Kamal Guha at 09:25, 24 June 2023

2023-06-24T09:25:04Z

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{{Infobox protected area
| name = Kaziranga National Park
| alt_name = Kaziranga Rashtriya Udyaan
| iucn_category = II
| photo =Rhinos in KNP.jpg
| photo_width =
| photo_alt =
| photo_caption=Adult Indian rhinoceros with a calf at Kaziranga National Park
| map = | map_alt =
| map_caption =
| map_width =
| relief=1
| location = [[Golaghat district|Golaghat]] and [[Nagaon district|Nagaon]], [[Assam]]
| nearest_city = [[Golaghat]], [[Nagaon]]
| coordinates = {{coords|26|40|N|93|21|E|region:|display=inline, title}}
| established = 1908
| visitation_num =
| visitation_year =
| governing_body = [[Government of India]], [[Government of Assam]]
| world_heritage_site = World Heritage Place by UNESCO since 1985
| url =
| area_km2 = 430
}}

'''Kaziranga National Park''' is a [[national park]] in [[India]]. The park is home to two-thirds of the world's [[Indian rhinoceros|great one-horned rhinoceroses]].<ref name="BBC">{{cite web|last=Rowlatt|first=Justin|title=Kaziranga: The park that shoots people to protect rhinos|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-38909512|publisher=BBC|accessdate=15 November 2017|date=10 February 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6564337.stm |work=BBC News |title=Assam rhino poaching 'spirals' |author=Bhaumik, Subir |date=17 April 2007 |accessdate=14 November 2017}}</ref> It is a [[World Heritage Site]].<ref name="unesco">{{cite web|title=Kaziranga National Park|url=http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/337|publisher=UNESCO|accessdate=15 November 2017}}</ref> It was named a [[Project Tiger|Tiger Reserve]] by the government of India<ref>{{cite web|url=http://projecttiger.nic.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/file/Notification-Area/Core/Kaziranga.pdf|title=NO.FRW- 6/2007/23|publisher=Government of Assam|accessdate=20 November 2017|date=3 August 2007}}</ref> and an [[Important Bird Area]] by [[BirdLife International]].<ref name="birdlife">{{cite web|title=Kaziranga National Park|url=http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/kaziranga-national-park-iba-india|publisher=BirdLife|accessdate=20 November 2017}}</ref>

Kaziranga is home to large breeding populations of [[Bengal tiger|tigers]], [[Asian elephant|elephants]], [[wild water buffalo]], and [[Barasingha|swamp deer]].<ref name="unesco" /><ref name="press release">{{cite web|last=Singh|first=Satyendra|title=Kaziranga National Park|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/printrelease.aspx?relid=158080|accessdate=20 November 2017|date=6 February 2017}}</ref> One type of swamp deer now only exists in the park.<ref name="IUCN swamp deer">{{cite web|title=Rucervus duvaucelii|url=http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/4257/0|accessdate=20 November 2017}}</ref>

==History==
The Kaziranga Proposed Reserve Forest was created in 1905. [[Mary Curzon, Baroness Curzon of Kedleston|Mary Curzon]], the wife of the [[Governor-General of India|Viceroy of India]], wanted the area protected mostly to save the rhinoceros.<ref name="centenary">{{cite web|last=Bhaumik|first=Subir|title=Kaziranga's centenary celebrations|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4274927.stm|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=20 November 2017|date=18 February 2005}}</ref> In 1908, Kaziranga was designated a "Reserve Forest". In 1916 it was renamed "Kaziranga Game Sanctuary" then changed to “Wild Life Sanctuary” in 1950.

==Geography==
The park is located in both the [[Nagaon district]] and [[Golaghat district]], in the state of Assam in India. It is about 40 kilometres (25 mi) long and 13 kilometres (8 mi) wide.

The park is crossed by four main rivers — [[Brahmaputra River|Brahmaputra]], [[River Diphlu|Diphlu]], [[River Mora Diphlu|Mora Diphlu]] and [[Mora Dhansiri River|Mora Dhansiri]]. There are also many [[beel|small water bodies]].

The park is within the Brahmaputra [[floodplain]]. This means when the water in the river rises, the park is partially covered in water. Flooding happens every year which results in over half the park being underwater. In 2017, 85% of the park was underwater.<ref name="assam floods">{{cite web|last=Mitral|first=Naresh|title=85% of Kaziranga under water in its worst deluge since 1988|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/assam-floods-over-85-of-kaziranga-inundated/articleshow/60052122.cms|publisher=The Times of India|accessdate=29 November 2017|date=Aug 14, 2017}}</ref> At least 107 animals died because of the flooding in 2017.<ref name="assam floods" /> There are [[Elevation|elevated]] areas of the park which provide retreats and shelter for animals during floods. These are called ''chapories''. Many artificial ''chapories'' have been built with the help of the [[Indian Army]] to ensure the safety of the animals.<ref name="conservation">{{cite web|title=State of Conservation of the World Heritage Properties in the Asia-Pacific Region|url=http://whc.unesco.org/archive/periodicreporting/APA/cycle01/section2/337-summary.pdf|publisher=UNESCO|accessdate=29 November 2017|page=3}}</ref>

==Climate==
The park has three seasons: winter, summer, and monsoon. The winter season is between November and February. It is mild and dry. The small water bodies dry up and short grass covers the bed.<ref name="unescotech">{{Cite web | last = Mathur | first = V.B. |author2=Sinha, P.R. |author3=Mishra, Manoj | title = UNESCO EoH Project_South Asia Technical Report–Kaziranga National Park | publisher = UNESCO |url=http://www.enhancingheritage.net/docs/UNESCOEoH_Project_South_Asia_Technical_Report_04_v1.pdf
| format =PDF | accessdate = 2008-08-23 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080530040957/http://www.enhancingheritage.net/docs/UNESCOEoH_Project_South_Asia_Technical_Report_04_v1.pdf| archivedate = 30 May 2008}}</ref> The summer season between March and May is hot. The animals can be found near water during these months.<ref name="unescotech" /> The rainy monsoon season lasts from June to September.

