National Parks In India Flashcards
National park
A National Park is built for conservation purposes. The National Parks in India are IUCN Category 2 protected areas. The first National Park of India was established in 1936, now known as the Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand. The National Parks can be declared both by the central or the state governments. No alteration of the boundaries of a National Park shall be made except on a resolution passed by the state legislature. National Parks have more restrictions as compared to wildlife sanctuaries. Up until 8 May 2022, there are 106 National Parks covering 1.23% of the geographical area of India.
National parks in the North East
National parks in Assam
The Kaziranga National Park is a World Heritage Site having two-thirds of the world’s great one-horned rhinoceros. It has the highest density of tigers among the protected areas and was declared a tiger reserve in 2006. The fauna found in the area includes elephants, wild water buffalo, swamps, deer. The flora included are tall elephant grass, marshland, dense tropical moist broadleaf forest. It is crisscrossed by four major rivers including the Brahmaputra.
The Manas National Park is also a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. It was declared in 1985 a national park. It is a Project Tiger Reserve, an Elephant Reserve, and a Biosphere Reserve. It is located in the foothills of the Himalayas and is contiguous with the Royal Manas National Park of Bhutan. The Manas River flows through the west of the park. It is a major tributary of the Brahmaputra River. The international border dividing India and Bhutan falls in the area.
The Nameri National Park is located in the foothills of eastern Himalayas. It has over 300 species of birds. It is very famous for elephants. The area is criss-crossed by the river Jaya-Bharali, with tributaries Diji, Dinai and Doi Gurung, Nameri, Ikorai, Khari, etc. It is surrounded by Assamese and Mishing tribal villages. Pakhui, or Pakke Sanctuary of Arunachal Pradesh, adjoins the park on its northeastern point, Pakhui, Nameri. It is declared as an Interstate Tiger Reserve under the Project Tiger.
Orang or Rajiv Gandhi National Park is located on the north bank of the Brahmaputra River. It is also called a Mini-Kaziranga National Park. These two parks have similar landscape made up of marshes, streams, and grasslands. It is the only stronghold of rhinoceros on the north bank of the Brahmaputra River. According to the latest round of tiger estimates in 2018, Orang’s tiger density is the highest in the country.
The Dehing Patkai National Park is located in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts. It’s famous for its tropical wet evergreen forest. It was created in 2021.
The Dibru Saikwa National Park is a national park as well as a biosphere reserve. Migratory birds are a major attraction.
The Raimona National Park, situated in Kokrajhar district, falls within the Boroland territorial region. It is an integral part of the Manas Biosphere Reserve. It was created in 2021.
National parks in Sikkim
The Kangchenjunga National Park is one of the highest ecosystems in the world. The core area is a major trans-boundary wildlife protected area. The southern and central landscape makes up to 86% of the core area is situated in the greater Himalayas. The northern part, accounting for 14% of area, is characterized by trans-Himalayan features. The core zone of Kangchenjunga is designated as a World Heritage Site in 2016 under Mixed Category. Many of mountains, peaks, lakes, caves, rocks, stupas or shrines, and hot springs in this biosphere reserve function as pilgrimage sites. It has globally threatened flora and fauna like the Himalayan tahr, musk deer, snow leopards, red panda, and many ethnic communities like Lepcha, Bhutia, Nepalese. The Dzongu Valley has a large number of medicinal plants.
National parks in Meghalaya
Nokrek National Park is located in northeast India on the Tura Range which forms part of the Meghalaya Plateau. Entire area is mountainous, with the Nokrek being the highest peak of the Garo Hills. UNESCO added this national park to its list of biosphere reserves in 2009. Along with Balpakram National Park, Nokrek is a hotspot of biodiversity in Meghalaya.
The Balpakram National Park is located near Tura, the headquarters of the Garo Hills in Meghalaya. The fauna found here are the Barking Deer and Golden Cat apart from the Red Panda. It has sprawling vegetation consisting of subtropical and deciduous trees. Rare medicinal herb called Dikges grows here.
National park in Mizoram
The Phawngpui National Park is an area of 50 square kilometers. It is relatively close to Burma. The fauna grown here is the slow loris, mountain goat, Asiatic black bear, stumped tailed macaque, etc.
Murlen National Park, covering an area of 200 square kilometers, is a home to tropical semi-evergreen and sub-montane forests. The fauna found here are the tiger, leopard, sambar, barking deer, malayan giant squirrel, etc.
