Ajay Kumar at 04:19, 26 August 2023

2023-08-26T04:19:56Z

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{{About|the park in India|the park in Bhutan|Royal Manas National Park}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{short description|National park in Assam, India}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Manas National Park
| alt_name = Manas Biosphere Reserve
| iucn_category = II
| photo = Manas National Park.jpg
| photo_caption = Main entrance of Manas National Park
| photo_width = 225px
| map = India Assam
| map_width = 225px
| location = [[Chirang district|Chirang]] and [[Baksa District|Baksa]] District, [[Bodoland Territorial Region|BTR]], [[Assam]], [[Northeastern India]]
| nearest_city = Barpeta, [[Assam]]
| coordinates = {{coord|26|43|N|90|56|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| area = {{convert|500|sqkm}} (core area)
| established = 1990
| governing_body = [[Ministry of Environment and Forests]], [[Government of India]]
| embedded1 = {{designation list | embed = yes
| designation1 = WHS
| designation1_date = 1985 <small>(9th [[World Heritage Committee|session]])</small>
| designation1_type = Natural
| designation1_criteria = vii, ix, x
| designation1_number = [https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/338 338]
| designation1_free1name = Region
| designation1_free1value = [[List of World Heritage Sites in Asia and Australasia|Asia-Pacific]]
| designation1_free2name = [[List of World Heritage in Danger|Endangered]]
| designation1_free2value = 1992–2011<ref>[https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/762/ Successful preservation of India's Manas Wildlife Sanctuary enables withdrawal from the List of World Heritage in Danger] at [[UNESCO]] website</ref>
}}
| label =
| label_position = top
}}

'''Manas National Park''' ({{IPA|ˈmʌnəs}}) is a [[national park]], [[Project Tiger]] reserve, and an elephant reserve in [[Assam]], India. Located in the [[Himalaya]]n foothills, it borders the [[Royal Manas National Park]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.panda.org/who_we_are/wwf_offices/bhutan/projects/index.cfm?uProjectID%3DBT0010 |title=WWF - Royal Manas National Park, Bhutan |access-date=2010-04-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091107044212/http://www.panda.org/who_we_are/wwf_offices/bhutan/projects/index.cfm?uProjectID=BT0010 |archive-date=2009-11-07 }}</ref> in [[Bhutan]]. The park is known for its rare and endangered endemic wildlife such as the [[Assam roofed turtle]], [[hispid hare]], [[golden langur]] and [[pygmy hog]]. Manas is also famous for its population of the [[wild water buffalo]].<ref>Choudhury, A.U.(2010)The vanishing herds : the wild water buffalo. Gibbon Books, Rhino Foundation, CEPF & COA, Taiwan, Guwahati, India</ref> Because of its exceptional biodiversity, scenery, and variety of habitats, Manas National Park is a [[Biosphere Reserve|biosphere reserve]] and a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]].<ref name = "unesco">{{cite web |url = https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/338 |title = Manas Wildlife Sanctuary |website = UNESCO World Heritage Convention |publisher = United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization |access-date = 3 June 2023}}</ref>

==Origin of the name==
The name of the park is originated from the [[Manas River]]. The Manas river is a major tributary of [[Brahmaputra River]], which passes through the heart of the national park.

== History ==
The Manas National Park was declared a sanctuary on 1 October 1928 with an area of {{Convert|360|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}. Manas bio reserve was created in 1973. Prior to the declaration of the sanctuary, it was a reserved forest called Manas R.F. and North Kamrup R.F. It was used by the [[Koch dynasty|Cooch Behar royal family]] and Raja of [[Gauripur, India|Gauripur]] as a hunting reserve. In 1951 and 1955, the area was increased to {{Convert|391|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}. It was declared a [[World Heritage Site]] in December 1985 by UNESCO. Kahitama R.F. the Kokilabari R.F. and the Panbari R.F. were added in the year 1990 to form the Manas National Park. In 1992, UNESCO declared it as a world heritage site in danger due to heavy poaching and terrorist activities. On 25 February 2008, the area was increased to {{Convert|500|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}. On 21 June 2011, it was removed from the [[List of World Heritage in Danger]] and was commended for its efforts in preservation.<ref>{{cite web|last=Amelan|first=Roni|title=Successful preservation of India's Manas Wildlife Sanctuary enables withdrawal from the List of World Heritage in Danger|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/762|access-date=21 June 2011}}</ref>

===Human history===
There is only one forest village, Pagrang, in the core of the national park. Apart from this village 56 more villages surround the park. Many more fringe villages are directly or indirectly dependent on the park.

