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The Buxa Tiger Reserve has been set up around the Buxa Duar Fort. A part of the Chilapata Forests, it covers an area of 765 sq. km. The core area, however, occupies 304 sq. km. 

The Reserve is home to 67 species of mammals, including 23 endangered ones. According to the 1995 census, there are 31 tigers, 100 leopards, 125 elephants, a large number of wild boars, 360 bison and many other animals. About 230 species of birds and innumerable butterflies add colour to the forest. 

The Reserve serves as a vital linking corridor for elephants migrating between the forests of Bhutan in the north and the Manas Tiger Reserve in Assam in the east.

Simul, sal, segun, sishu and debdaru trees jostle for space. Creepers of various kinds abound in this tropical rainforest. 150 species of plants, 32 of creepers, 112 of orchids, 36 types of grass, seven types of bamboo and six types of cane can be found here. 

Chapramari is situated at a distance of 78 km. from Siliguri. A little south of the Gorumara Wildlife Sanctuary, Chapramari too has a wildlife-inhabited forest that was declared a sanctuary in 1976. There is a forest bungalow to serve as tourist accommodation. The 96 sq. km. of forest area is home to a number of wild species, including the wild boar, the nilgai and the wild elephant. There is a watering hole here, and a group of elephants bathing is a fascinating sight. 

Near the sanctuary there is the Matiya dam. The Neora River flows on one side and on the other, the Bamni and Murti rivers. 

Gorumara is situated beside the National Highway 31, which connects Siliguri and Guwahati. The Gorumara forest, declared a sanctuary in 1976, is also one of the recent introductions to the National Parks map of India. Starting with an area of 8.61 sq km, it now covers 79.85 sq. km. It is famous for being one of the last small pockets in eastern India with a natural population of the endangered one-horned rhinoceros. According to a recent census, there are 19 one-horned rhinos, more than 50 elephants, 300 bison and 25 leopards in this sanctuary, besides different species of deer and birds. With the Murti and Raidak rivers flowing nearby and the mountain ranges on the horizon, the pleasant natural setting of the Park is an added attraction. 

Situated in the Alipurduar sub-division at the foothills of the Himalayas, the Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary is at a distance of 119 km. from Siliguri. It is divided by the National Highway 31, which connects Siliguri with Guwahati. The sanctuary stands on the banks of the Torsa River. The Malangi River also flows nearby from east to west. 

Declared a sanctuary in 1941 with an initial area of 114 sq. km., Jaldapara, with its present area of 216.51 sq. km., is a mosaic of woods, grasslands, perennial streams, sandy river banks and extensive belts of tall grass. It contains a great diversity of flora and fauna. 

Famous as a habitat of the endangered one-horned rhinoceros, the sanctuary is also home to peacocks, tigers, leopards, wild elephants, wild boars, sloth bears and different species of deer, such as the hog deer, spotted deer, barking deer and the sambar. Some rare species like the hispid hare and the hog-badger are also found here. Among birds, the crested eagle, fishing eagle and shikra are common. So are jungle fowl, peafowl, partridges, and sometimes the Bengal Florican and the Pied Hornbills. Pythons, monitor lizards, krates, cobras, geckos and about eight species of fresh water turtles enrich the reptilian diversity. 

There is also a leopard-breeding centre at Jaldapara. The sanctuary office, a museum and a nature interpretation centre are nearby. 

Besides wildlife viewing, there is scope for unusual holiday activities like elephant riding and leisurely strolls through the towering grass. 

Visiting season is from October to May, the best time for wildlife viewing being around March. It should, however, be noted that the sanctuary remains closed from 15th June to 15th September. 

The Parmadan Mrigmela or the Parmadan Deer Park of old was renamed Bibhutibhushan Wildlife Sanctuary after the famous Bengali novelist in 1985. But the old name is the more popular one. 

Spread out over 640 hectares of forestland, the Park contains over 300 spotted deer. Monkeys can be seen leaping from tree to tree. A large number of exotic birds also add colour and variety to the park. Shishu, minjiri, tut, arjun, shimul, shirish and bamboo trees strew the landscape. 

A popular attraction at the sanctuary is the sight of deer being fed. Nearby are the Children's Park and the mini Zoo. The Ichhamati River flows gently by. 

How To Get There 
Parmadan can be reached from Bongaon, which is on the Indo-Bangladesh border. Buses and cars ply between Bongaon and Parmadan.
Buses and trains leave Calcutta for Bongaon from the Shahid Minar bus terminus and the Sealdah Station, respectively.

The home of the Royal Bengal Tiger, Sunderbans is a cluster of islands and waterways, 40% of which fall in West Bengal and the rest in Bangladesh. Sunderbans is easily accessible from Calcutta. 

The waterways are maintained by the tidal flow, and Sunderbans is a part of the world's largest delta, consisting of the mouths of the Ganga, Brahmaputra and Meghna Rivers. In Bengali, sunder means beautiful and bans means forests. However, Sunderbans has probably got its name from the sundari trees that strew the jungle. 

Covering 10,000 sq. km. of mangrove forests and water on the whole, the core area of the Sunderbans is the 1,330 sq. km. National Park. Declared as a World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985, the dark and mysterious Sunderbans is a unique experience. 

The main camp of the Sunderbans Tiger Reserve at Sajnekhali is sealed off from the jungle by wire fencing. But tigers occasionally stray into the compound and can be dangerous. The Sajnekhali Bird Sanctuary is adjacent to the lodge. One can visit it with a short boat ride. Exotic species migrate here from June to October. It is also home to thousands of butterflies. The flutter of wings, the call of birds and the riot of colours make this sanctuary a sensory experience.

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