==Fauna==
[[File:Swamp Deer in Kaziranga National Park.jpg|thumb|Swamp Deer]]
[[File:Kaiseradler Aquila heliaca 2 amk.jpg|thumb|An Eastern Imperial Eagle]]
Kaziranga National Park is home to 35 major mammals. This includes 15 mammals under the highest protection in India.<ref name="reptilelist">{{Cite web | title = Wildlife in Kaziranga National Park | publisher = Kaziranga National Park Authorities | url= http://www.kaziranga-national-park.com/wildlife-in-kaziranga-national-park.shtml | accessdate = 28 November 2017 }}</ref><ref name="un">{{cite web |title = UN Kaziranga Factsheet |publisher = [[UNESCO]] |url = http://www.unep-wcmc.org/sites/wh/kazirang.html |accessdate = 2007-02-23 |archiveurl = https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20080510070553/http://www.unep-wcmc.org/sites/wh/kazirang.html |archivedate = 2008-05-10 |url-status = dead }}</ref> The One-Horned rhinoceros, Royal Bengal Tiger, Asian elephant, wild water buffalo and swamp deer are collectively known as the 'Big Five' of Kaziranga. In addition there are
[[gaur]], [[sloth bear]]s, [[clouded leopard]]s, [[wild boar]], and several deer species. Small mammals include the rare [[hispid hare]], [[mongoose]], [[civet]], [[pangolin]], and [[badger]]s. The park also is home to several primates. These include [[macaque]]s, [[lutung]]s, the [[Bengal slow loris]], and the only [[ape]] in India - the [[hoolock gibbon]].<ref name="wwf">{{cite web|title=Hoolock Gibbon|url=https://www.wwfindia.org/about_wwf/priority_species/lesser_known_species/hoolock_gibbons_/|publisher=WWF India|accessdate=29 November 2017}}</ref> Kaziranga's rivers are home to the endangered [[Ganges dolphin]].<ref name="unesco" />

More than 490 bird species live in Kaziranga which includes 24 globally threatened species.<ref name="birdlife" /> The park is known for its nesting colonies of [[Spot-billed Pelican]]s and [[Leptoptilos|Adjutants]].<ref name="birdlife" /> Waterfowl which breed in or pass through Kaziranga include several rare species of [[geese]] ([[lesser white-fronted goose]]), and [[duck]]s ([[ferruginous pochard]], [[Baer's pochard]]). Other rare riverine birds include [[kingfisher]]s, [[heron]]s, [[Tringa|shanks]], and [[tern]]s. [[Bird of prey|Raptor]]s include the rare [[eastern imperial eagle]], other [[eagle]]s, and the [[lesser kestrel]].

Two of the largest snakes in the world, the [[reticulated python]] and the [[rock python]], are common inside the park. It is also home to the [[king cobra]], [[Indian cobra]], [[Russell's viper]], and [[common krait]]. Fifteen species of [[turtle]] live in Kaziranga.<ref name="reptilelist" /> 42 species of fishes are found in the Kaziranga area, including the unusual [[Tetraodon|ocellated pufferfish]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Kaziranga National Park-Fish List |publisher=Kaziranga National Park Authorities
|url=http://www.kaziranga100.com/Fishes%20Checklist.htm |accessdate=2007-02-24 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928033254/http://www.kaziranga100.com/Fishes%20Checklist.htm |archivedate=2007-09-28 }}</ref>

==Flora==
There are four main types of plant life in Kaziranga National Park.<ref>Talukdar, B. (1995). '' Status of Swamp Deer in Kaziranga National Park''. Department of Zoology, Guwahati University, Assam.</ref> These are [[Flooded grasslands and savannas|alluvial inundated grasslands]], [[Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands|alluvial savanna woodlands]], [[Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests|tropical moist mixed deciduous forests]], and [[Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests|tropical semi-evergreen forests]]. Percent coverage by vegetation is: tall grasses 41%, short grasses 11%, open jungle 29%, swamps 4%, rivers and water bodies 8%, and sand 6%.<ref name="kushwaha">Kushwaha, S.& Unni, M. (1986). Applications of remote sensing techniques in forest-cover-monitoring and habitat evaluation—a case study at Kaziranga National Park, Assam, in, Kamat, D.& Panwar, H.(eds), Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Using Remote Sensing Techniques. [[Indian Institute of Remote Sensing]] / [[Wildlife Institute of India]], Dehra Dun. pp. 238–247</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

== Other websites ==
{{Wikivoyage|Kaziranga National Park}}
* [http://kaziranga.assam.gov.in/ Official website of Kaziranga]
{{authority control}}
[[Category:National parks in Assam]]
[[Category:Provincial symbols of Assam Praant (India)]]
[[Category:World Heritage Sites in India]]
[[Category:1974 establishments in Asia]]
[[Category:1970s establishments in India]]

Kaziranga National Park - Revision history

Kamal Guha at 09:25, 24 June 2023