Assam’s Dehing Patkai wildlife sanctuary has been notified as a national park. The announcement comes shortly after Raimona reserve forest in western Assam’s Kokrajhar district was upgraded to a national park in June this year.
Context
Assam’s Dehing Patkai wildlife sanctuary has been notified as a national park. The announcement comes shortly after Raimona reserve forest in western Assam’s Kokrajhar district was upgraded to a national park in June this year.
About the new National Parks
Dehing Patkai
- The 111.942-sqkm Dehing Patkai wildlife sanctuary (notified in 2004) is located inside the larger Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve.
- The Reserve spreads across Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and Sivasagar districts of Upper Assam.
- Known for its elephant population, Dehing Patkai has 47 mammal species, 47 reptile species and 310 butterfly species.
- The area is especially a draw for ornithologists since it is said to have the highest concentration of the rare endangered White Winged Wood Duck.
- Raimona National Park
- It is recently declared as the 6th National Park of Assam.
- Raimona adjoins the Buxa Tiger Reserve in West Bengal to its west, Phipsoo Wildlife Sanctuary and Namgyal Wangchuk Wildlife Sanctuary in Bhutan in the north, and Manas National Park to the east.
- It forms the boundary with the Sankosh River.
- Fauna: Golden Langur is endemic to the park.
- The other major animals are Asian elephant, Royal Bengal tiger, Clouded leopard, Indian gaur, Wild water buffalo, Spotted deer, Hornbill.
Total national parks in Assam: Seven
- Kaziranga, Nameri, Orang, Manas and Dibru-Saikhowa. With Raimona and Dehing Patkai.
- Assam now is the state with the second highest number of national parks in the country, after Madhya Pradesh's 11.
- The Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar has nine national parks.
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