The Elephant Festival of Assam is organised every year at Kaziranga National Park in Assam, jointly by the Forest Department and Tourism Department, Govt. of Assam. There are various activities by domestic elephants and various cultural programmes performed by the locales to make the event more & more entertaining.

Kaziranga National Park

Quite a few national Parks are found in the hook and nook of eastern part of India. Amongst them, special mentioning is to be given to Kaziranga National Park. It is situated on the muddy southern banks of the Brahmaputra River. The dense Manas Tiger Reserve covers the adjacent landscapes. Kaziranga has a wealth of the water bodies like rivers, lakes that overflow with floods on a regular basis every year; as much as three-quarters of the park gets underwater due to floods in the monsoons. One of its important branches, namely, the Moru Diphlu, becomes the southern boundary of the Kaziranga National Park, which too gets affected due to floods. Although efforts are being taken to carry the animals to higher grounds for their safety, hundreds still die every year. In the succeeding days of the monsoon seasons, Kaziranga National Park has been transformed into a wetland booming with wildlife.

Due to its bounty, Kaziranga National Park has bagged the status of a world heritage site in the state of Assam. It covers tracts of low marshlands. Huge grasses are grown even to a height of a normal elephant. To the southwestern parts, the Mikir Hills rise to a height of almost 1,220 meter. Few streams flow down from these hills ultimately merges with several lakes, better known as bils that are located within the Kaziranga National Park.

Kaziranga National ParkKaziranga National Park is abode of some of the endangered species of India. It has the chief populace of the one-horned rhinoceros. As per the current count, more than one thousand and two hundred of rhinos thrive here. The story of the formation is even interesting. In the 1800s, the region was the hunting ground of the kings, residing in the near by region. Due to this reckless slaughtering of the wild animals, almost all the animals got extinct with in the premises of the Kaziranga National Park .By the year 1908, the existing rhino inhabitants was predicted to only twelve in number. Strict steps were then implemented and in the year 1926, the concerned authorities took the initiative to protect and conserve the park. . It remained closed to the public till the year 1938. The status of a sanctuary had been bestowed upon it in the year 1940. The year 1954 was a landmark as on that year the Assam Rhino Bill was promulgated thus giving the rhinos the utmost protection that is required for its preservation for the future years. Finally in the year 1974, Kaziranga got the prestigious status of being a national park.

For the entertainment of the easy viability of the tourist, the forest department has undertaken special arrangements. The easygoing elephant rides are the most pleasing, which facilitate the tourists to come close to the wild beats and creatures like Swamp Deer (Barasingba), Hog-deer, Asian Elephant, and more specifically, the One-horned Kaziranga National ParkRhinoceros. Tigers are from time to time seen in the mess of gigantic grasses and dense outgrowths. The fauna is extremely rich and varied, including both aquatic and woodland birds. Mammalian species, namely, one-horned Rhinoceros, Asian Water Buffalo, Tiger, Leopard, Leopard-cat, Fishing Cat, Asian Elephant, Large Indian Civet, Swamp Deer (Barasingha), Hog-deer. Slow Loris, Marbled Cat, Hoolock Gibbon, Capped Langnr, Binturong, Yellow-throated Marten, Crab-eating Mongoose, Clawless Otter, Gangetic Dolphin also are prevalent. Woodland birds include Red Junglefowl, Swamp Francolin, Kalij Pheasant, Grey Peacock Pheasant, Great Hornbill, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Dollarbird, Green imperial Pigeon, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Red-breasted Parakeet, Long-tailed Broadbill, Maroon Oriole and golden-crested Myna, Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush, Rufous-necked Laughingthrush, Green Magpie, Collared Treepie, Ruby-cheeked Sunbird etc. By the side of water bodies, one gets thrilled to get a sight of swarms of birds like Black-necked Stork, Lesser Adjutant, Greater Adjutant, Black Stork, Spot-billed Pelican, Great White Pelican, Fulvous Whistling-duck, Bar-headed Goose, Ruddy Shelduck, White-bellied Heron, Malayan Night Heron, Great Bittern.The howling of bird raptors too infiltrates with in the premises of Kaziranga National Park. These include

Bengal Florican RAPTORS Pallas Fish Eagle, Lesser Fish Eagle, Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Osprey, Rufous-bellied Eagle, Pied Harrier, Crested Goshawk, Brown Fish Owl.