Category World Famous National Parks

The animals of Africa, many of them belonging to species which are now rare, today live under special protection from the danger of being hunted into extinction.

These animals live in national parks, huge areas reserved for them in central and eastern Africa. With the aid of wildlife Fund, these parks have become great tourist attractions. Every year thousands of people come from all over the world to see the giraffes, elephants, lions, gazelles, rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses and reptiles which live in freedom in these reserves.

There are good tracks and smooth roads and visitors can drive for hundreds of kilometres through these national parks. Some of Africa’s most important reserves are in Kenya and Tanzania. The Serengeti National Part in northern Tanzania covers an area of 15,000 square kilometres and extends from Lake Victoria to Mount Kilimanjaro. It has the finest collection of plains animals in Africa and is especially famous for its lions.

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The Wild Ass Sanctuary spans nearly 5,000 sq km. in Gujarat’s Little Rann of Kutch. Home to the third largest population of these animals in the world, the area is believed to be nurturing at least a few thousands of these mammals. Usually moving in large groups, these animals can be spotted throughout the year in this region. Due to its proximity to the Rann of Kutch and the variety in the region’s vegetation, the sanctuary hosts more than 30 species of rare and endangered animals, and over 90 species of invertebrates. In fact, the sanctuary also lies on the migratory route of several hundred birds that travel from as far as Europe, Russia and Egypt.

Wildlife

More than 350 species of birds can be spotted in the region, and these include ducks, geese, quails francolins, flamingoes, grebes, doves, pigeons, sandgrouses, nightjars, swifts, coucals, malkohas, cuckoos, koels, crakes, cranes, bustards, storks, pelicans, herons, egrets, ibises, cormorants, thick knees, plovers, lapwings, godwits, sandpipers, pratincoles, gulls, terns, kites, eagles, buzzards, vultures, owls, woodpeckers, bee-eaters, rollers, kingfishers, falcons, parakeets, orioles, drongos, shrikes, flowerpeckers, sunbirds, weavers, pipits, wagtails, buntings, larks, prinias, warblers, swallows, martins, bulbuls, starlings, flycatchers and wheatears. In addition to the wild ass, the place hosts several other animals, including chinkara, nilgai or blue bull, black buck, wild boar, Indian wolf, jackal, striped hyna, desert hare, desert cat, pangolin, porcupine, Indian fox, mongoose, and jungle cat.

There’s good news…

In 2015, the census of the wild ass showed that the total number of these ungulates was a little short of 4.500. A similar exercise conducted in March 2020 showed that the Umber stood at a little over 6,000 – showing a spike of 30 % in just five years. This is particularly encouraging, considering the species had a worrying history. Due to the outbreak of diseases, the number of these mammals had fallen to a mere 700 back in the 1960s. The population today points to a successful and concerted conservation effort over decades. It also points to the need to be mindful of the continuing threats faced by the wild ass, found in the wild only in this part of the country.

… but threats persist

While a growing population is comforting to hear, the threats that these animals face remain a concern. Since the paths of these animals cross those of domestic livestock that herders take out for grazing, the chance of a disease outbreak and the animals contracting it are high. Further, water carrying pesticide and fertilizer from farmlands outside the sanctuary enter the region, with potential to harm animals that could drink the polluted water. The increasing number of salt pans and illegal mining in the region are additional threats to the sanctuary.

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Spanning over 725 sq. km., the Periyar Tiger Reserve in Kerala is one of the rich biodiversity hotspots of the Western Ghats. Comprising a range of tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, moist deciduous forests, grasslands and eucalyptus plantations, it is amply nourished by rivers such as the Periyar running through the region. The reserve is a green zone that’s home to more than a 100 varieties each of grasses and orchids – perfect to welcome several species of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds and butterflies. The region also hosts a large number of Asiatic elephants, making it one of the most significant elephant reserves of the country.

Wildlife

Garganeys, little grebes, nightjars, swift, coucal, malkohas, crakes, bitterns, cormorants, snipes, sandpipers, harriers, hornbills, woodpeckers, barbets, bee-eaters, falcons, minivets, orioles, woodshrikes, shrikes, treepies, flowerpeckers, sunbirds, leaf birds, munias, pipits, wagtails, tits, larks, prinias, warblers, swallows, babblers, starlings, nuthatches, flycatchers, robins and thrushes are among the species of birds that can be seen here. In addition to the Royal Bengal tiger and the Asiatic elephant, one can spot mammals such as leopard, bison, sambar, barking deer, Indian wild dog, wild boar, Nilgiri marten, Nilgiri langur and otter. A variety of reptiles such as cobra, viper, krait, and Indian monitor lizard, and amphibians such as frogs and toads too are found in the region.

Cause for concern

report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India in 2019 A said that the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), an autonomous body that manages 1,248 temples including the Sabarimala Ayappa Temple, has been violating the Master Plan for Sabarimala for over a decade. This is affecting the ecology of the Periyar Tiger Reserve”. The report on the implementation of Wildlife Protection Act in Kerala says that the “impact of Sabarimala pilgrimage ranked first in the list of 18 major threats identified by Periyar Tiger Reserve authorities in Tiger Conservation Plan”. It added that due to the lack of drainage facilities, overflowing waste water and sewage was mixing with the rivers in the region. Further, electric lines had not been laid underground, and the existing “overhead cables without insulation” could pose a threat to wildlife species in the area.

