Assam is home to some of the most beautiful and scenic National Parks in the world. Most of which is with the status of a UNESCO World Heritage site. Among the rest, we will discuss Dibru-Saikhowa National Park in this article. Though not as popular as Kaziranga National Park, it has its own beauty and significance. The amazing landscapes and protected reserves make it a wonderful place to visit. The Dibru-Saikhowa National Park lies on the banks of Brahmaputra and Lohit Rivers. The National Park is a safe habitat for numerous rare and endangered wildlife species. It is a river-island National Park and one of the biodiversity hotspots in the world. A section of the Park includes wetlands while the remaining parts are covered with grasslands and dense forests. The Dibru-Saikhowa National Park has also been named “Bird Watcher’s Paradise”. Though the main objective was the conservation of White winged-wood Ducks, it’s also famous for wild horses called “Feral Horses”.
Location And Area
Dibru Saikhowa National Park is located in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia Districts of Assam. About 12km from the town of Tinsukia, the Park is bounded by the Brahmaputra and Lohit Rivers in the North and Dibru River in the south. It has the largest Salix swamp forest in north-east India. The National Park experiences a tropical monsoon climate with hot and wet summers and mild dry winters. It is a safe haven for many endangered species, birds and is rich in fish diversity as well. The variable landscapes and rich flora make it a favorable spot for bird watching in the area. Many “bird-watchers” from around the world visit the place to get a good look at some of the avian species.
The Dibru Saikhowa National Park, as the name suggests is a combination of two Wildlife Reserves within the area. That is, Dibru and Saikhowa and some other smaller areas in the region. The area was declared as Dibru Reserve Forest in 1890 and the additional area was added by 1920. By 1929, Saikhowa Reserve Forest was established and in 1933, more area was added to the Reserve. Finally, in 1997, Dibru Saikhowa Biosphere Reserve was formed with an area of 765 sq km. And out of the 765 sq km, 340 sq km of the sanctuary was declared as a National Park in 1999. The 340 sq km of the park consists of semi-wet evergreen forests, tropical-moist Deciduous Forests with bamboo and grasslands.
How To Reach Dibru Saikhowa National Park?
BY AIR:
The nearest Airport to Dibru Saikhowa National Park is Mohanbari Airport at Dibrugarh. It is about 40km from the National Park and is well connected by roads leading to its entrance. One can easily get a cab for hire and many public transportations are available from the airport.
BY TRAIN:
Tinsukia Railway Station is the nearest railway station to Dibru Saikhowa National Park. It is 45km from the gates of the National Park with well connecting roads. There are many public buses going to and fro the station to the National Park daily. You can also book a cab to reach your destination.
BY ROAD:
The nearest town to Dibru Saikhowa National Park is again the town of Tinsukia. The town is well connected with all the major cities of Assam and towards the Park, it is just 55 km from the main town. From the town, you can get an ample number of cabs and buses for hire to visit Dibru Saikhowa, National Park.
Best Time To Visit Dibru Saikhowa National Park
Dibru Saikhowa National Park experiences a tropical climate, where the summers are wet and hot while winters are mildly-dry. The Park enjoys heavy rainfall from June till September, with the annual measurement ranging between 2300 mm and 3800mm. The temperature also reaches a maximum of 30-34 degrees Celsius during Summers. Thus it can be extremely exhausting and the rain doesn't make anything better during this time of the year.
During Autumn and Winters, the weather is peaceful and calm with slight chills breaking up during peak January. The temperature can also drop down to as much as 7 degrees Celsius during Winters. So woolen clothing is advisable during the winter. But it is sure to be peaceful and wonderful weather during this time of the year. Hence, the best time to visit Dibru Saikhowa National Park is from October till April. There is also a chance to come across migratory birds during the winter seasons at the Park. To get the perfect timing to visit Dibru Saikhowa National Park during winters, you can consult your tour operator. Or you can get help with the weather forecasts.
Wildlife At Dibru Saikhowa National Park
As mentioned earlier, Dibru Saikhowa National Park has a collection of many birds and animals, including endangered and rare species. A total of 36 species of mammals and over 400 species of birds including few species of reptiles have been recorded. There have been multiple additions to wildlife in recent years as well. Let us have a look at some of the creatures lurking within this National Park.
MAMMALS AND REPTILES:
Rare mammals include Clouded Leopard, Dhole, Malayan Giant Squirrel, Asiatic Water Buffalo, Gangetic Dolphin (rivers) and so on. There are other mammals as well. For instance, Feral Horses, Hoolock Gibbons, Capped Langurs, Slow Loris, Tigers, Elephants, Leopards, and Jungle Cats. Also, Small Indian Civets, Chinese Pangolin, Pig-tailed Macaque, Assamese Macaque, Rhesus Macaque, Wild Boar, Sambar and Barking Deer, etc. There are also reptiles like the Gharial, King Cobras, Monitor Lizards, Turtles and smaller reptiles lurking within the region. In total, there are 2 species of Monitor Lizards, 8 species of Turtles and another 8 species of Snakes within. The diversified ecosystem makes it a great location to maintain the ecological balance within the National Park.
BIRDS:
Dibru Saikhowa National Park is a great location to observe birds for bird watchers around the globe. This Park is rightfully called "Bird Watcher's Paradise". There’s a big chance to see some rare and most beautiful species of birds within the boundaries of this Park. Apart from Migratory birds, there are many birds that inhabit the Park all year round. Birds like- Great and Lesser Adjutant Storks, Great Grebe, Indian Shag, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Night Heron are found here. Also, Openbill Stork, Yellow Bittern, Black Stork, Whistling Teal, Greylag goose, Fishing Eagles, Griffon Vultures, Spot-Billed Pelican, and Osprey. Others include- Serpent Eagles, White-Winged Duck, Baer's Pochard, Bengal Florican, Great-Pied Hornbill, March-Babbler, Jardon's Babbler, Black-Breasted Parrotbill. Well, the list goes on just like the birds keep their flight intact within the National Park.
Flora And Vegetation At Dibru Saikhowa National Park
Supporting a wide variety of living organisms is not an easy task. But the forests lying within Dibru Saikhowa National Park have done justice to it. The Park is rich in flora and is basically divided into four regions:
Semi-Evergreen Forests
Swamp Forests (Wetlands)
Moist-Mixed Deciduous Forests, and
Grasslands
These features are spread variably across the National Park making way for the growing ecosystem. Some major tree species found in the area are- Tetrasperma, Lagerstroemia parviflora, Dalbergia sissoo, Dillenia indica, Bischofi a-javanica, Terminalia myriocarpa. The National Park also includes species like Mesua Ferrea, Bombax Ceiba and Ficus, to name a few. The Park is also renowned for the natural regeneration of Salix trees. Some abundantly found types of grasses include- Imperata cylindrica, Erianthus Ravanea, Arundo donax, and Phragmites Karka.
Dibru National Park
