Kanger Valley National Park is located near the Kholaba River in the Bastar district, Chhattisgarh. Located amidst the 34 km long and scenic Kanger Valley, a Biosphere Reserve, Kanger Valley National Park is one of the most beautiful and picturesque national parks of India. The beautiful park is located on the banks of Kholaba River at a distance of about 27 km from Jagdalpur which serves as the headquarter of Bastar. The sanctuary covers an area of approximately 200 sq km that comprises mostly of hilly terrain, the park derives its name from the Kanger River, which flows throughout its length. The sanctuary lies between 18degree45` to 18degree56`30 N latitude and 81degree51`30 to 82degree10` E longitude. The park starts from Tirathgarh waterfall to the Kolab River.
The Kanger Valley National Park has been popular for its scenic beauty and the unique and rich biodiversity. Kanger Valley attained the status of a National Park in 1982. Besides wildlife and plants, there are many other tourist attractions inside the park such as the Kutamsar Caves, Kailash Caves, Dandak Caves and Tiratgarh Waterfalls. Kanger Dhara and Bhaimsa Dhara (a Crocodile Park) are the two beautiful and exotic picnic resorts in the Park. The Park also has a sizable tribal population and can be an ideal destination for wildlife enthusiasts, nature lovers, researchers, anthropologists.
Flora and Fauna of Kanger Valley National Park
The flora in the park chiefly comprises of mixed moist deciduous type of forests with predominance of Sal, Teak and Bamboo trees. In fact, the Kanger Valley is the only region in the Peninsular India where one of the last pockets of virgin and untouched forests still left. Major Wildlife of the Kanger Valley National Park are the Tigers, Leopards, Mouse Deer, Wild Cat, Chital, Sambar, Barking Deer, Jackals, Langurs, Rhesus Macaque, Sloth Bear, Flying Squirrel, Wild Boar, Striped Hyena, Rabbits, Pythons, Cobra, Crocodiles, Monitor Lizards and Snakes to name a few. The avian fauna at the Park includes Hill Myna, Spotted Owlet, Red Jungle Fowls, Racket-tailed Drongos, Peacocks, Parrots, Steppe Eagles, Red Spur Fall, Phakta, Bhura Teeter, Tree Pie and Heron among many others.
