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Main Wildlife Attractions
Barasingha
Dudhwa National Park holidays will take you to your most
thrilling holiday vacations where one rendezvous the
barasingha, or the swamp deer, which can be seen in herds
of more than a 100. India is the only country where this
species of deer is found. According to a crude estimate,
only 4,000 odd barasinghas have survived on the planet
today, out of which more than 2,000 are found in Dudhwa.
Smaller than the sambar, the barasinghas have 12 antlers
that can collectively measure more than 100cm in height. A
full-grown stag can weigh as much as 180kg and measure
135cm at shoulder height. The coat is slightly woolly,
dark brown to pale yellow, adapted perfectly to camouflage
the herd in the tall elephant grasses of the region.
With the onset of winter, there is plenty of food to eat
and warm sun for the deer to bask in. It is the right time
for the females to conceive and for the males to form
harems. This is the season when the swamps of Dudhwa echo
with the frequent wallowing of rutting stags. There is
hardly a serious conflict between the adult males. Mock
fights entail stiff postures and shrill calls rather than
the actual locking of the horns. But the most intriguing
behaviour of the rutting male swamp deer is to decorate
its antlers with grass – probably a ritual before going in
for a mass courting.
Time For The New Borns
The onset of spring brings back harmony. The females have
conceived and now the herd should be prepared to welcome
the newborn fawns. There is no point wearing domineering
antlers now. With winter gone, it’s time to shed the
woolly coats. During this point of time in the year, one
can hardly see any fights amongst the males. Suddenly
everyone in the herd is busy grazing, preparing themselves
for the harsh summer ahead.
Tiger Population
Another major attraction of the Dudhwa National Park is
its tiger population. Holidays in Dudhwa National Park
gives ample opportunity to site the majestic creatures,
the tigers. Once Dudhwa was severely affected by
man-eating tigers. Although today one hardly hears of
man-eating tigers in Dudhwa, the structure of the Park
could have facilitated the attacks. This is probably the
only Park that doesn't have adequate buffer area to
support the main Park. This leads to conflict between
human beings and animals that do not respect each other’s
territories.
In the late 70s, Dudhwa became a wildlife hotspot that was
famous the world over. The reason – indiscriminate
killings by a tiger. On March 2, 1978, the first ever case
of man-eating in the history of the National Park was
registered. Soon after, three more men were killed.
Suddenly, shock and fear gripped the entire area. The
entire city lodged a protest with the forest officials,
demanding the man-eater be killed. |
