Bettiah National Park/ Valmikinagar National Park
The Valmiki National Park is spread across a core area of 335.64 km2 of more than 800 km2. of the Valmiki Sanctuary located in the West Champaran district of Bihar. Valmiki was established as the 18th tiger reserve in 1990. The Government of Biha r, in 1978 declared an area of 464.60 km2., which now forms the Reserve as Wildlife Sanctuary and national park in 1989. Later on, in 1990, about 419.18 km2. was added to the Sanctuary, totalling to 880.78 km2.
The park is bounded by the Royal Chitwan National Park of Nepal in the north and the river Gandak on the western side with the Himalayan Mountains as a backdrop. Adjacent to the sanctuary, in the forests in Chitwan National Park of Nepal, is the historic Valmiki Ashram. The park consists of moist sal bearing forests, dry sal bearing forests, moist mixed deciduous forests without sal, cane and tropical seasonal swamp forests containing reed beds and wet grasslands. The one-horned rhinoceros and Indian bison often migrate from Chitwan to Valmikinagar. The forest here is a mix of extensive Savannah lands and swamp forests. The forest in the sanctuary is rich in Bhabar-Dun sal, dry Siwalik sal, khair and cane. The extensive forest area of Valmikinagar was owned by the Bettiah Raj and Ramanagar Raj until early 1950s.
Places of interest: The Asoka Stupa, the Bawan Garhi and the Someshwar Fort are replete with tales of the past. Triveni where the three rivers Gandak, Sonha and Pachanad merge, not long after they emerge from the hills, is said to be another attraction.
Animals found: Tiger, black buck, sloth bear, wolf, various species of deer, leopard, python, peafowl, chitals, sambars, nilgais, leopards, hyenas, Indian civets, jungle cats, hog deer and wild dogs. One-horned rhinoceros and Indian bison often migrate from Chitwan to Valmikinagar.
Read more about this topic: Bettiah Raj
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