Poachers to protectors

The Periyar Tiger Reserve is an example of an unusual success story. According to Mongabay, a conservation and environment news and features service, the story begins towards the end of the 20th Century, when a forest brigand operating near the reserve is captured. He led a 23-member gang of poachers and sandalwood smugglers. And was willing to give it all up if they were assured of a job with a steady income. However, back then there was no provision to include poachers and smugglers in forest management. Several discussions happened and a few years passed before Vidiyal Vanapathukappu Sangam was set up. It would be the country’s first eco-development committee constituted solely of former poachers and sandalwood smugglers””. The group underwent training and was exposed to the need for conservation. It’s been 17 years since. The members have helped crack at least “230 cases of poaching and smuggling”. In addition to patrolling, they also double up as tourist guides and elephant safari providers. Most importantly, they have managed to educate their children – some are postgraduates today! The success of this model has been so encouraging that several other reserves and sanctuaries too have emulated it.

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The region which is now Blackbuck National Park once belonged to the Maharaja of Bhavnagar; it was his hunting ground where he hunted down blackbucks with his famous hunting cheetahs. The place had a grassland ecosystem that supported herds of blackbucks and antelopes. This region was later made a national park.

Blackbuck National Park is famous for its success stories of conservation of the blackbuck, wolf and lesser florican. The lesser florican is an endangered species endemic to India. Today, the largest population of lesser floricans resides in this Park. The population of wolf and triped hyena is also increasing.

Among birds, sandgrouse and larks are seen in fair numbers. The harrier roast found at the park is one of the largest in the world.

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Keoladeo National Park famous around the world for its bird life, both resident and migratory. During winter, large flocks of aquatic birds from Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, China and Siberia migrate for nesting including the Siberian crane. Over 230 species of birds are known to be the Park’s residents. This region was earlier known as Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary.

Keoladeo is a man-made and man-managed wetland. It is one of the richest bird areas in the world. The Park used to be a hunting ground for the Maharajas of Bharatpur, a tradition dating back to 1850. Duck shoots were organized yearly in honour of the British viceroys back then. Though the Maharajah retained shooting rights until 1972, the last big shoot happened in 1964. The area was designated as a bird sanctuary on 13 March, 1976 and was later declared as a national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park was created on 24 May, 1983 under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. It aimed at protecting marine life such as corals and nesting sea turtles that are common in this area.

Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park is located in Wandoor in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and is made up of 17 islands and the open sea creeks running through the area. There are 2 major island groups in the park; the Labyrinth Islands and the Twin Islands. Twin Islands is an important area of sea turtles. The islands belong to the Rutland Archipelago and are located between Rutland Island and South Andaman Island.

Some of the islands in the Park are more isolated or protected from the effects of weather in the Bay of Bengal. Tarmugli is the largest island in the Park; it is covered with thick mangrove vegetation, sand covered beaches and sheet rocks.

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Filled with vast stretches of equatorial forest and grasslands, Intanki is one of the finest wildlife protected areas of Nagaland. It became a national park in 1993.

The thick rain forests in the Park offer a perfect habitat for all types of mammals, birds, reptiles and insects. Intanki is full of animals like Hoolock gibbon, golden langur, palm civets, tiger, black stork, sloth bear, wild dogs, flying squirrel, monitor lizard, and python.

It also has a large bird population; the birdlife here ranges from pheasants to hornbills and white-breasted kingfishers.

Intanki is also known as Ntangki National Park. The name Ntangki is derived from the Zeme dialect of the Zeliangrong tribe.

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In spite of their name, clouded leopards are not actually leopards. They are small version of the big car family, noted for their commendable ability to climb trees and jump to amazing heights. The dark blotchy patches with a unique pattern on its skin distinguish the clouded leopard from others in the cat family. Clouded Leopard National Park in Tripura is famous for its captive clouded leopard enclosures. Clouded leopards are also found in other national parks in the north-east.

Clouded Leopard National Park is a woodland with an artificial lake. It is a part of Sipahijola Wildlife Sanctuary. The spectacled langur, an endemic species of Tripura is abundant here. Other mammals like leopard, jungle fowl, barking deer and wild pigs are also found in the Park.

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Located near the Nilgiri Hills, Mudumalai National Park protects a range of plant and animal life including the Indian elephant, Bengal tiger, gaur, Indian leopard, and the critically endangered Indian white-rumped vulture and long-billed vulture.

Mudumalai is divided into five ranges- Masinagudi, Thepakadu, Mudumalai, Kargudi and Nellakota. The Park borders Bandipur National Park in Karnataka. Just like Bandipur, Mudumalai too lies between the Mysore-Ooty road, flooded with tourist traffic. There is a night travel ban here too in order to safeguard the elephant corridor.

The extensive growth of invasive species, such as lantana poses a threat to the fauna of Mudumalai; this hinders the natural regeneration process of the forests.

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The Redwood National and State Parks is a group of several state parks and one national park located in California. As the name suggest, it was set up to protect the remaining redwood forests.

The redwood trees are one among the tallest, oldest, and one of the most massive tree species on Earth. Along with the redwood forests, the parks preserve other indigenous flora, fauna, grassland prairie, cultural resources, portions of rivers and other streams, and 60 kilometres of pristine coastline.

The Redwood National and State Parks is made of the Redwood National Park and California’s Del Norte Coast, Jedediah Smith, and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Parks. At the time when these parks were set up, almost 90 per cent of the native redwood trees were logged off. The revival works are progressing successfully.

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The Grand Canyon is one of the most visited places in Arizona. It is a gorge of the Colorado river. This rocky structure is at least 17 million years old. The river had eroded the canyon since then to form what we see today.

The Grand Canyon is 446 km long, up to 29 km wide and is around 2 km deep in some places. The narrowest point us more than six kilometres wide. Nearly 40 major sedimentary rock layers are exposed in the Grand Canyon. These layers contain millions of years of geological history. Some of these layers are two billion years old.

