7 National Parks in Assam UPSC Notes | General Knowledge for Competitive Exam

1. Dibru-Saikhowa National Park

• Location: Dibru-Saikhowa National Park is situated in the eastern part of Assam, near the town of Tinsukia. It is spread across the floodplains of the Brahmaputra River and is one of the largest national parks in Assam.
• States within the territory of the park: Dibru-Saikhowa National Park is entirely situated within the state of Assam.
• Rivers flow through it: Brahmaputra and Lohit.
• Flora and fauna: Assam roofed turtle, white-winged wood duck, Bengal tiger, Gangetic river dolphin, Capped langur, and Hoolock gibbon.
• International accreditation: Dibru-Saikhowa National Park is recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International. The park is also part of the Brahmaputra Valley semi-evergreen forests ecoregion, which is recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot.

2. Kaziranga National Park

• Location: Kaziranga National Park is situated in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of Assam.
• States within the territory of the park: Kaziranga National Park is entirely located within the state of Assam, India.
• Rivers flow through it: The Brahmaputra River flows along the northern boundary of the park, with several small rivers and streams, including the Diphlu River, traversing through it.
• Flora: The park is characterized by tall elephant grass and dense tropical forests. The park features a variety of habitats, including alluvial grasslands, tropical moist mixed deciduous forests, and swamps. Dominant plant species include elephant grass, sugarcane, and various tree species like Bombax ceiba and Dillenia indica.
• Fauna:
  • Mammals: Kaziranga is renowned for its population of the Indian one-horned rhinoceros (more than 70% of the world’s population). Other notable species include Bengal tigers, Asian elephants, wild buffalo (more than 60% of India’s wild buffalo population), and swamp deer.
  • Birds: Over 500 species of birds have been recorded which makes it a bird-watcher’s paradise. Notable birds include the great Indian hornbill, various species of pelicans, storks, and the endangered Bengal florican. It is recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA).

• National and International Accreditation:
  • National: Kaziranga was declared a national park in 1974 and is also a designated Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger, aimed at conserving the Bengal tiger population.
  • International: Kaziranga is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized for its unique natural environment. It is also designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International.
  • Kaziranga National Park is celebrated for its successful conservation efforts, particularly in increasing the population of the Indian one-horned rhinoceros. It stands as a testament to India’s commitment to wildlife preservation and ecological diversity.

3. Manas National Park

• Location: Manas National Park is located in the Himalayan foothills in the western part of Assam, near the border with Bhutan. It is spread across the districts of Baksa, Barpeta, and Chirang in Assam.
• States within the territory of the park: Manas National Park is entirely situated within the state of Assam, India.
• River flows through it: The Manas River flows through the western part of the park. The Manas River is a major tributary of Brahmaputra River.
• Flora:
  • The park is situated within the Brahmaputra Valley semi-evergreen forests ecoregion. The main vegetation types within the park include:
    • Semi-evergreen forests in the northern regions.
    • Moist and dry deciduous forests, are the most prevalent type.
    • Assam Valley semi-evergreen alluvial grasslands, covering nearly half of the park’s area.
• Fauna:
  • Mammals: The park boasts a significant population of the endangered Indian rhinoceros, Bengal tiger, Asian elephant, and pygmy hog. Other mammals include the golden langur, Assamese Macaque, Rhesus Macaque, Leopard, Golden Cat, Clouded leopard, Fishing cat, Leopard cat, Large Indian civet, Common palm civet, Gaur and Water buffalo.
  • Birds: Over 450 species of birds have been recorded in the park, making it a paradise for birdwatchers. Notable species include the critically endangered Bengal florican, White-Bellied Heron and Vulture.
  • Reptiles and Amphibians: The park is inhabited by various reptiles such as the Indian python, king cobra, and various species of turtles. Amphibians like frogs and toads are also found in the park’s wetlands and water bodies.
  • Aquatic: Assam Roof Turtle, the Narrow-Headed Softshell Turtle.
• Tiger Reserve Designation: It was designated as a Tiger Reserve in 1974 under Project Tiger, aimed at conserving the Bengal tiger population.
• International Accreditation: Manas National Park was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1985.

4. Nameri National Park

• Location: Nameri National Park is located in the Sonitpur district. It lies in the foothills of the eastern Himalayas. It shares its northern boundary with the Pakhui Wildlife Sanctuary of Arunachal Pradesh.
• States within the territory of the park: The park is entirely within the state of Assam.
• River flowing through it: The Jia Bhoroli River flows through Nameri National Park.
• Flora: semi-evergreen and evergreen forests.
• Fauna:
  • Mammals: Bengal tiger, Asian elephant, leopard, Himalayan black bear, Indian bison, sambar, barking deer, wild boar, and the critically endangered pygmy hog.
  • Birds: Over 300 species, including the white-winged wood duck, hornbill, and the rare white-cheeked partridge.
• National and International Accreditation:
  • National: Nameri National Park was declared a Tiger Reserve in the year 1999-2000.

