6 Incredible National Parks Of West Bengal

Extending from the snow-covered Himalayan peaks to the coast of the Bay of Bengal, West Bengal is rich in natural wonders, including six incredible national parks. Here, you can meet the swamp tigers of the Sunderbans while boating through the mysterious mangroves and lock eyes with a red panda as you trek through montane forests in Singalila. The Dooars region offers some spectacular national parks where megaherbivores like elephants, rhinos, and gaurs roam wild and free. Many colorful bird species thrive in West Bengal's national parks, and so do a variety of other life forms.

Sundarbans National Park

A Bengal tiger yawning in the Sundarbans National Park, West Bengal. Image credit: Soumyajit Nandy Wikimedia Commons.

Of course, the list of West Bengal’s national parks begins with the Sundarbans, renowned globally as the only mangrove ecosystem that serves as home to tigers. The Sundarbans tigers are also known for their unique traits, like preying on humans - yes, literally they do so in the Sundarbans! However, it is not just its tigers that allure visitors to the mangrove islands formed where the Ganga-Brahmaputra drains into the Bay of Bengal, but also a plethora of other wildlife, including gigantic saltwater crocodiles that rule the waters around the islands. The mangroves here protect the inland settlements against cyclones and coastal flooding and hence are of great conservation significance. Climate change is one of the biggest threats to this unique ecosystem. The importance of the Sundarbans National Park is recognised by the United Nations, which has included it as part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today, it is visited by tourists, writers, wildlife photographers, and filmmakers from across the world who want to tell the many fascinating stories associated with this national park.

Jaldapara National Park

Two powerful animals, the gaur and the rhino, confront each other at a salt lick in Jaldapara National Park, West Bengal. Image credit: Darshana Darshuvia via Wikimedia Commons

Known for its expansive grasslands and riverine forests, this national park, on the banks of the Torsa River, houses the largest one-horned rhino population in West Bengal. The park is also home to a great diversity of other species, similar to Gorumara, and offers extremely scenic landscapes for spending a relaxing time in the heart of nature. Both Gorumara and Jaldapara suffer from habitat fragmentation due to growing human presence along their peripheries. Conflicts with wildlife, especially elephants, are commonly reported. Protecting wildlife corridors in the area is thus vital to ensure the safety of both people and wildlife.

Gorumara National Park

Entrance to the Gorumara National Park in West Bengal. Image credit: Tiyasakolkata2016 via Wikimedia Commons.

Located in the Dooars region in northern West Bengal, the Gorumara National Park is an enchanting getaway into the heart of the wild. It is a place known for its large elephant population and the many stories that revolve around this gentle giant, like the story of the elephant God, Mahakal, worshipped by the local communities of the park. Gorumara also offers visitors the opportunity to observe the one-horned rhinos living in the park from several watch towers in the area. Leopards, gaurs, spotted deer, sambar deer, barking deer, many species of birds, and other wildlife can also be seen in this national park.

Buxa National Park

The emerald dove in Buxa National Park. Image credit: Shiv's fotografia via Wikimedia Commons.

More popularly known as the Buxa Tiger Reserve, which includes the national park area and surrounding wilderness, the Buxa National Park is another wilderness that needs urgent protection. Although a designated tiger reserve, the majestic apex predator is rarely seen in the area, with occasional tiger sightings reported from Buxa. The park is very scenic with forested hills, plains, and rivers winding through. A variety of other wildlife, including elephants, leopards, Chinese pangolin, hog deer, the Asiatic golden cat, the clouded leopard, around 284 species of birds, and butterflies, is found here.

Neora Valley National Park

A red panda at the Neora Valley National Park in West Bengal. Image credit: Soumyadeep Chatterjee . from Kolkata, India via Wikimedia Commons.

Located in West Bengal’s Kalimpong District, this national park is known as the home of the red panda. It comprises a rough, hilly terrain covered by thick forests, large parts of which remain less explored even today. In addition to the endangered red panda, the park also houses other rare species like the Himalayan black bear, clouded leopard, Asian golden cat, and leopard cat. The bird diversity here is incredible, with species such as Satyr tragopan, Darjeeling woodpecker, mountain imperial pigeons, black-faced laughingthrush, and others. The forests of Neora Valley are contiguous with those of Bhutan across the international border and the Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary in neighboring Sikkim.

Singalila National Park

The Satyr tragopan at the Singalila National Park in West Bengal. Image credit: Rejaul karim.rk.

This national park in the Darjeeling District ranges in elevation from around 2,300 m to 4,000 m and houses West Bengal’s highest peak, Sandakhphu at 3,636 m. The park, located on the Singalila Ridge, is accessible to visitors through trekking routes starting from Manebhanjang. Red pandas are the star residents of this national park, along with many other rare and threatened Himalayan fauna. Many species of orchids and rhododendrons grow here.