National parks in Nagaland
Ntangki National park: Fauna found: hoolock gibbon, golden langoor, hornbill, black stork, sloth bear, etc
National parks in Tripura
Bison or Rajbari National park was established in 2007 to protect the Indian gaur, a type of bison which has been categorised as vulnerable since 1986. It is located in the Trishna wildlife sanctuary in the Joychandrapur district.
Clouded leopard National park was established in 2007. Is famous for its captive clouded leopard enclosures. It is part of the sepahijia wildlife sanctuary located in the West Tripura district. This National park covers an area of 5.08 square kilometre
National parks in Arunachal Pradesh:
Mouling National park is located in the Adi hills of Easter Himalayas adjacent to the Siang river valley in the upper Siang district. It is the eastern part of the dihang-dibang biosphere reserve. It was constructed in 1986
Namdapha National park is the largest protected area in the eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot. It has a climate that berries from tropical to subtropical, temperate and Arctic. It is the northernmost lowland evergreen rainforest in the world. The vegetation zones range from evergreen, moist deciduous to temperate broad leaf and coniferous forest types to alpine vegetation. It lies on the international border between India and Myanmar. It is located between the dapha bun range of mishmi hills and patkai range crossed from east to west by Noa dihing river. It is the only park in the world to have for feline species of big cats, tiger, leopard, snow leopard and clouded leopard. It is the third largest National park in the entire India.
National parks in Manipur:
Keibul lamjao National park in Bishnupur district is the only floating National park in the world. It is integral part of the loktak lake. Species found: Sangai (brow antlered deer, dancing deer, eld’s deer, thamin) is categorised endangered and is an endemic species found only in Manipur. It is the state animal of Manipur. Fauna found are floating marshy grasslands called phumdis. The threat of habitat loss by hunting, encroachment, grazing, cultivation, fish farming, hydroelectric projects, etc.
National parks in South India
National Parks in Tamil Nadu
The Indira Gandhi National Park is located in the Annamalai Hills of Polachi. It is the home to Barking Deer and Golden Jackal, etc.
The Mukurthi National Park is a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve under the UNESCO World Heritage Site along with Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary. The keystone species found here are Nilgiri Tahr. The forest type is characterized by mountain grasslands and shrublands interspersed with sholas in high altitude area of high rainfall. It has nearly freezing temperatures and high winds. The tribe living inside are the Todas.
The Mudumalai National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary are also declared as Tiger Reserves. It lies on the northwestern side of the Nilgiri Hills. Its boundaries are shared by Karnataka and Kerala. The sanctuary is divided into five ranges, Masinagudi, Theppakadu, Mudumalai, Kargudi, and Nellakota. The critically endangered species found here are the Indian white-rumped vulture and the long-billed vulture.
The Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park was established in 1986. It is a protected area consisting of 21 islands. Its core area is the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve.
National parks in Kerala
The Periyar National Park is an elephant reserve and tiger reserve. It is often called the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary or Thekkady, located high in the Cardamom Hills.
Eravi Kulam National Park is located in the Kannan Devan Hills of the southwestern Ghats. It has the highest peak in peninsular India, the Anaimuri (2695 m). Three five major types of plant communities found here are grassland, shrubland, and shola forests.
The Silent Valley National Park is located in the Palakkad district of Nilgiri Mountains of Kerala. The river Kunthi passes through it. Flora found here are the humid wet evergreen rainforests, with major plants being teak, amla, semal, rosewood, etc. Fauna found here are the lion-tailed macaque, which is considered endangered, the Indian civet, the sambar deer, which is considered vulnerable. The core areas have high-altitude shola grasslands.
National parks in Karnataka
Bandipur National park is situated in the gundlu pet taluk of chamarajanagar district. Surrounded by the nagarhole tiger reserve, mudumalai tiger reserve and Wayanad wildlife sanctuary. This four areas are a part of the Nilgiri biosphere reserve. The kabini river, moyar river and nugu river pass to the park
Bannerghatta National park is located near Bangalore. Bannerghatta biological park is an integral part of the Bannerghatta National park. Fauna found: gaur, slot bear, sambar, spotted deer, barking deer.
Nagarhole National park is also called the Rajiv Gandhi National park. It’s located at the borders of Mysore and kadagu districts of Karnataka. It is a part of the Nilgiri international biosphere reserve and it is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.
