.

Wildlife in Indravati National Park

The endangered and much pampered Wild Asian Buffalo aside, there are many other animals jostling for attention in the park. To start with the park has multiple species of the ungulate family; some of the commonly observed ones include the Gaur (Indian Bisson), Nilgai, Black Buck, Chausingha (Four-horned antelope), Sambar, Chital, Indian Muntjac, Indian Spotted Chevrotain and Wild Boar. As Indravati is a Tiger Reserve, you shouldn't be particularly surprised if you run across an apex predator like the tiger in the park because there are quite a few here. The tiger is however not the only big predator that is a resident of the park; large predators like Leopards, Sloth Bears, Dholes (Wild Dog), and Striped Hyenas are capable enough of turning a now peaceful looking environment into mayhem, leaving the victim in a pool of blood, so you must be careful of where you stand.

Small Mammals and Birds

Among the smaller mammals, but by no means less intriguing if you take into account how cute they look and how funny they behave at times, include the Flying Squirrel, Porcupine, Pangolins, Rhesus Monkeys, and Langues, to name a few. The avifauna of the park is not to be left behind and is led by the strikingly beautiful Hill Maina and a host of other rare and endangered birds.

We the reptiles deserve a special mention.!

The reptiles of the park are very diverse, which is just the case with everything else in this park. If you are a crocodile fan, you are in for some fun as the famous Indian Freshwater Crocodile would leave you awestruck with its brutal display of power and stealth. A real monster, there are few peers that can stand up to this giant in a one-to-one battle. Then there are others like the Indian Chameleon, Common Krait, Indian Rock Python, Cobra and Russell's Viper that are masters of their own game, be it their ability to disguise themselves or kill prey with their potent venom.