Wildlife Sanctuaries & National parks of NE India

National Parks and wildlife sanctuaries of N.E. India

A National Park is a protected area dedicated to conserve the environment, natural and historical objects and to conserve the wildlife therein, and at the same time, to provide for enjoyment from them, in such a manner and by such means, as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations. In national parks, all private rights are non-existent and all forestry operations and other usages such as grazing of domestic animals are prohibited. The IUCN General Assembly in New Delhi in 1969 defined ‘National Park’ as:

“A relatively large area where one or several ecosystems are not materially altered by human exploitation and occupation”.

The assembly called on countries “not to describe as National Parks” those areas that did not meet the definition.

According to Subsection 1 of Section 35 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972

“Whenever it appears to the State Government that an area, whether within a sanctuary or not, is, by reasons of its ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, or zoological association or importance, needed to be constituted as a National Park for the purpose of protecting, propagating, or developing wildlife therein on its environment, it may, by notification, declare its intention to constitute such area as a National Park.”

The notification is required to define the limits of the area which is intended to be declared as a National Park.

 There are 103 existing National Parks in India covering an area of 40,500.13  km², which is 1.23% of the geographical area of the country  and 530 existing wildlife sanctuaries in India covering an area of 117,590 km², which is 3.58 % of the geographical area of the country (National Wildlife Database, July, 2015).

A Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area where killing, hunting, shooting or capturing of any species of birds and mammals is prohibited except by or under the control of the highest authority in the department responsible for management of the sanctuary. Private ownership rights may be allowed to continue in a sanctuary and forestry and other usages permitted to the extent that they do not adversely affect wildlife.

According to Subsection 1 of Section 18 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972

“The State Government may, by notification, declare its intention to constitute any area other than area comprised with any reserve forest or the territorial waters as a sanctuary if it considers that such area are of adequate ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphologic, natural or zoological significance, for the purpose of protecting, propagating or developing wildlife or its environment.”

The notification is required to specify, as nearly as possible, the situation and limits of such area through readily intelligible boundaries such as roads, rivers, ridges etc.

There are at present 530 existing Wildlife Sanctuaries in India covering an area of  117,590.81   km², which is 3.58 % of the geographical area of the country (National Wildlife Database, July, 2015).

  

The Northeastern Region of India, comprises the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. There are at present 16 National Parks and 55 Wildlife Sanctuaries in the region. The National Parks and Wildlife sanctuaries cover around 2.57% and 4.44% of the geographical area of the region respectively. A list of the National Parks and Sanctuaries of N.E. India are as follows:

Summary of Existing National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries of N.E.India (July 2015)

 

State	National parks	Wildlife Sanctuaries	Total Protected Areas
Assam	5	18	23
Arunachal Pradesh	2	11	13
Manipur	1	1	2
Meghalaya	2	3	5
Mizoram	2	8	10
Nagaland	1	3	4
Tripura	2	4	6
Sikkim	1	7	8

Summary of Protected Area Statistics of N.E.India (July 2015)

 

State	State area km2	No. of NPs	Area km2	% of state area	No. of WLS	Area km2	% of state area
Assam	78438	5	1977.79	2.52	18	1932.01	3.46
Arunachal Pradesh	83743	2	2290.82	2.74	11	7487.75	8.94
Manipur	22327	1	40.0	0.18	1	184.40	0.83
Meghalaya	22429	2	267.48	1.20	3	34.20	0.15
Mizoram	21081	2	150.00	0.71	8	1090.75	5.17
Nagaland	16579	1	202.02	1.22	3	20.34	0.12
Tripura	10486	2	36.71	0.35	4	566.93	5.41

The State of Sikkim with a Geographical area of  7,096 sq.km has one National Park covering an area of 1,784 sq.km. (25.14% of the geographical area of the state and seven Wildlife Sanctuaries, occupying an area of 399.10 sq.km. which is around 5.62% of its geographical area

State wise list of National parks and sanctuaries (July 2015)