National parks in Andhra Pradesh
Papi konda National park lies on the left and right banks of river Godavari and cuts through Papi konda hill range of eastern ghats. It has moist deciduous forest. Animals found include mouse, deer, gaur, etc. It is threaten by the polavaram dam.
Sri Venkateswara National park is known for its waterfalls like talakona, gundala Kona, and gunjana. It is the home to hyenas, golden jackals, the Indian fox and small Indian civet.
Seshachalam biosphere reserve is located in the southern eastern ghats. Flora included large reserves of red sandalwood used in medicines, soaps and spiritual rituals. Fauna include slender Loris (endangered), Indian giant squirrel, etc.
National parks in Telangana
Mahaveer hareena vanasthali National park is located in vanasthalipuram in Hyderabad. The park is named after tirthankar Mahavir Swami, a Jain saint incommemuration of his 2500th Nirvana anniversary in 1975. It is the home to Black Bucks (state animal of Andhra Pradesh)
Mrugavani National park is situated at chilkur in moinabad mandal. It is home to around 350 spotted deer.
National parks in North India
National parks in Jammu and Kashmir:
Dachigam National park in Srinagar and pulwama has the state animal of Jammu and Kashmir the Kashmir stag, besides hangul or the endangered musk deer, the vulnerable Himalayan black bear, etc. Flora: oak, birch, walnut, etc.
Kishtwar National park in Kishtwar and Doda
City forest (Salim Ali) National park in Srinagar. Is the smallest in Jammu and Kashmir.
National parks in Ladakh:
Hemis National park in Leh is the largest in India. Famous for its high density of snow leopards. The rumbak stream flows through this National park. The vegetation includes juniper, fir, sub alpine dry birch, etc.
National Parks in Himachal Pradesh
Pin Valley National Park in Lahaul and Spiti is a reserve with natural interface between Lahaul and Spiti Division. It is located in the desert habitat or Spiti Valley within the Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve. It is the only cold desert national park located in the Himachal Pradesh. This park lies in the valley of Pin River. It is home to Snow Leopards and the Prey Ibex. The scheduled tribes belonging to the Buddhist community reside here.
The Simbalbara National Park is the smallest in the state. It is in Sirmaur.
The Inderkila National Park.
The Kulu National Park in Kulu
The Great Himalayan National Park in Kulu.
National parks in Uttarakhand
The Corbett National Park is the first national park in India established in 1936 as the Hailey National Park. It’s also a tiger reserve. It’s located in Nainital and Pauri Garhwal. The park encompasses Patli Doon Valley formed by the Ram Ganga River.
The Nanda Devi National Park is a biosphere reserve drained by the Rishi Ganga River which passes through the Rishi Ganga Gorge. It is a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Within the National Park lies Nanda Devi Sanctuary which is a glacial basin. The important peaks within the park are Nanda Devi, Devi Stan 1 and 2, and Rishi kot. The important glaciers within the park are Uttari Rishi Glacier, Dakshini Rishi Glacier, Uttari Nanda Devi Glacier, Dakshini Nanda Devi Glacier, Ramani Glacier, Trishul Glacier. The fauna found here are the Snow Leopard, the Himalayan Musk Deer, the Blue Sheep, and Goral. The flora found here are Fir, Birch, Rhododendron, and Juniper.
The Rajaji National Park in Dehradun, Pauri Garhwal, and Haridwar is also a tiger reserve between the Shivalik Ranges and the Indo-Gangetic Plains. Rivers flowing through the park are Ganga and Song. The flora found here are broad-leaved deciduous forests, riverine vegetation, scrubland, grasslands, pine forests. It is home to the Great Pied Hornbill and the Himalayan Pied Kingfisher, etc.
The Valley of Flowers National Park in Chamoli, is the smallest in the state. The Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve and Valley of Flowers National Park are part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
The Gangotri National Park in Uttarkashi is the largest national park.
Govind National Park is in Uttarkashi.
National parks in Haryana
The Sultanpur National Park in Gurugram is the smallest. This bird sanctuary is best visited in winters for many migratory birds.
The Kalesar National Park in Yamuna Nagar was declared a national park on 8th December 2003 having an area of 11,570 acres.
National parks in Uttar Pradesh
The Dudhwa National Park in Lakhimpur, Kheri is located on the India-Nepal border. It comprises of the Dudhwa National Park through which soheli and mohana streams flow. Kishanpur wildlife sanctuary through which Sharda river flows. Katarnia Ghat wildlife sanctuary through which gerua river flow. All these rivers are tributaries of the ghagra river. It is the only place in the UP where both tigers and rhinos can be spotted together.
