Kanger Valley National Park

Findings of the survey-

• Nine species of owls (including the spot-bellied eagle-owl), 10 birds of prey, 11 species of woodpeckers (including white-bellied woodpecker, the largest woodpecker in peninsular India), and many other species were documented during the survey, according to a press statement.

• The survey was organised by the forest department of and birders from Chhattisgarh, in collaboration with non-profits Birds & Wildlife of Chhattisgarh and Bird Count India.

• The survey revealed that the landscape of Kanger Valley can potentially host species found in the Himalayas, the Northeast, the Eastern and Western Ghats.
• For instance, the Malabar trogon and white-bellied woodpecker are thought to be birds of the Western Ghats. Many species of flycatchers and warblers from temperate Eurasia visit the region during the winter.
• Both of these birds — pied wheatear and northern lapwing — are new birds for Chhattisgarh, with the pied wheatear having never before been observed in Central India.
• All observations have been uploaded to eBird — an online platform to record bird observations — through the eBird Mobile App.

About the Kanger Valley(Ghati) National Park-

• The name of this National Park is derived from the Kangar river, which flows in its length. Kanger Valley is spread over 200 square kilometers.
• Kanger Valley got the status of a national park in the year 1982.  
• Valley National Park is a typical  mixed humid deciduous type of forest, in which the Sal, Saugaun, teak and bamboo trees are available in abundance. 
• The most popular species  in this area is Bastar Maina  which  enchants everyone with their human voice  . 
• The state bird, Bastar Maina, is a type of Hill maina (gruncula Dhariosoa), which is capable of emulating the human voices. The forest is  home to migrant and resident birds.
• Apart from wildlife and plants, this National Park is home to three exceptional caves – famous for their  amazing geological structures of Kutumbasar, Kailash and Dandak- Stellagmites and Stalactitees. 
• National Park is known for the presence of underground limestone caves with dripstone and floston. The  stalagmites and stalactite formation is still increasing. 
• Caves in the National Park provide shelter for various species of wildlife.  
• In the eastern part of the National Park, the Bhainsadhara is  located where one can see the  sandy beaches where crocodiles (crocodylus palustris)  mostly found.
• Tirathgarh Waterfall is located in Kanger Valley National Park.