==Geography==
Political Geography: The park area falls in the following districts: Chirang, Baksa in the autonomous territorial region, i.e [[Bodoland Territorial Region|BTR]] in the state of Assam in India.
[[File:Blue hill.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|A view of mountains from the park]]
The park is divided into three ranges. The western range is based at Panbari, the central at [[Bansbari]] near [[Barpeta Road]], and the eastern at Bhuiyapara near [[Pathsala]]. The ranges are not well connected; while two major rivers need to be forded in going from the centre to the Panbari, there is a rough trail (the ''Daimari road'') connecting the centre to the eastern range. Most visitors come to Bansbari and then spend some time inside the forest at Mathanguri on the Manas river at the Bhutan border.

Physical Geography: Manas is located in the foothills of the [[Eastern Himalaya]] and is densely forested. The Manas river flows through the west of the park and is the main river within it. It is a major tributary of Brahmaputra river and splits into two separate rivers, the ''Bwrsi'' and ''Bholkaduba'' as it reaches the plains. Five other smaller rivers also flow through the national park which lies on a wide, low-lying alluvial terrace spreading out below the foothills of the outer Himalaya. The Manas river also serves as an international border dividing India and Bhutan. The bedrock of the savanna area in the north of the park is made up of limestone and sandstone, whereas the grasslands in the south of the park stand on deep deposits of fine alluvium. The combination of Sub-Himalayan Bhabar Terai formation along with the riverine succession continuing up to Sub-Himalayan mountain forest makes it one of the richest areas of biodiversity in the world. The park is {{convert|950|km2}} in the area and is situated at an altitude of {{convert|61|-|110|m}} above mean sea level.

'''''Climate:''''' The minimum temperature is around {{convert|15|C|F}} and the maximum temperature is around {{convert|37|C|F}}.

Heavy rainfall occurs between May and September. The annual average rainfall is around {{convert|333|cm}}.

==Natural history==
[[File:Tephrodornis gularis.jpg|thumb|upright|''Tephrodornis gularis'']]

===Biomes===
There are two major biomes present in Manas:

* The grassland biomes : [[pygmy hog]], [[Indian rhinoceros]] (re-introduced in 2007 after extinction due to heavy poaching during the Bodo uprising), [[bengal florican]], [[wild Asian buffalo]], etc.
* The forest biomes : [[slow loris]], [[capped langur]], [[Sus (genus)|wild pig]], [[sambar (deer)|sambar]], [[great hornbill]], [[Malayan giant squirrel]] or [[black giant squirrel]], [[Chinese pangolin]] etc.

===Flora===
[[File:Jungle owl in manas.jpg|thumb|Jungle owl in Manas]]
'''Vegetation''': The monsoon forests of Manas lie in the [[Brahmaputra Valley semi-evergreen forests]] ecoregion.<ref>Wikramanayake, Eric; Eric Dinerstein; Colby J. Loucks; et al. (2002). ''Terrestrial Ecoregions of the Indo-Pacific: a Conservation Assessment.'' Island Press; [[Washington, DC]]. pp. 300-301</ref> The combination of Sub-Himalayan Bhabar [[Terai]] region with riverine succession leading up to the [[Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests]] makes it one of the richest biodiversity areas in the world.

The main vegetation types are:

*Sub-Himalayan light alluvial semi-evergreen forests in the northern parts.
*[[Eastern Highlands moist deciduous forests|East Himalayan mixed moist and dry deciduous forests]] (the most common type).
*Low alluvial savanna woodland, and
*Assam Valley semi-evergreen alluvial grasslands which cover almost 50% of the park.

Much of the riverine dry deciduous forest is at an early successional stage. It is replaced by moist deciduous forest away from water courses, which is succeeded by semi-evergreen climax forest in the northern part of the park. A total of 543 plants species have been recorded from the core zone. Of these, 374 species are dicotyledons (including 89 trees), 139 species monocotyledons and 30 are [[pteridophyte]]s and [[gymnosperm]]s.

The park's common trees include ''[[Aphanamixis polystachya]]'', ''[[Neolamarckia cadamba|Anthocephalus chinensis]]'', ''[[Syzygium cumini]]'', ''[[Syzygium formosum]]'', ''[[Syzygium oblatum]]'', ''[[Bauhinia purpurea]]'', ''[[Mallotus philippensis]]'', ''[[Cinnamomum tamala]]'', ''[[Actinodaphne obvata]]'', ''[[Bombax ceiba]]'', ''[[Sterculia villosa]]'', ''[[Dillenia indica]]'', ''[[Dillenia pentagyna]]'', ''[[Careya arborea]]'', ''[[Lagerstroemia parviflora]]'', ''[[Lagerstroemia speciosa]]'', ''[[Terminalia bellirica]]'', ''[[Terminalia chebula]]'', ''[[Trewia polycarpa]]'',<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/j.fitote.2004.07.001 |pmid=15567254 |title=Anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities of Trewia polycarpa roots |journal=Fitoterapia |volume=75 |issue=7–8 |pages=740–744 |year=2004 |last1=Chamundeeswari |first1=D. |last2=Vasantha |first2=J. |last3=Gopalakrishnan |first3=S. |last4=Sukumar |first4=E. }}</ref> ''[[Gmelina arborea]]'', ''[[Oroxylum indicum]]'' and ''[[Bridelia]]'' spp. The grasslands are dominated by ''[[Imperata cylindrica]]'', ''[[Saccharum naranga]]'', ''[[Phragmites karka]]'', ''[[Arundo donax]]'', ''[[Dillenia pentagyna]]'', ''[[Phyllanthus emblica]]'', ''[[Bombax ceiba]]'', and species of ''[[Clerodendrum]]'', ''[[Leea]]'', ''[[Grewia]]'', ''[[Premna]]'' and ''[[Mussaenda]]''.