5. Orang National Park

• Location: Orang National Park, also known as Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park, is located on the north bank of the Brahmaputra River, in the Darrang and Sonitpur districts.
• States within the territory of the park: The park is within the state of Assam.
• River flowing through it: The Brahmaputra River flows along the southern boundary of the park, and several small rivers and streams flow through it, including the Pachnoi, Belsiri, and Dhansiri rivers.
• Flora: Orang National Park is characterized by grasslands, wetlands, and dense forests. It features a mix of savannah grasslands and moist deciduous forests.
• Fauna:
  • Mammals: The park is known for its population of the Indian rhinoceros. Other notable species include the Bengal tiger, Asian elephant, pygmy hog, hog deer, wild boar, and Gangetic dolphin. Maljuria Elephants (male elephants in groups) can be seen here.
  • Birds: Over 200 species of birds have been recorded in the park, including the Spot Billed Pelican, White Pelican, Greater Adjutant Stork, Lesser Adjutant Stork, Brahminy Duck, Pintail Duck, Bengal Florican (2nd highest concentration).
• National and International Accreditation:
  • International: The park is recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International due to its significant bird diversity and the presence of several threatened species.

6. Dehing Patkai National Park

• Location: Dehing Patkai National Park is situated in the districts of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia. The park is renowned for its Assam Valley Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests bordering Arunachal Pradesh. The Park is a part of the Dehing-Patkai Elephant Reserve.
• States within the territory of the park: The park is entirely within the state of Assam.
• River flowing through it: The Dehing River, after which the park is named, flows through the area, along with several other small streams and tributaries.
• Flora and Fauna:
  • Flora: The park is part of the Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve and features tropical wet evergreen forests. It is rich in biodiversity with a variety of plant species, including Hollong, Mekai, Dhuna, Nahor, and Hollock. The Hollong tree is the State Tree of Assam.
  • Fauna:
    • Mammals: The park is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including Chinese pangolin, Flying fox, Slow loris, Stump-tailed macaque, Assamese macaque, Rhesus macaque, Capped langur, Hoolock gibbon, Himalayan black bear and Malayan giant squirrels.
    • Birds: Over 300 species of birds are found here, including the white-winged wood duck, hornbill, Green Imperial Pigeon, Purple wood or Pale capped Pigeon, and the endangered white-backed vulture.
• National and International Accreditation:
  • National: Dehing Patkai was initially a wildlife sanctuary and was upgraded to national park status in 2020, making it the seventh national park in Assam. On 9 June 2021, the Forest Department of Assam officially notified it as a national park. It is also part of the larger Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve.
  • International: The park is recognized for its rich biodiversity and is considered an important habitat for numerous species. However, specific international designations like Important Bird Area (IBA) status by BirdLife International are yet to be explicitly mentioned in available sources.
• Amazon of the East: Dehing-Patkai forms the largest stretch of tropical lowland rainforests in India. The forest is often referred to as the ‘Amazon of the East’ for its expanse and thick forest.

7. Raimona National Park

• Location: Raimona National Park is situated in the Kokrajhar district.
• States within the territory of the park: The park is entirely within the state of Assam.
• River flowing through it: The park is bordered by the Sankosh River on the west, which also acts as a natural boundary between Assam and the neighboring state of West Bengal.
• Flora and Fauna:
  • Flora: Semi-evergreen forests, tropical moist deciduous forests.
  • Fauna:
    • Mammals: The park is home to several significant species, including the Indian elephant, Bengal tiger, Indian gaur (bison), clouded leopard, golden langur, and capped langur. The golden langur, in particular, is notable for being an endangered species endemic to this region.
    • Birds: Raimona National Park is a habitat for many bird species, including the great hornbill, pied hornbill, and various species of eagles and owls.
• National and International Accreditation:
  • National: Raimona was designated as a national park in June 2021, making it the sixth national park in Assam. It forms part of the larger Manas Biosphere Reserve and is significant for the conservation of several endangered and endemic species.
  • International: Raimona National Park is part of the Transboundary Manas Conservation Area (TraMCA), which spans across India and Bhutan. This collaboration enhances the park’s international significance for biodiversity conservation.

Quick Revision: National Parks in Assam

National Park	Location	Key Features	UNESCO World Heritage Site
Kaziranga National Park	Golaghat, Nagaon	Home to one-horned rhinoceros, tigers, elephants, and birds	Yes
Manas National Park	Baksa, Chirang	Known for tigers, elephants, and golden langur	Yes
Dibru-Saikhowa National Park	Tinsukia, Dibrugarh	Riverine habitat; diverse flora and fauna, including feral horses	No
Nameri National Park	Sonitpur	Known for elephants, leopards, and bird diversity	No
Orang National Park	Darrang, Sonitpur	Rich in rhinos, elephants, and birdlife	No
Raimona National Park	Kokrajhar	Known for golden langurs, elephants, and rich biodiversity	No
Dihing Patkai National Park	Dibrugarh, Tinsukia	Known as “Amazon of the East”; rich rainforest biodiversity	No

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