Manas National Park UPSC

Location of Manas National Park

Manas National Park is located in the Bongaigaon and Barpeta districts of Assam, India.
It is contiguous with Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan.
The park is situated in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas.

The region was formerly used as a hunting ground by the Raja of Gauripur and the royal family of Cooch Behar.
In 1907, the area was declared as the Manas Reserve Forest with the primary objective of protecting the Indian rhinoceros.
In 1928, Manas was declared a game sanctuary under the British government’s Forest Act of 1927.
In 1950, Manas Game Sanctuary was declared as a Wildlife Sanctuary.
In 1973, Manas Wildlife Sanctuary was designated as a Tiger Reserve under the Project Tiger.
In 1985, Manas Wildlife Sanctuary was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In 1989, Government of India declared Manas as a Biosphere Reserve.
In 1990, Manas Wildlife Sanctuary was declared a National Park.
In 2003, Manas became part of the Chirang–Ripu Elephant Reserve landscape under Project Elephant.
In 2011, Manas National Park was removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger by UNESCO.

Manas National Park covers a core area of approximately 500 square kilometers.
The wider Manas landscape, including the surrounding park and sanctuary areas, extends to approximately 950 square kilometers.
The broader Manas Tiger Reserve and Biosphere Reserve cover a much larger region of approximately 2,837 square kilometers.

The Manas River is the principal river flowing through Manas National Park in Assam.
It originates in the Himalayas of Bhutan and flows through the park before joining the Brahmaputra River.
The river forms part of the natural boundary between India and Bhutan and supports the park’s riverine habitats.
Its waters sustain aquatic life and provide an important source of water for the surrounding ecosystem.

Tropical Evergreen Forests: These forests occur in suitable moist areas and provide habitat for a variety of plant and animal species.
Semi-Evergreen Forests: These forests contain a mix of evergreen and seasonally shedding trees.
Alluvial Grasslands: Fertile grasslands along the river plains provide important feeding grounds for large herbivores and support endangered species such as the pygmy hog.
Riverine Forests: These forests grow along riverbanks and help sustain the park’s diverse wildlife habitats.
Aquatic Plants: Water bodies and wetlands support aquatic vegetation that contributes to the local ecosystem.
Orchids: Manas also supports a variety of orchids, adding to the diversity of its plant life.

Mammals: Manas National Park is home to diverse mammals, including the Bengal tiger, Asian elephant, wild water buffalo, golden langur, clouded leopard, leopard, gaur, sloth bear, and hoolock gibbon.
Endangered Species: Manas National Park supports threatened species such as the pygmy hog and hispid hare. Its grasslands also provide important habitat for the Bengal florican.
Deer and Other Herbivores: Swamp deer, hog deer, and barking deer inhabit the park’s grasslands and forested areas.
Other Mammals: Other recorded species include the dhole, smooth-coated otter, golden cat, Bengal fox, Indian porcupine, black giant squirrel, and pangolins.
Birds: The park supports a wide variety of birds, including the Bengal florican, great hornbill, pied hornbill, pelicans, fishing eagles, falcons, herons, egrets, and Indian peafowl.
Reptiles: Reptiles found in the park include the king cobra, Indian python, Indian cobra, monitor lizards, Assam roofed turtle, and fan-throated lizard.