The Kaziranga Safari Experience – Meet the One-Horned Rhino

Kaziranga National Park is where wildlife and nature’s bounty come together seamlessly. For photographers and wildlife lovers, especially, this national park is a paradise.

If people think that rare creatures are only found in Australia and Africa, then they should visit Kaziranga for a safari. With its wide variety of flora and fauna, it is known unofficially as the Serengeti of India. The park is home to the Big 6 which, of course, includes the renowned one-horned rhino.

Kaziranga – A Serengeti Worth Visiting

Located in the Golaghat and Nagaon district of Assam, Kaziranga is spread across a 430 sq. km area. This most notable wildlife sanctuary was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1985.

The sanctuary hosts two third of the world’s great one-horned rhinoceroses. There are five kinds of rhinos found in the world – white rhino, black rhino, Indian rhino, Javan rhino, and Sumatran rhino. The white and black Rhinos are live in Africa, while Indian, Javan, and Sumatran are Asian Rhinos.

This National Park is covered with meadows, marshy tidal ponds and thick backwoods and it only becomes more heavenly with the splendid presence of the Brahmaputra river. The beautiful view of the river adds a majestic touch to the national park.

Kaziranga is also noteworthy for its low-impact safaris, events, and other initiatives that help in the conservation of endangered species.

About the One-Horned Rhino

The great one-horned rhino is commonly found in Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan and in Assam, India. The Indian Rhinoceros can run at speeds of up to 40 km/h for a short period of time and is also an excellent swimmer. It has an excellent sense of hearing and smell but relatively poor eyesight.

The one-horned rhino population in Kaziranga is approximately 2413. That number comprises of 1641 adult rhinos ( 642 males, 793 females, 206 unsexed) and about 387 sub adults (116 males, 149 females, 122 unsexed). The Indian Rhino are brownish grey in color and are hairless, they have a knobby skin that appears to be armor plated. A single horn sits on top of their snout and their upper lip is semi-prehensile.

Male Indian Rhinos weighing approximately 2200 kg range in height from 170 to 186 cm and are 368 to 380 cm long, their horn can grow up to 45 cm. Females are smaller weighing only 1600, standing 148 to 173 cm tall and up to 310 to 340 cm long.

All the Rhinos are vegetarian and Indian Rhinos mostly eat grass, fruits, leaves, and crops. Their well developed upper lip helps them to eat the tall elephant grass, which they like the best.

So, if the thought of witnessing a sight straight out of the Jurassic era ever crossed your mind, then you should pack your bags and visit Kaziranga to see this awe-inspiring creature.

Beyond the One-Horned Rhino

Kaziranga contains significant breeding populations, comprising 35 mammalian species. The park is home to the world’s largest population of the Greater one-horned Rhino, eastern swamp deer and more. Large herbivores include elephants, gaur, sambor, wild boar, hog deer. Several of these were endangered species that Kaziranga conserved.

When in Kaziranga you’ll also find the wild water buffalo, Royal Bengal tiger, Asian elephant, pangolin, Assamese macaque, sloth bear, leopard, fishing cat, jungle cat, Bengal fox, golden jackal, Himalayan squirrel. These species are only found in India.

Some species are endangered worldwide and are conserved here. The variety you can witness in Kaziranga is amazing.

Not just this, Kaziranga also has a great variety of species of reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Two of the largest snakes in the world – the reticulated python and rock python as well as the longest venomous snake in the world – the king cobra are a common sight inside the park.

Kaziranga National Park doesn’t only attract wildlife safari lovers and photographers but also every individual who is excited at the prospect of adventure and nature. Come and visit the Serengeti of India.