The Grand Canyon was designated a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 1979.

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Braulio Carillo National Park in Costa Rica exists within a volcanic conservation area. The Park was built in order to limit the developments in the area after the construction of the Limon Highway, a road of industrial importance.

The Park hosts the Barva Volcano, several other dormant volcanoes, various rivers and crater lakes. More than 90 per cent of the Park is covered with forests. The vegetation in the Park varies according to the altitude; there are cloud forests in high altitudes and tropical rainforests in lowlands.

Braulio Carillo has one of the highest levels of biodiversity in Costa Rica. More than 600 species of trees, 530 species of birds and 135 species of mammals thrive here.

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Banff National Park of Canada has mesmerized thousands of people with its otherworldly beauty. It is the first and oldest national park of Canada.

With the terrain shifting from glaciers and ice fields to coniferous forests and picturesque lakes, Banff is located in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta. The mountains here were formed 80 million years ago, when the sedimentary rocks were pushed over to a side to form a new rock strata. Glaciers had covered most of the Park earlier.

Now, they are found only on the mountain slopes. They include the Columbia Icefield, the largest uninterrupted glacial mass in the Rockies. The current shape of the mountains can be credited to erosion from water to ice. Banff National Park has a subcratic climate, it spreads over three eco regions- the montane, subalpine, and alpine.

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Cabo Pulmo is home to the only Pacific coral reef in the Sea of Cortez which is estimated to be at least 20,000 years old. It is in fact one of the oldest and the northernmost coral reef in the Pacific Ocean.

The reef system in Cabo Pulmo supports at least 200 tons of fish of great commercial value. The Park is surrounded by rocky outcrops that are at least a thousand years old. There are also layers of sandstone that hold a lot of fossils.

For many years, this precious place was unprotected. But through the tenacious efforts of the Cabo Pilmo community, in 1995, the waters offshore from Cabo Pulmo were designated a National Marine Park by the Mexican government.

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Every year, scores of migratory aquatic birds including spoonbills, flamingos and pelicans come to nest in the marshy lands of Cuba’s Caguanes National park. But, the number of these birds declined in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Sugar mills around the Park polluted the Park and this was the reason behind the decline in their numbers. Three sugar mills were shut down after this in order to reduce pollution. As a result, the number of migratory birds visiting the Park is increasing since then.

Caguanes National park covers the Caguanes peninsula as well as the Guayaberas swamps and mangroves. There are many caves, arches and niches that open to the sea. This Park is home to 200 varieties of animals out of which 24 are endemic. 112 species of birds nest in the marsh and coastal areas.

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Mount Fuji remains as a symbol of Japan. Renowned around the world for its beauty, Mt. Fuji is the tallest of Japan’s mountains. This magnificent mountain is located in Japan’s Fuji Hakone-Izu National Park.

Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park consists of Mount-Fuji, Fuji Five Lakes, Hakone, the Izu Peninsula, and the Izu Islands. Quite a long list indeed! The Park holds a variety of landscapes and geological formations ranging from hot springs to volcanic islands. One can find coastlines, mountainous areas, swamps, plateaus, hot springs, lakes, and more than 1000 volcanic islands in the Park. No wonder, it is the most visited national park in Japan.

Speaking of vegetation, the forests of the Park range from broad-leaf deciduous forests to coniferous forests. It is home to the famous Japanese to beach trees. The Izu Islands are a stopping point for many migratory birds.

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There is an underground river in Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park in Philippines. Unlike other rivers of the world, this river emerges directly into the sea, and its lower portion is subject to tidal influences. St. Paul’s Underground River Cave is more than 24 kilometres long. It has an 8.2-kilometre-long underground section too.

The site contains a full mountain-to-the-sea ecosystem. In fact, it holds one of the most important forests in Asia. There is a range of forests formations in the Park representing eight of the thirteen forest types found in tropical Asia.

The mountains in the Park have a thick cover of rainforest. The vegetation changes near the limestone karst. Most of the threatened and restricted range birds of the Palawan Endemic Bird Area have been found here. These birds including the Palawan pheasant peacock and Philippine cockatoo can be found mostly near the lowlands.

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Seoraksan National Park is known for its floral diversity. With the mountain changing its colour according to each season, Seoraksan Mountain offers a picturesque landscape any time of the year.

There are about 1,013 species of plants. Pine trees such as the Siberian pine occupy the southern slopes while the northern slopes of the mountain range are characterized by oaks and other deciduous trees. Dwarf pines, hawthorns, and Manchurian firs can also be seen here in abundance.

Many species of animals have been identified and classified so far. This includes the Siberian flying squirrel, kestrel, Chinese minnow, and spotted barbell. The Park also hosts some of the endangered species like the Tristram’s woodpecker, Korean goral, and Korean musk deer.

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Chitwan National Park is the first national park in Nepal. The Park is famous for the protection of one horned rhinoceros, royal Bengal tiger and gharial crocodile. Chitwan also harbours the world’s largest terrestrial mammal- the wild elephant, and also the world’s smallest terrestrial mammal- the pygmy shrew.

Almost 70 per cent of the Park is constituted by sal forests, moist deciduous vegetation found in terai regions. Grasslands and riverine forests can also be found here. 68 species of mammals, 544 species of birds and 126 species of fish have been recorded in the Park.

22 globally threatened species including the critically endangered Bengal florcian can be found here, as well as the red-headed vulture.

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Jigme Dorji National Park in Bhutan is unique in many ways. It is one of the oldest and largest protected areas in the Himalayas. All the three climate zones in Bhutan meet here. It is the only place in Bhutan where the national animal, flower, bird and tree-takin, blue poppy, raven, and cypress-exist together. Also, it is the only national park where the snow leopard meets the Bengal tiger. Some of the most dangerous glaciers in Bhutan can also be found here.

