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The Keibul Lamjao National Park (53 km from Imphal
in Manipur)
 Location
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Keibul Lamjao National Park is about 53 km from Imphal in Manipur.
State
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Manipur, in the north east of India.
Best time to Travel
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November to April.
Weather Conditions
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Temperatures range from a maximum of 34.4ºC to a minimum of 1.7ºC. The annual rainfall is 1220 mm. The area is most humid in August, with daily humidity measuring as much as 81 per cent. March is the least humid at 49 per cent.
Know the Keibul Lamjao National Park in Manipur
Cervus eldii. Eld's deer. Thamin deer. Brow-antlered deer. Sangai. Dancing deer. A whole lot of names for a single species, but that's how it is for this unusual deer, a graceful animal which is found only in one state of India- Manipur. A highly endangered species, the brow-antlered deer is found exclusively in a small area which stretches across the extreme north-eastern corner of India; Myanmar and part of Thailand. In India, the place to see this beautiful creature is the Keibul Lamjao National Park.
Keibul Lamjao is famous not just because of the brow-antlered deer; its
other claim to fame is the fact that this is one of the very few `floating' protected areas in the world.Approximately 50 km from the state capital, Imphal, Keibul Lamjao lies on an island on the fringes of the Loktak Lake.
Gazetted a sanctuary in 1969, Keibul Lamjao officially became a national park in 1977. It today stretches over an area of about 40 sq km, surrounded by marshes, hillocks, and the lake itself. A number of streams too crisscross Keibul Lamjao, which, combined with extensive marshes, make the park a typical wetland. The Loktak Lake, which is really what the park is all about, is covered almost completely by floating mats of the dense aquatic grass known locally as `phum'. Other wild grasses, including a variety of wild rice, form the bulk of the vegetation, which supports an astoundingly large and diverse fauna.
The most prominent- if not the most easily spotted- of Keibul Lamjao's many
denizens is the brow-antlered `sangai' deer. A much-loved creature in
Manipuri folklore and dance tradition (so much so that it's even known as the `dancing deer'), the sangai had been reported extinct in 1951, but after being re-discovered, has finally become Keibul Lamjao's prime attraction. Other animals in the park include otter, civet, wild boar and hog deer, besides a number of small reed-dwelling birds. The Loktak Lake is home to a large piscine population.
Staying near the Keibul Lamjao National Park
Accomodation inside the park is at Phubala where there is a Forest rest house. But all the accommodation in an around the park is basic and in most places the food has to be arranged by the visitor.
Ecosystem of the Keibul Lamjao National Park
The Flora
Keibul Lamjao consists of the unique 'phumdi' or floating marshes. Eighty per cent of the flora is submerged and the vegetation forms a 90-120 cm. thick cover on the water surface. About half a century ago, the predominant plants used to be tou (45 per cent), singut (25 per cent) and khoimom (15 per cent). But the composition of the vegetation has undergone rapid changes and the plant cover, at present, is estimated to comprise of equal proportions of hoop Leersia hexandra and sing kambong Zizania latifolia, a protein-rich plant, often used as food (about 24 per cent).
 The Animals
Some very rare animals may be seen in and around this wilderness. The star attraction, of course, is the brow-antlered deer Cervus eldi eldi, called sangai in the local Meitei dialect. This particular subspecies of the Thamin deer is also fondly called Manipur's dancing deer because of its delicate gait as it negotiates its way along the floating wetlands. Other species of deer seen here include the hog deer, sambar and muntjac. One of the most primitive primates, the slow loris occurs in scattered pockets on the hills. Assamese and stump-tailed macaques and the Hoolock gibbon are restricted mainly to the western hills. The Rhesus monkey is found ubiquitously around the park. The large Indian civet Viverra zibetha and small Indian civet Viverricula indica, common otter Lutra lutra and wild boar Sus scrofa are some of the large mammals found in the area.
Extremely rare lesser wild cats like the marbled cat and Temminck's golden cat may be sighted occasionally. The Himalayan black bear and the Malayan bear may also be seen foraging for food.
 The Birds
A variety of rare birds occur in Keibul Lamjao and the Loktak Lake. The avifauna consists primarily of the smaller reed-dwelling species. Waterfowl, which were unfailing winter migrants to the lake, are becoming more rare because of the lack of open water surfaces. The Hooded Crane may be seen in the Manipur valley. The Black Eagle and the Shaheen Falcon are some of the raptors seen here. The Eastern White Stork, Bamboo Partridge and Green Peafowl are also found here.
Some of the species of hornbills found here include the Brownbacked Hornbill, Rufousnecked Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill, the Pied Hornbill and the Great Pied Hornbill.
Entry Requirements
All foreigners visiting Manipur are required to obtain special Restricted Area Permits (RAPs), which are valid for entry to Keibul Lamjao National Park as well. Permits valid for a period of ten days are issued to groups of four or more people travelling together on a tour arranged by a recognised travel agent. Entry permits are issued by Indian missions abroad; by the Ministry of Home Affairs; FRROs; and the State Government of Manipur.
Indians visiting Manipur are required to obtain an Inner Line Permit, also available from the offices listed above. Like the RAPs, these too are valid for visits to Keibul Lamjao.
Access
The closest major town is Manipur's capital Imphal, about 50 km from Keibul Lamjao. Imphal has good air connections to major cities in India, through its airport, which is served by Indian Airlines. The nearest railhead is at Dimapur, about 230 km away in Assam and linked to Imphal by road. A motorable road connects Imphal to Keibul Lamjao, and although public transport between the two places is infrequent and undependable, vehicles can be hired in Imphal to do the trip to Keibul Lamjao. Alternatively, opt for one of the day tours conducted by Manipur Tourism to Loktak and Keibul Lamjao.
The best way to see Keibul Lamjao is by boat- and that too in the early morning or in the evening, when the lake's at its loveliest. The sangai, which live in small herds, lie low through most of the day and come out to feed either around dawn or at dusk, which makes a circuit at this time even more satisfying for wildlife-watchers. Local boatmen acting as guides can be engaged to take you around the lake.
Within the park are observation towers which offer a good view of sangai habitat, and for the more adventurous, a guided walk through the park is possible. Look out for the somewhat shaky floating phum, though- a wrong step and you could end up in rather a lot of water!
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