NATIONAL PARKS IN ASSAM

Subject : Environment

Context : Data shared by the Assam Forest Department show that the state saw 113 elephant deaths due to electrocution between 2009 and September 25, 2020, in several national parks with several more casualties reported since.

Concept :

Orang National Park

• The 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 of Assam and covers an area of 78.81 square kilometers.
• It was established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1985 but was declared as National Park in 1999. It is also 49th Tiger Reserve of the country, being notified in 2016.
• It is also known as the mini Kaziranga National Park (IUCN site) since the two parks have a similar landscape made up of marshes, streams, and grasslands.
• It is the only stronghold of rhinoceros on the north bank of the Brahmaputra river.

Manas National Park

• Manas National Park is a national park, UNESCO Natural World Heritage site, a Project Tiger reserve, an elephant reserve and a biosphere reserve in Assam, India
• It is located in the Himalayan foothills,
• It is contiguous with the Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan
• The Manas river flows thorough the west of the park and is the main river within it. It is a major tributary of Brahmaputra river
• The Manas river also serves as an international border dividing India and Bhutan.