Jigme Dorji National Park is endowed with a high number of endangered plants and animals. It is a treasure trove of medicinal plants, natural hot springs and medicinal waters. It is one of the most biologically diverse regions in the Eastern Himalayas. It is home to the takin, snow leopard, clouded leopard, Bengal tiger, bharal or Himalayan blue sheep, black musk deer, Himalayan black bear, red panda, Ussuri dhole, and spotted linsang. The Indian leopard, serow, sambar, barking deer, goral, marmot, pika and more than 300 species of birds too can be found here.

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Komodo National Park in Indonesia protects both terrestrial and marine ecosystems. The Park is famous for protecting the unique Komodo dragon, an endemic lizard.

Komodo National Park is made up of three major islands: Komodo, Rinca and Padar. It includes one of the richest marine environments in the world composed of coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, seamounts, and semi-enclosed bays.

Over the past 60 years, the population of Indonesia has increased by a shocking 800 per cent. The population outburst has had an impact on the forest cover and the marine ecosystem. The Timor deer population in the Park is being poached. In addition to this, destructive fishing practices such as the use of dynamite, and cyanide severely threaten the Park’s marine resources by destroying both the coral reefs, and the fish population.

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Divided into 5 blocks- light forests, scrubs, grasslands, tanks and lagoons, Yala National Park in Sri Lanka is home to 44 varieties of mammal and 215 bird species. Among its most famous residents are the world’s biggest concentration of leopards, majestic elephants, sloth bears, peacocks, and crocodiles. The tsunami of 2004 was a game changer for this Park.

The waves that struck Yala were at least 20 feet high. It devastated the scrub forests and grasslands. The tsunami altered the Yala coastline forever; around 60 per cent of the area along the coastline has changed and the damage was worse closer to the sea.

It is surprising to note that animals were not harmed by the waves. This incident supports the theory of the sixth sense of animals that took them out of the path of the on-coming waves. Findings based on two elephants with electronic collars suggest that their reactions based on quick comprehension of clues may have prompted all the animals to escape the waves. Sadly, this faculty does not work for humans!

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Two of the world’s largest karst regions are in Vietnam. The Phong Nha National park was set up in order to protect these regions and the limestone ecosystem that thrives on it. The protected area of Phong Nha covers at least 300 caves and grottos. This marvellous rock formation hosts scores of plants, animals, insects and reptiles, some of them even listed on the World Red Data Book.

Tropical dense moist evergreen forests thrive on these limestone formations, 800 metres above the sea level. As the seedlings can only grow in holes and cracks in the limestone where soil has accumulated, the regeneration of the lost vegetation is generally slow.

Phong Nha is home to many endangered species like the pig-tailed macaque. But, it is interesting to note that some new species have been discovered in the Park including a species of eel and a gecko.

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Imagine strips of mountains painted like rainbows. Sounds almost unbelievable, right? There is a stretch of multicoloured hills in China that look like painted rainbows, in Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park.

Just like a tiered cake, the landscape of Zhangye Danxia was formed by layers called strata. Wind and water eroded these layers over time and the sediment that settled hundred over the years. Changes in climate affected the rate of erosion and the appearance of the sediment. Now, when the layers eroded, a new colour of sediment came out forming anothersheet of rock over the hill. This process happened many times, producing different sheets of different hues.

We know that mountains are formed when the Earth’s tectonic plates push against each other. Around 50 million years ago, the plate that carried India pushed against the one that carried the rest of Asia. The collision was very powerful and as a result, a large mass of colourful hills popped out of the surface of where Zhangye Danxia is today.

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Slipper orchid is a sub-family of the orchids of which, the lip of the flower is slipper shaped. If you want to see the white Ang Thong lady’s slipper orchids, you ned to travel to Thailand’s Ang Thong National Marine Park.

Ang Thong is an archipelago of 42 islands out of which at least 40 are uninhabited. It has limestone mountains, thick jungle, white-sand beaches, waterfalls and hidden caves and lakes. One could find scores of exotic plants and animals in around hundred kilometres of protected sea and land.

Ang Thong is rich in marine life. Apart from a variety of fish, one can also spot brown seaweed, crabs, sea fans, clams and mussels. The animal species are limited; 16 mammal, around 50 bird, 14 reptile and 5 amphibian species can be found here.

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Gunung Mulu National Park is one of a kind. Seventeen vegetation zones exist within the Park zones exist within the Park which spans less than 550 square kilometres. The Park is famous for its special kind of rocky terrain. Gunung Mulu, a 2,377 metres high sandstone pinnacle dominates the Park. It also has the largest cave in the world- the Sarawak Chamber.

Gunung Mulu is a biodiversity hotspot; half of all Borneo’s plant, animal and fungal species can be found in Gunung Mulu. The rainforests of Gunung Mulu host 2,142 non-flowering plants and at least 2,000 species of flowering plants. The count of invertebrates in the Park is surprising; around 20,000 species that includes 360 types of spiders, 147 varieties of dragonflies, 281 kinds of butterflies and approximately 4,000 species of beetles live here.

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Hwange National Park is famous not only as the biggest national park in Zimbabwe. All of Zimbabwe’s specially protected animals can be found in Hwange. Also, it is the only place where gemsbok and brown hyena occur in reasonable numbers. It is also famous for the National Leopard Project, a survey that aims to find out the number of leopards and their hunting areas.

Hwange is home to over 100 mammal and 400 bird species. The number of animals in the Park is also relaed to the number of water holes. The herbivores of the Park constantly move and reside in various parts of the Park based on the availability of water. Even the number of major carnivores like lions are related to the availability of pans and waterholes.