===Fauna===
[[File:Capped langur in manas.jpg|right|thumb|220px|A capped langur in Manas]]
The sanctuary has recorded 55 species of mammals, 380 species of birds, 50 of reptiles, and 3 species of amphibians. Out of these wildlife, 21 mammals are India's Schedule I mammals and 31 of them are threatened.

The fauna of the sanctuary include [[Indian elephant]]s, [[Indian rhinoceros]], [[gaur]]s, [[wild water buffalo]]es, [[barasingha]], [[Indian tiger]]s, [[Indian leopard]]s, [[clouded leopard]]s, [[Asian golden cat]]s, [[jungle cat]], [[leopard cat]], [[fishing cat]], [[marbled cat]], [[Indian wolf]], [[dhole]]s, [[golden jackal]], [[Bengal fox]], [[capped langur]]s, [[golden langur]]s, [[Assamese macaque]]s, [[rhesus macaque]], [[gray langur]], [[slow loris]], [[hoolock gibbon]]s, [[smooth-coated otter]]s, [[sloth bear]]s, [[nilgai]], [[four-horned antelope]], [[barking deer]], [[hog deer]], [[black panther]]s, [[sambar deer]] and [[chital]]s and [[large Indian civet]], [[common palm civet]], [[spotted Linsang]], [[yellow-throated marten]], [[black giant squirrel]], [[Indian porcupine]], [[Indian pangolin]], [[Chinese pangolin]], [[wild boar]].

The park is well known for species of rare and endangered wildlife that are not found anywhere else in the world like the [[Assam roofed turtle]], [[hispid hare]], [[golden langur]] and [[pygmy hog]].

The Manas hosts more than 450 species of birds.<ref>Choudhury, A.U. (2006) Birds of Manas National Park. Gibbon Books & The Rhino Foundation for Nature in North East India, Guwahati, India. 84pp</ref> It has the largest population of the endangered [[Bengal florican]] to be found anywhere. Other major bird species include [[great hornbill]]s, [[jungle fowl]]s, [[bulbul]]s, [[brahminy duck]]s, [[kalij pheasant]]s, [[egret]]s, [[pelican]]s, [[lesser fish eagle|fishing eagle]]s, [[crested serpent-eagle]]s, [[falcon]]s, [[scarlet minivet]]s, [[bee-eater]]s, [[magpie robin]]s, [[Malabar pied hornbill|pied hornbill]]s, [[Indian grey hornbill|grey hornbill]]s, [[merganser]]s, [[Harrier (bird)|harriers]], [[Indian peafowl]], [[osprey]]s and [[heron]]s.

== Gallery ==
<gallery class="center" widths="180px" heights="120px">
File:Manas Wildlife Sanctuary-110508.jpg|Beki River
File:Manas Wildlife Sanctuary-118456.jpg|Elephant
File:Manas Wildlife Sanctuary-119496.jpg|View of the mountains
File:Hog Deer in Manas National Park 01.jpg|Hog Deer
File:Wildlife in Manas.jpg|A reptile of Manas
File:Herd of Elephant in Manas.jpg|Herd of elephants in Manas
File:Heard of Asian water buffalo in the bank of Manas River.jpg|Herd of buffaloes in the park
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070817100833/http://www.wildlifetimes.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=241 Wildlife Times: A trip to Kaziranga and Manas National Park]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070817100602/http://www.wildlifetimes.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=240 Manas Maozigendri Ecotourism Society - Protectors of Manas]
* {{Wikivoyage-inline}}
* [http://anilcherukupalli.com/rhino-translocations-in-assam/ Photo essay on the rhino translocations from Pobitora to Manas National Park]

{{Protected areas of Assam}}
{{National Parks of India}}
{{World Heritage Sites in India}}
{{Tiger Reserves Of India}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Brahmaputra Valley semi-evergreen forests]]
[[Category:Tiger reserves of India]]
[[Category:National parks in Assam]]
[[Category:World Heritage Sites in India]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1928]]
[[Category:Tourism in Assam]]
[[Category:1928 establishments in India]]

Manas National Park - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 04:19, 26 August 2023