Betla National Park
Betla National Park falls in Latehar district of Jharkhand. It is the only National Park of the State. It spreads in 226.33 sq.km. and was notified in 1986. Betla National Park is part of core area of Palamau Tiger Reserve.
Almost 170 kms away from Ranchi, surrounded by lush green forests, hills, valleys and waterfalls, Betla is a serene tribal village located in the Latehar District of Jharkhand. It’s the main tourism center of the Palamau Tiger Reserve. The park boasts an exotic collection of flora and fauna, Chital, Deer and Bison can be seen grazing in the grasslands.
Elephants are available for tourist ride. Mahouts lead their elephants into the forest area. Tourists can enjoy watching wild life and various floral diversity sitting on elephant back. The guided jeep safari organized in the Belta national park to spot wildlife and birds is truly exciting.
The Tiger reserve forms a part of the Betla national park. The total area of the tiger reserve is 1129.93 sq.km It is one of the first 9 tiger reserves created in the country at the inception of ‘Project Tiger’, in India and the only one in the state of Jharkhand.
Basic Information :
| Name | Sq. Km. |
|---|---|
| Total area of Palamau Tiger Project, Daltonganj | 1306.79 sq.km. |
| Tiger Reserves area | 1129.93 sq.km |
| Palamau wildlife sanctuary area | 979.27 sq.km. |
| Betla National Park area | 226.32 sq.km. |
| Buffer area, Project Tiger, Palamau Division | 730.89 sq.km. |
| Core area, Project Tiger, Palamau Division | 575.90 sq.km. |
Wildlife in Betla National Park
Since the Tiger reserve forms a part of the Betla national park, the flora and fauna of betla national park & the palamu tiger reserve are the same. It falls under the lndo-Malayan realm and is distinguished for its flora and fauna. The predators that roam the forest grounds are Tigers, Leopards, Wolves, Wild dogs and Jungle cats. Among the herbivores, Elephants, Bison, Chital and Mouse, Dear are the duly residents of the area. Interestingly the first ever tiger census by way of pug mark count, was undertaken within the forests of Palamau Tiger Reserve in 1934.
Tourist Accommodation Facilities
The park remains open for tourists from 1st October to 30th June. The park remains closed from 1st July to 30th September. Betla National Park can be approached :-
By Road
From Ranchi via Latehar (170 Km.) via NH-75
From Daltonganj via Dubiakhanr (25 Km.) via NH-75
From Patna via Aurangabad (260 Km.) via NH 98 and NH-75
By Train
The nearest railway stations are:
Daltonganj (25 Km.)
Barwadih (12 Km.)
Both of these stations are well connected with Ranchi, Patna, Delhi, Kanpur, Lucknow and Mughalsarai railway stations.
By Flight
Nearest Airport is Birsa Munda Airport, Ranchi (170 Km.)
Nearest Airport is Gaya Airport, Gaya(190 Km.)
