New Delhi: India has several national parks to protect the biodiversity and wildlife. Among the famous national parks in the country, the Manas National Park stands out due to being a hotspot of various types of flora and fauna. In this article, we will look at the features of this famous national park.
Where is the Manas National Park?
Manas National Park is located in Assam at the foothills of the Himalayas. It shares a border with the Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan and is famous for its rare and endangered endemic wildlife like the hispid hare and the Assam roofed turtle. Manas is also a Tiger Reserve and an Elephant Reserve. UNESCO has made it a World Heritage Site due to its exceptional biodiversity and variety of habitats.
How did the national park get its name?
The Manas National Park got its name from the Manas River. It is a major tributary of the Brahmaputra River that travels through the national park’s heart. The Brahmaputra River is also the most important river in Assam.
How was Manas National Park established?
On October 1, 1928, the area became a sanctuary and in 1973, the Manas Bio Reserve was created. Before becoming a sanctuary, it was a reserved forest where the royal family of Cooch Behar and Raja of Gauripur used to hunt there. At the time of becoming a sanctuary, Manas covered 360 square km.
In 1951 and 1955, the area of Manas was expanded to 391 square km and in December 1985, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 1990, the Kokilabari R.F., the Panbari R.F. and the Kahitama R.F. were added and the Manas National Park was formed. UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in Danger in 1992 because of rampant poaching in the national park which had also become the hub of terrorist activities. On June 21, 2011, Manas was removed from the list of Heritage Sites in Danger.
What kind of animals can we see there?
In the grassland of the Manas National Park, one can find the pygmy hog, Indian rhinoceros, Bengal florican, wild Asian buffalo, etc. The forest area has the capped langur, slow loris, wild pig, great hornbill, sambar, Malayan giant squirrel Chinese pangolin, etc. Some of the other animals that one can also find there include Bengal tigers, Indian rhinoceros, Indian elephants, Indian leopards, gaurs, clouded leopards, wild water buffaloes, barasingha, Asian golden cats, leopard cats, jungle cats, fishing cats, dholes, golden jackals, capped langurs.
Manas National Park is located in Assam at the foothills of the Himalayas. It shares border with the Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan and is famous for its rare and endangered endemic wildlife like the hispid hare and the Assam roofed turtle. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