The population of elephants has been increasing significantly in Hwange for the past ten years. This has put a strain on the resources of the Park.

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There are less than 900 mountain gorillas in the world. These critically endangered animals cannot live in captivity. They can only live in dense forests like Bwindi in Uganda.

Around 400 mountain gorillas live in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which is half the world’s population of the species. These mountain gorillas are gentle and many of them are familiar with the presence of tourists.

Bwindi is one of Uganda’s oldest and most biologically diverse rainforest. Apart from gorillas, you can also find other primates like baboons and chimpanzees.

The forest in Bwindi is rich in flora and fauna. It supports more than 120 mammals. Around 400 species of birds can be seen in Bwindi. The Park also has a huge population of butterflies and frogs. There is abundant plant life in Bwindi; more than 1,000 flowering plant species, including 163 species of trees and 104 species of ferns thrive here.

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The flora of the Addo Elephant National Park is quite distinct. The Park is home to many endemic plants including succulents and geophyte plants. However, many of these plants are under severe environmental pressure; some plants are even under the threat of extinction.

The original mission of the Park was to reintroduce certain mega-herbivores, like the African elephant and black rhino. While efforts were made to protect these mammals, the effects they have on the land were largely overlooked. As the population of these animals increased, certain plants were overgrazed. Around 77 species of South African endemic plants have been listed as ‘vulnerable to elephant browsing’.

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The orange-hued sand dunes in the Namib-Naukluft National Park are the tallest in the world; some of these sand dunes are as tall as 00 metres and that is the same as the height of the Nurek Dam, one of the tallest dams in the world.

Namib-Naukluft National Park lies between the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and the edge of the Great Escarpment. The Park consists of the Namib Desert, the Naukluft mountain range, and the lagoon at Sandwich Harbour. The Namib Desert is considered to be the world’s oldest desert.

The wind that forms the sand dune of the Park also brings in moisture in the form of fog off the Atlantic Ocean. The burnt orange colour of the dunes is a sign of their age; it develops over time as the iron in the sand gets oxidized. The height of the dunes decreases near the coast.

A surprising number of animals thrive in this hyper-arid region including snakes, geckos, hyenas, gemsboks and jackals. The lagoons also attract a large number of birds.

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An elephant requires around 70-150 kilograms of food a day. The Kruger National Park has enough resources for around 10,000 elephants. It would become a problem if the number of elephants increases.

Have you heard of something called culling? Culling is a deliberate reduction of the population of a wild animal. This is often done by selective slaughtering. In 1994, culling of elephants at Kruger was stopped. The authorities tried translocating them instead.

However, the population had increased to 16,900 in 2012. The increase in the elephant population has affected the vegetation of the Park.

Kruger National Park is the oldest national park in South Africa. UNESCO has declared Kruger as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve.

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Forests, grasslands, swamps, mangroves, lagoons, beaches… Loango National Park has got them all. Entering the Park is like looking at a collage of different landscapes. All these exist right next to each other which makes it possible for an impressive range of wildlife to thrive.

One could spot gorillas, chimpanzees, mandrills, elephants and even humpback whales at Loango. Nowhere else in world can you see elephants, hippos and even gorillas foraging on the beach. That would definitely look like a fairy tale.

The Park also has a sizeable crocodile population. The Loango coast has the world’s largest concentration and variety of whales and dolphins after South Africa. Naturalist Michael Fay called Loango ‘Africa’s last Eden’.

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The creation of Ivindo National Park was announced at the Earth Summit back n 2002 by the then President of Gabon, Omar Bango.

Ivindo National Park contains Langoue Bai, one of the five most important forest clearings in Central Africa. Bai is the local name for an open, marshy clearing within the heart of a primary rainforest. The existence of such clearings was discovered only in the 200s. Herds of African buffalo and African forest elephant are found here. Western lowland gorillas too come here at times.

The Park also has a notable bird population; there are around 430 species of birds in Ivindo.

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Remember Pride Rock and the sun kissed majestic landscape in which Simba emerges as the true king? Who could forget the sweeping cliffs and deep gorge! The animators of the movie travelled to Kenya to discover a dramatic landscape for the film and they ended up in Hell’s Gate National Park.

Hell’s Gate is a comparatively smaller national park situated in a Rift Valley which is full of red cliffs. It also contains two volcanic plugs and hot springs. The Park has a varied wildlife. The big animals in the Pak include lions, leopards and cheetahs. There are more than 103 species of birds in the Park. It is also home to the rare lammergeier vultures.

Hell’s Gate National Park is also famous for safaris.

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In 1958, Joy and George Adamson, a naturalist couple came to Meru to reintroduce the orphan lioness Elsa into the wild. The book and film about this project became very popular and attracted the world’s attention to Meru. Since then, Meru National Park has remained an icon of the timeless beauty of the East African landscape.

Meru National Park is one of the most famous national parks in the whole of Africa. Due to the abundant rainfall it receives, Meru is full of tall grass and swamps. The Park is also home to diverse kinds of wildlife that include Grevy’s zebra, white rhinos, hippopotamuses, reticulated giraffes and lesser kudus.

The 1970s, and 80s were times of trouble for Meru. Poaching became rampant and the wildlife population came down significantly. The white rhinos were almost wiped out. However, a group of committed wardens turned around the situation. They improved the security system and this ensured an improvement in the wildlife population.

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The annual migration of western white-bearded wildebeests is one of the most spectacular wildlife events. At the onset of autumn, more than 1.5 million wildebeests embark on their journey along with gazelles and zebras along the Serengeti-Masai Mara ecosystem and cross the Kenya-Tanzania border twice. These animals migrate in search of water and fresh grazing grounds.

