The Park spans over an area of 820sq. Km which includes Rajaji, Motichur and Chilla wildlife sanctuaries, parts of Dehradun, Shiwalik and Lansdowne Forest Divisions. These three sanctuaries were amalgamated in 1983 to Rajaji National Park, named after the Late Raj Gopalachari The last Governor General of India in British period. The Holy river Ganges flows through the National Park for a distance of 24km, besides the innumerable streams and WILD BROOK s making it rich and diverse. It offers ample opportunities to nature lovers to enjoy the captivating landscape and wildlife.

 Rajaji is thickly foliated predominantly by the Sal Forest and a number of other forest types which include the Western Gangetic Moist and Northern dry Deciduous and Khair-Sissoo forests. Low Alluvial Savannah Woodlands cover the drier southern margins of the park, in contrast to the Shiwalik Chir-Pine on the high reaches of the hills.

The park is home to the Cheetal, Barking deer, Sambar deer, Wild Boar,  antelopes such as the Nilgai, Goral and of course the Asian Elephant for which this park is the Northern and Western most boundary protecting it under Project Elephant

Group of wild Elephants with a calf sustaining in summer on grasslands in the Rajaji National Park .

The primates include the Rhesus Macaque and the Hanuman Langur. The Indian Hare and the Indian Porcupine are among some of the small mammals found in the park.

Reptiles in Rajaji include one of the largest Pythons, King Cobra, Common Krait, Indian Cobra and the Monitor Lizard. The park also houses over four hundred bird species. The Oriental Pied Hornbill, Crested Kingfisher and Crimson sunbird are some of the residents of our retreat.

Asian Elephants'  family using water from shrinking water holes to keep the body cool

This area is the first staging ground after the migratory birds cross over the mighty Himalayas into the Indian subcontinent. Rajaji National Park and the Wild Brook Retreat give you all the excitement and exhilaration of holidaying in the heart of the Indian wildlife. Just where all the action is. In the lap of Nature at its most raw and where the law of the jungle prevails. Predators prowl the wild pathways, the deer call for help, birds shriek in the skies and reptiles slither across the earth.

The park also protects carnivores such as the Royal Bengal Tiger under Project Tiger and the Leopard and the lesser carnivores like the Jackal, Hyena, Jungle Cat, Leopard Cat, Civets, Himalayan Yellow-Throated Marten Himalayan Black and Sloth Bears.

Royal Bengal Tiger

Panther or Leopard	Yellow Throated Marten

Striped Hyena	Common Jackal

Pangolin	Porcupine

Barking Deer	Goral

Blue Bull	Spotted Deer
Wild Boar	Sambhar

Rhesus Monkey	Common Langur
Common Mongoose

The Avifauna in the Rajaji National Park
There are about 315 species of birds that inhabit this park. India's National bird, Peacock is found here in abundance. Innumerable variety of butterflies and small birds add to the beauty of this place. Rusty cheeked Scimitar, Babbler, Golden-spectacled Warbler, Chestnut-tailed Starling, Brown Hawk-Owl, Drongo Cuckoo, Indian, Slaty Headed Parakeets, Great Hornbill, Red Jungle Fowl, Lineted Barbet, Crested Kingfishers, Black Hooded Oriole, Khaleej Pheasant, Woodpeckers, Finches, Thrushes and so on. Winter season sees a large number of migratory birds visiting the National Park.

Reptiles
Reptiles seen at the park comprise of Monitor Lizard, along with King Cobra, Python and a number of other snakes.

 

Indian Monitor Lizard	Calotes sp.

Tortoise	Common Krait
	Rat Snake

Fish and Crab
Ganga and Song rivers, flowing through the park, are home to a wide variety of fish, like Goonch, Trout, Kalabasu, Mahaseer and Chilwa besides some crabs and small fishes in streams feeding big rivers..

 

Crab	Fish sp.in stream

All the pictures used in fauna are taken by Manoj Kulshreshtha except Yellow Throated Marten  contributed by Suniti Bhushan Datta and some pictures by Wild Life Institute Of India's scientist Bivash Pandav generously for enriching  the content of this web site taken by using flash trap camera like Striped Hyena, Porcupine & Pangolin

To experience the wilderness and species richness one has to come and spend some time to explore this eco-tonal zone forming due to merger of Shiwalik and Himalayan Ranges in Rajaji National Park.