KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam, renowned as the primary habitat of the one-horned rhinoceros, has recently received the addition of two new mammalian species, further enriching its diverse fauna.

Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve

• Location: Located at Golaghat and Nagaon districts of Assam.
• Flora: Tall elephant grass, marshland, and dense tropical moist broadleaf forests. 
• Fauna: One-horned rhinos; Elephant; Royal Bengal tiger and Asiatic water buffalo. It is the home of the world's most one-horned rhinos and has the second-highest number of Rhinos after Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, situated in Assam.
• River: Located on the edge of Brahmaputra River and Diphlu River flows through the National Park.
• National Highway (NH): NH 37 passes through the National Park.
• Conservation status: Declared as: 

oNational Park in 1974.

oUNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

oTiger Reserve in 2007.

oRecognized as an Important Bird Area by Birdlife International.

One-Horned Rhinoceros

• About: It is the largest of the rhino species. It is identified by a single black horn and a grey-brown hide with skin folds.

oIndia is home to the largest number of Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros in the world.

• Habitat: Indo-Nepal terai and northern West Bengal and Assam.
• Found: found in Kaziranga NP, Pobitora WLS, Orang NP, Manas NP, Jaldapara NP and Gorumara NP and Dudhwa TR.