National parks in West India
National parks in Goa
Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuary and Molam Empty located in Goa along eastern border with Karnataka.
The contigao Wildlife Sanctuary in South Goa District.
The Netravalli Wildlife Sanctuary in Southeastern Goa. Netravalli is a tributary of river Zuari which originates in the sanctuary.
The Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary in North Goa District. The Mhadei River flows through the sanctuary.
National parks in Rajasthan
The desert National Park in Barmer and Jaisalmer, is the second largest national park in India after Hemis. The Great Indian Bustard which is critically endangered is found there.
The Keoladeo Ghana National Park in Bharatpur, the smallest national park formerly known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary. It’s named after Keoladeo Temple within its boundaries. It has critically endangered birds like the Siberian crane and the Gambhir River passes through it. It is a man made and man managed Ramsar Wetland Site. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Ranthambore National Park is in Sawai Madhopur.
Sariska National Park is in Alwar.
Mukundra Hill National Park is in Kota and Chittorgarh.
National parks in Gujarat
The Gir National Park is the only natural heritage of the Asiatic lions which are considered to be endangered. It has dry deciduous forests in semi-arid western parts. The Maldharis have a symbiotic relationship with lions. They are a religious pastoral communities living in Gir. Most area of park has rugged hills with high ridges and densely forested valleys and wide grassland plateau and isolated hilltops.
Vansda National Park is the smallest national park.
The Blackbuck National Park.
The Marine Gulf of Kutch National Park.
National parks in Maharashtra
The Chandoli National Park in Sangli, Satara, Kolhapur, and Ratnagiri is a natural World Heritage Site. It includes 17th-century forts of Shivaji, Prachitgarh and Bhairavgarh. It is the home to Bengal Tigers, Indian Leopards, and the Indian Bison, etc.
The Sanjay Gandhi National Park or the Borivali National Park in Thane and Mumbai is the smallest. It is a part of the Western Ghats biodiversity and has Kanheri Caves, the 2000-year-old complex of some 160 rock-cut caves that was an important Buddhist learning center.
The Tadoba National Park in Chandrapur
The Gugamal National Park in Amravati is the biggest in the state.
The Navegaon National Park in Bhandara in Gondia.
The Pench (Jawaharlal Nehru) National Park in Nagpur.
National parks in Central India
National parks in Jharkhand:
Betla National park in latehar is located in the chota Nagpur plateau. It’s the home of sloth bear, jackals, hyenas, etc. The parks rich bird life includes hornbills, etc. It is famous for the Kamaldah lake
National parks in Chhattisgarh:
Guru ghasidas Sanjay National park in surguja and Koria in Chhattisgarh and MP part of Sanjay Dubri tiger reserve.
Indravati (kutru) National park in Dantewada
Kanger valley National park in Bastar
National parks in Madhya Pradesh
Panna National park is known worldwide for tigers, deer, chinkara, cheetahs, etc. Is situated in the vindhya mountain range and it is also a tiger reserve. The ken river (a tributary of Yamuna) flows through this reserve. The ken-betwa river interlinking project will be located within the tiger reserve
The Kanha National park is also a tiger reserve. It is the largest National park in Madhya Pradesh. The lowland forest includes a mixture of sal. Highland forest include tropical moist by deciduous type. To indigenous Tribes of this region are the gonds and the baigas.
Indira Priyadarshini pench National park is also a tiger reserve with the highest density of herbivore population including the spotted deer, the sambar deer and four horned antelope. The NH7 passes through this park.
National parks in East India
National parks in West Bengal
Buxa National Park in Jalpaiguri is also a tiger reserve located at Buxa Hills to southern hilly area of Bhutan. Asian elephants and gore are found in this national park. The northern boundary runs along international border with Bhutan. The Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary of Bhutan is contiguous to the north of BTR.
The Gorumara National Park in Jalpaiguri is located in Doars region of Himalayan foothills. It’s a medium-sized park with grasslands and forests. It’s primarily known for the population of Indian rhinoceros. The Gorumara is located in eastern Himalayas, sub-mountain Terai belt. It is a significant watershed area between the Ganges and the Brahmaputra. The park is located in the flood plains of the Murthi River and the Raidak River. The major river of the park is the Jaldhaka River, a tributary of the Brahmaputra River system.
