Jaldapar
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| The Jaldapara Wildlfe Sanctuary with an area of 216.51 sq.km, is a mosaic of woods, grassland, swamps and streams with great diversity of fauna and flora. It is located in the eastern part of Jalpaiguri district with NH-31 dividing it in two. |
| Animals you will see |
The Jaldapara Sanctuary is home for the Great Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros. Herds of elephants can frequently  be found using it as feeding grounds. Hog deer, spotted deer, barking deer and sambar are found, as are  Gaur or Indian Bison. Tigers and leopards might also be seen moving stealthily through grass and bush, if one is lucky. The Sanctuary is home for some rare and endemic species like the hispid hare, hogbadger etc, also for wild boar and sloth bears. |
| Birdwatching |
A
rich and varied avifauna is found here-the Crested Eagle, Pallas’s Fishing Eagle
and shikra are common. So are 
Jungle fowl, peafowl, partridges and sometimes the Bengal Florican and lesser
Pied Hornbill. Python, monitor lizards, krates, cobras, geckos and about 8 species
of fresh water turtles enrich the reptilian diversity. |
| Terrain and Climate |
Lying
at the foothills of the Bhutan hills(Eastern Himalaya) the sanctuary is a mixture
of a mosaic of woods, grassland, swamps and streams with great diversity of fauna
and flora. November to February : 10 - 21 degree C March to April: 24 - 27 degree C May to October: 27 - 37 degree C Average Rainfall: 382 cm. |
| Getting there |
Air : Bagdogra is the nearest airport from where tourist can reach Jaldapara by road-route, noted below. (Shiliguri to Bagdogra - 13 kms). Rail: All the mail & express trains stop at Birpara/Hasimara railway stations both are 20 kms away from the sanctuary. Only passenger trains stop at Madarihat railway station which is 7 kms away from the sanctuary. Madarihat Tourist Lodge is in walkable distance from the rly. station. Road: Jaldapara is connected by road with Darjeeling and Shiliguri. (a) Darjeeling-Shiliguri-Jalpaiguri-( via New Teesta Bridge )-Mainaguri- Dhupguri- Gairkata- Birpara- Madarihat ( 140 miles or 224 kms.) (b) Darjeeling- Siliguri- Sevoke- Bagrakot- Mall- Chalsa- Nagrakata- Binaguri- Madarihat ( 214 kms.). Journey time from Shiliguri is about four hours. Entry-point to the sanctuary is at Madarihat, which is connected with Bagdogra airport and New Jalpaiguri/Shiliguri by road. Distance between Shiliguri and Madarihat is 214 km, takes 4 hours. |