Serengeti National Park is known across the globe for the abundance of wildlife and rich biodiversity.

The most popular animals among the tourists are known as the ‘big five’ – lion, African leopard, African bush elephant, eastern black rhinoceros and African buffalo. The Park also has a rich bird life; there are more than 500 species of birds in Serengeti.

The reptiles in the park include the Nile crocodile, leopard tortoise and African python.

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Chimpanzees are the main wildlife attraction at Mahale. The Mahale Mountains National Park is located on the banks of Lake Tanganyika. The forests around the mountains are rich in wildlife.

Around 700 chimpanzees live here. In fact, the chimpanzees at Mahale are among the best studied in the world. These animals are used to the presence of humans observing them. It is one of the only two protected areas for chimpanzees in the country. Also, it is the only place where chimpanzees and lions co-exist.

The mountain rise steeply from the lakeshore and is filled with thick forests full of monkeys and birds. The monkey species include red monkeys and red-tailed monkeys. There are other animals too like ungulates, bushbucks and antelopes.

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Triglav National Park is the only national park in Slovenia. The highest peak of the Julian Alps, Mount Triglav lies right in the middle of the Park. The Park takes its name from Mount Triglav.

Triglav National Park is rich in medical plants. Almost 62 per cent of the Park is filled with 37 species that have various medicinal properties. They have been extensively studied by various ecologists. In order to conserve them, some of these plants are banned from being collected or used.

There are two major rivers in Triglav-Sava River and Soca River. There are many waterfalls in these rivers and their tributaries. Apart from this, there are several glacial lakes as well.

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Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park is Spain’s first protected area; it is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. The vegetation in Ordesa varies according to the elevation of the specific region. At a height of 1,500-1,700 metres, there are extensive forests of beeches, Abies alba, pines, oaks, and a lesser extent of birches, ashes, and willows. Mountain pines dominate the area upto a height of 2000 metres.

Bucardo, a variety of wild goat was the most important species of Ordesa. Despite the conservation efforts, the species became extinct in 2000. There are other species such as the alpine marmot, boar and the Pyrenean desman. Ordesa is also home to birds like the golden eagle, the bearded vulture, the griffon vulture, hawks, and the royal owl.

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Peneda-Geres National Park is the only national park in Portugal. The Park was established to protect the soil, water, flora, fauna, and landscape of the place.

The Park is a jumble of oak forests, bogs, green valleys, and granite heights that are at least 300 million years old. Europe has a very few number of wolf packs and Peneda-Geres is home to some of them. It is also home to others, salamanders, 147 different species of birds and fifteen species of bats which are endangered. Most of the birds found here are migratory.

Wild ponies and Garrano ponies are native to the Park since a very long time. However in the mid-twentieth century, they were nearly wiped out due to extensive domestication. The Portuguese government began to rebuild the herds in the 1940s.

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If you are going to visit Sarek, be ready to see at least a hundred glaciers and several mountains that are at least 2000 metres tall. Six of Sweden’s highest mountains are in Sarek.

Sarek National Park has a unique geology that can be attributed to glacial activity. The meltwater from the glaciers flow through the valleys and form the world’s most famous alpine delta, the Rapa river delta. The continuous movement of the ice sheets produces rock dust. It is then carried away by the meltwater that later forms the deltas. The ice sheet has also sculpted large U-shaped valleys.

The Sami people came to Sarek thousands of years ago. They were hunter gatherers who hunted reindeer which were a source of meat and milk for them. Sami settlement can still be found within Sarek.

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Killarney National Park is the first and oldest national park of Ireland. It is of national and inter-national importance as the Park contains native oakwoods and yew woods. It is home to rich evergreen forests full of bryophytes and lichens. The only red deer herd on mainland Ireland resides in Killarney National Park.

The Park is of high ecological value because of the quality and diversity of many of its habitats, and the wide variety of species that they accommodate.

Killarney National Park has a diverse geology as well. The park has sandstone and limestone formations. A number of lakes add to the beauty of the Park. Lough Leane is the largest of the Killarney lakes and contains over 30 islands!

McGillycuddy Reeks Mountain Range in the Park includes Ireland’s highest Mountain, Carrauntoohill.

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Durmitor National Park is noted for its biodiversity. Within its abundant forests, high peaks and deep gorges, the Park shelters over 1500 kinds of flora and 130 kinds of birds. 314 species of protected animals can be found within the park. It is here that we find the greatest variety of butterflies in Europe.

The park is classified into seven zones-uncut forest of fir, black pine at Crna poda, canyon of Susica, region of Lake Barno, region of Lake Zaboljsko, Canyon of Tara and Milling stream. There are 17 glacier lakes in the park. Durmitor National Park is the largest protected area in Montenegro, and it was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1980.

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Can there be active volcanoes under sheets of ice? Think of hot lava oozing out through sheets of glacial ice. Sounds almost impossible, right? But, indeed there is a place on earth where active volcanoes hide under glacial ice- in the Vatnajokull National park. It is certainly a geological wonder. Vatnajokull National park is famous for its varied landscape- rivers, glacial ice, mountains, valleys, plateaus and volcanoes.

In fact, Vatnajokull is Europe’s largest glacier outside the arctic. It is also a place with strong geothermal activity; two of the world’s greatest fissure and lava eruptions of historical times occurred here. The glacier here is at least 400-600 metres thick.

One of Iceland’s national parks, Vatnajokull includes the national parks in Skaftafell.

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Sixteen beautiful lakes between limestone formations, scores of waterfalls, turquoise water…one could find all of this in Plitvice Lakes National Park.