The Jaldhaka National Park is very close to the Jaldapara National Park and Chhaparamari Wildlife Sanctuary. South forests with common peak are found in this region. And among fauna, herbivores including Indian rhinoceros, gore, Indian elephant, pygmy hog, which is critically endangered, are found here.
The Neora Valley National Park is in Darjeeling, near the Neora River. It is the land of the elegant panda, characterized by tropical, subtropical, temperate, and alpine vegetation. The forest consists of rhododendron, bamboo, oak, fern, sal, etc.
The Sundarban National Park is a national park, a tiger reserve, and a biosphere reserve. It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the largest delta in the world. One-third of it is covered by water and marsh. Large number of Sundari trees are found there, along with the Bengal tiger.
The Singalila National Park is located on the Singhalia Ridge of the Darjeeling District. It’s declared a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1986 and made a National Park in 1992.
The Jaldabara National Park is situated at the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas in the Alipur-Duar District, located on the banks of the Torsar River.
National parks in Orissa
The Simlipal National Park is also a tiger reserve. It is in the Mayurbhanj district. It is a part of the Simlipal Kuldiha Hedgar Elephant Reserve, popularly known as the Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve. It is a part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves and has some beautiful waterfalls like Joranda and Barehi Pani. It’s famous for gaur, or the Indian bison.
The Bhitarkanika National Park is located in the Kendrapura district of Orissa. It is a Ramsar Convention site since 2002. It’s surrounded by the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary. The Gahirmatha Beach and Marine Sanctuary lies to the east. It’s the home to saltwater crocodiles, white crocodiles, Indian pythons, black ibis, darters, etc. The sanctuary has the second largest mangrove ecosystem in India. It is a national park and wildlife sanctuary inundated by a number of rivers like Brahmani, Baitalani, Dhamra, Patsala, etc. It’s famous for its green mangroves, migratory birds, turtles, estuarine, crocodiles, and countless creeks.
National park in Andaman and Nicobar Islands
The Andaman and Nicobars are separated by the 10° channel. The indigenous people of Andaman are the Great Andamanese, Jarawa, Onge, and the Sentinelese. The indigenous people of Nicobar are the Nicobarese and Shompen. The flora and fauna of the islands are 0.25% of India’s geographical area and 10% having countries’ fauna species. Its endemic species are the Narcondam hornbill, Nicobar megapode (galathea National park), Nicobar tree shrew, leatherback turtle, crab-eating macaque, saltwater crocodile (saddle peak National park) etc.
The largest national park in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is the Campbell Bay National Park (part of the great Nicobar biosphere reserve) and the smallest is the South Button Island National Park.
Marine National park in India
1) Gulf of Kutch Marine National Park in Jamnagar, Gujarat, is the first marine national park of India. It has more than 40 islands. The flora and fauna included are coral lichen, sea slug, painted storks, and octopus.
2) Malvan Marine Wildlife Sanctuary is rich in salt and that’s why it’s called Malvan. It is in the Sindhudurg district in Maharashtra. It includes the Padamged Island. The Maharashtra government declared the area along Thane Creek as Flamingo Sanctuary.
3) The Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park consists of 21 small islands in the Indian Ocean. It’s the first ever marine biosphere in Southeast Asia. The park and its 10-kilometer buffer zone are declared as a biosphere reserve in the 1989. It is separated from the southeastern part of India by the Palk Strait. It is also called the Rama’s Bridge. It includes 21 islands. Tuticorin is a group of four islands. Bembar is a group of two islands. Kalikarai is a group of seven islands and Mandapam is a group of four islands.
4) Gahir Matha Marine Wildlife Sanctuary is the biggest nesting ground for the Olive Ridley turtles in the world. The Gahir Matha Beach separates Bhitar Kanika mangroves from the Bay of Bengal. The Olive Ridley turtles found here are listed as vulnerable.
5) The Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, also known as the Wandoor National Park. It has two major island groups called the Labyrinth Islands and the Twin Islands. It is covered with tropical forests. Coral reefs in the park are finging reefs. Famous islands are open for tourists are the Red Skin and Jolly Buoy.
6) The Rani Jhansi Marine Park in Andaman and Nicobar Islands has coral reefs and mangroves, terrestrial moist forests and birds, including dugongs, which are listed as vulnerable, and crocodiles.