Wherever you look, you will be smitten by breath-taking views. This natural beauty is included in the list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Plitvice Lakes National Park is one of the oldest and largest national parks in Croatia. This karstic region has specific hydro-geological properties; the dolomite rocks have the capacity to retain water. As a result, the canyons in the limestone deposits have been cut naturally to form lakes. There are twelve Upper Lakes, four Lower Lakes and several unnamed lakes. The Upper lakes are more dominant in terms of size and volume.

The mineral composition of Plitvice creates an array of stunning colours in the lakes, form teal to green, grey and blue. The water here has the power to calcify everything it touches. Therefore, one will not spot algae or mud here. Plitvice Lakes enjoy a moderate mountainous climate and the area is rich in biodiversity.

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The Bastei Bridge, a wooden bridge that links several rocks of the Bastei rock formation was built in 1824. Since then, it is a major tourist attraction and is the most famous landmark of the Saxon Switzerland National Park.

Bastei is a steep rock formation that towers upto a height of 194 metres above the Elbe River. This rock canyon was formed around one million years ago entirely due to the constant erosion by wind and water.

Saxon Switzerland National Park borders Bohemian Switzerland National Park in the Czech Republic. The Park has an intensely fissured rocky landscape and therefore, has a stark vertical division in topography. This is the reason for several different habitats and microclimate zones in the Park. The Park has steep mountains, ravines, and extensive forests. It also hosts some forms of forest without human intervention, something which is unusual in Europe.

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Goreme National Park is a rare site where nature meets history. It is a rocky, eroded volcanic region. The place is full of plateaus and valleys dissected by gushing rivers and streams.

Millions of years ago, the volcanic ash had solidified to form tuffs, big and small. These tuffs have undergone erosion for millions of years more to from multi-coloured cliffs, rock towers, pillars, tent rocks and fairy chimney rock formations. The ‘fairy chimneys’ are often highlighted as a unique feature formed by the wind and water.

In the Byzantine era, there were interconnected underground settlements here. This can be found in an area called Cappadocia.

Some of the earliest monasteries here date back to the fourth century, founded by monks who came here following the teachings of Basileios the Great. They began carving out cells from the rock. They later linked these cells and created underground communities, wit chapels, store rooms and living quarters in order to resist the attack of bandits.

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Tongariro National Park is famous not only for being the oldest national park in New Zealand. It is also famous for being a dual World Heritage area.

Tongariro National park is centred around three active volcanoes – Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu. A variety of flora and fauna thrive in this acidic environment. Along with volcanic vents, one could also see several glaciers in the park. The plant and animal life in the park include the endangered whio or blue duck, North Island brown kiwi, tomtit, robin, tui, grey warbler, native falcon, golden and red tussocks, white foxgloves, podocarp trees, mountain cedars and sundews. Because of these outstanding natural characteristics, Tongariro National Park was declared a World Heritage site in 1990.

Three years later, the Park was also granted Cultural World Heriatge status under the revised criteria in recognition of its cultural significance and history. The Park is also famous for Maori cultural and spiritual associations.

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The Nelson Lakes National Park supports a honeydew ecosystem. Honeydew is a sweet sticky substance that forms a rich source of food for many birds, bats, lizards and insects.

Honeydew is produced by small scale insects that live inside the bark of beech trees; it is a sugar-rich sticky substance formed in droplets that protrudes from each tree trunk.

The Nelson Lakes National Park is centred around two large lakes, Rotoiti and Rotoroa; these lakes are the largest in this area. Both the lakes are surrounded by steep mountains and the shores of the lakes are lined by native honeydew beech forest, which feed a variety of tuneful nectar-eating native birds.

Apart from the red and silver beech trees, the forests around the lakes are abundant with a range of shrubs. These shrubs have an unusual wiry form. This feature is thought to have evolved as a defence against browsing by moa, a flightless bird now extinct.

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How can anyone compare rocks to pancakes? But we do have rocks shaped like pancakes stacked together in a giant heap. This curious structure is found in Paproa National Park. The Pancake Rocks are one of the most visited tourist destinations in New Zealand.

The Pancake Rocks are in fact a heavily eroded limestone area that forms surge pools and blow holes. Apart from the Pancake Rocks, the Paparoa National Park has a variety of landforms including mountains, high cliffs, lowlands, glacial valleys and coastal terrains.

Due to the mild climate and high fertility of the soil, a variety og organisms thrive in Paparoa National Park. One could find colonies of the Westland petrel, a rare seabird, in the densely forested terraces south of the Punakaiki river. Seals including the fur seal, elephant seal and leopard seal are also found here in abundance.

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Locked between Golden Bay and Tasman Bay at the north end of the South Island, Abel Tasman National Park is the smallest national park in New Zealand. The park is named after a European explorer Abel Tasman. Tasman was the first person to sight New Zealand in 1642 and anchored near the Golden Bay.

Abel Tasman National Park is a forested hilly area with considerable flora and fauna. Petrels, shags, penguins, gulls, terns, and herons are the birds that frequent this area.

A private funded trust named Project Janszoon works to conserve and restore the Park’s ecosystem. This name too has got something to do with the European explorer; Janszoon is Tasman’s middle name!

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The Westland Tai Poutini National park stretches from the highest peaks of Southern Alps to a remote coastline. Within this stretch, it contains glaciers, lakes, dense temperate rainforests, the remains of old gold mining towns along the coast and even hot springs. There are sixty named glaciers in Westland Tail Poutini National Park!

Both rain and snow falls on the park. There are three main rivers that originate in the park; they empty into the Tasman Sea. The diverse geological forms support a variety of plant and animal life. Gillespies Beach in the park is home to the only species of fur seal breeding on the New Zealand mainland. A sizeable bird population thrives on the vegetation in the park that includes huge pines and cypresses, and subalpine scrubs. The birds in the park range from ducks and kingfishers to skylarks and falcons. Himalayan tahr too can be spotted here.

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The sand dunes in Sigatoka became the first national park in Fiji. These sand dunes were continuously forming for thousands of years as a result of coastal erosion and are 20-60 metres tall.

Sigatoka National Park supports a sand dune ecosystem, and is home to different varieties of plants and 22 species of birds. This place is of archaeological importance as well. Several excavations have been carried out in this site and the findings include pottery that is more than 2600 years old. The dunes came under the management of the National Trust of Fiji in 1989.

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Freycinet National Park, noted for its range of rare and endemic flora and fauna, as well as the diversity of landscapes and communities is also the oldest national park in Tasmania. Granite mountains, sandy beaches, dunes and estuaries dominate the landscape of Freycinet National Park.

A place of scenic beauty, Freycinet National Park is also noted for its flora and fauna; forty-nine endemic species are found at Freycinet. Whales, particularly southern right whales are frequent visitors here. The fauna of Freycinet include brushtail possum, sugar glider, humpback whale and bottlenose dolphins. The Tasmanian devil was once a common sight at the park. Now there is a significant drop in their numbers due to a cancer known as the Devil Facial Tumour Disease. The Park has a vivid plant life as well; more than 500 plants have been recorded within the park including more than 80 species of orchids.

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Coloured sand, large sand dunes, healthlands, untouched beaches, rainforests, swamps, creeks, freshwater lakes and mangrove forests – the Great Sandy National Park has got them all. This coastal national park is a geological marvel. Thousands of tourists come here every year to see the coloured sand.

The coloured sands were formed when the old sand get mixed with clay to form a consolidated mass. The colours are a reflection of the iron-rich minerals embedded in the sand for thousands of years. It is brought to the surface by wind and water eroding the land. One can find red, brown, and yellow sand in Great Sandy National Park.

Great Sandy National Park is divided into two sections – the Cooloola Recreation Area and Fraser Coast Important Bird Area. The Fraser Coast Important Bird Area supports a huge bird population including black-breasted button-quails, regent bowerbirds and mangrove honeyeaters.

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Though isolated from other landmasses of Australia, Christmas Island is spectacular. It is rich in biodiversity and home to several endemic species.

Christmas Island has uniquely structured rainforests and wetlands that shelter millions of animals, birds, insects and reptiles. You would be surprised to know that 45 million red crabs live in this island! Every year, around 80,000 birds nest in Christmas Island. Most of the animals and plants found in this national park are not found elsewhere in the world. Many of the animals here have Christmas Island gecko, Christmas Island blind snake and Christmas Island shrew.

At least 200 species of endemic plants are found in Christmas Island. The plant life here is influenced by warm temperatures, heavy rainfall and the soil type.

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Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is named after two of Australia’s most spectacular sites-Uluru, a sandstone monolith and Kata Tjuta a conglomeration of red rock domes. Both Uluru and Kata Tjuta are regarded as sacred spots as some Aboriginal communities believe that their ancestral beings still live here. The Anangu are the traditional Aboriginal owners of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.

Uluru is made of a type of rock called arkose with flaky red surface containing grey patches. The flakes are in fact bits of rock left after water and oxygen have decayed the minerals in the rock. Kata Tjuta is a large dome-like structure made of pebbles and boulders that are cemented by sand and mud. Most of the pieces are granite and basalt, and look like a plum-pudding. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to hundreds of plants, birds, reptiles and animals.

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Most of us know about Port Campbell as a scenic coast with limestone formations that would make a good photograph.

We have seen these limestone formations near the Great Ocean Road on our desktop background. But, there is much more in Port Campbell than the cliffs, rock stacks, gorges, arches, and blow-holes.

A wide variety of birds thrive on the fragile ecosystem in Port Campbell National Park including honeyeaters, southern emu, fairy wrens, swamp harriers, Rufous bristlebird, peregrine falcons, pelicans, ducks, black swans and egrets.

These birds are found in the grasslands and health lands of Port Campbell. Along with these, Australasian gannets, wandering albatrosses and short-tailed shearwaters live out at sea. Penguins are also seen near the shore line.

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Undara Volcanic National Park is noted for its lava tubes and rich mineral deposits. For millions of years, Undara was an active shield volcano.

A massive eruption occurred in the volcano. The lava tubes and caves that we see today were formed when rivers of lava confined to a valley crusted over and formed a roof.

The lava tubes in the Undara Volcanic National Park contain the remains of the Earth’s longest flow of lava originating from a single volcanic crater. Numerous caves were formed within the lava tubes and these are now fertile pockets in which plant and animal species thrive.

Out of these, Bayliss Cave is considered one of the world’s most important, biologically diverse caves. The mineral wealth of the Park includes topaz, moonstone, peridot, aquamarine, gamet, quartz and gold. The Park also has many perennial springs which provide important habitats for a range of wildlife.

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Daintree rainforest is one of the oldest rainforests in the world. Home to many rare species, the Daintree rainforest has a significant bird population. This rainforest has more than 430 bird species, 23 reptiles and at least thirteen amphibians. The Daintree National Park is divided into two sections with an agricultural settlement in the middle.

The Daintree National Park is quite a spectacle; lush forests, the Daintree river and pristine beaches. Much of the national park is covered by tropical rainforest that has existed for more than 100 million year. The name comes from the Daintree river. The river was named by George Elphinstone Dalrymple, an early explorer of the area. He named the river after his friend Richard Daintree.

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