Link : 

http://www.wiienvis.nic.in/Database/Protected_Area_854.aspx

Assam 

S.No	Name of the protected area	Area (sq.km)	Date of Estb.
	National Parks
1	Kaziranga NP	858.98	11.02.74
2	Manas NP	500.00	07.09.90
3	Nameri NP	200.00	13.08.98
4	Dibru-Saikhowa NP	340.00	05.03.99
5	Orang NP	78.81	08.04.99
	Wildlife Sanctuaries
6	Garampani WLS	6.05	10.07.52
7	Laokhowa WLS	70.13	06.09.74
8	Barnodi WLS	26.22	22.08.80
9	East Karbi-Anglong WLS	221.81	2000
10	Chakrasila WLS	45.56	14.07.94
11	Burachapori WLS	44.06	11.07.95
12	North Karbi-Anglong WLS	96	2000
13	Gibbon WLS	20.98	30.07.97
14	Sonai-Rupai WLS	220.00	12.10.98
15	Pabitora WLS	38.81	17.03.99
16	Panidihing WLS	33.93	18.08.99
17	Padumani-Bherjan-Borajan WLS	7.21	13.10.99

18	Nambor WLS	37	2000
19	Marat Longri WLS	451	2003
20.	Nambor Doigrung WLS	97.15	2003
21	Amchang WLS	78.64	2004
22	Barail WLS	326.25	2004
23	Dihing Patkai WLS	111.19	2004

Arunachal Pradesh

S.No	Name of the protected area	Area (sq.km)	Date of Estb.
	National Parks
1	Mouling NP	483.00	30.12.86
2	Namdapha NP	1807.82	12.05.83
	Wildlife Sanctuaries
3	D’Ering Memorial (Lali) WLS	190.00	23.08.78
4	Dibang WLS	4,149.00	26.11.91
5	Eagle Nest WLS	217.00	18.10.89
6	Itanagar WLS	140.30	14.06.78
7	Kamlang WLS	783.00	18.10.89
8	Kane WLS	55.00	17.09.91
9	Mehao WLS	281.50	15.12.80
10	Pakhui WLS	861.95	28.03.77
11	Sessa Orchid WLS	100.00	18.10.89
12	Tale Valley WLS	337.00	14.07.95

13

Yordi-Rabe Supsi WLS

397

1996

Manipur

S.No	Name of the protected area	Area (sq.km)	Date of Estb.
	National Parks
1	Keibul-Lamjao NP	40.00	28.03.77
	Wildlife Sanctuaries
2	Yangoupokpi-Lokchao WLS	184.80	21.03.89

Meghalaya

S.No	Name of the protected area	Area (sq.km)	Date of Estb.
	National Parks
1	Balphakram NP	220.00	15.02.86
2	Nokrek NP	47.48	29.11.86
	Wildlife Sanctuaries
3	Baghmara Pitcher Plant WLS	0.02	24.05.84
4	Nongkhyllem WLS	29.00	25.03.81
5	Siju WLS	5.18	30.03.79

Mizoram

S.No	Name of the protected area	Area (sq.km)	Date of Estb.
	National Parks
1	Murlen NP	100.00	08.07.91
2	Phawngpui Blue Mountain NP	50.00	22.07.97
	Wildlife Sanctuaries
3	Dampa WLS	500.00	25.03.85
4	Khawnglung WLS	41.00	08.07.91
5	Lengteng WLS	120.00	08.04.99
6	Ngengpui WLS	110.00	22.07.97

7	Pualreng WLS	50	2004
8	Tawi WLS	35.75	1978
9.	Thorangtlang WLS	50	2002
10	Tokalo WLS	250	2007

Nagaland

S.No	Name of the protected area	Area (sq.km)	Date of Estb.
	National Parks
1	Intanki NP	202.02	08.03.93
	Wildlife Sanctuaries
2	Fakim WLS	6.42	16.01.84
3	Puliebadze WLS	9.23	18.01.80
4	Rangapahar WLS	4.7	17.06.86

Tripura

S.No	Name of the protected area	Area (sq.km)	Date of Estb.
	National Parks
1	Clouded Leopard NP	5.08	2007
2	Bison( Rajbari ) NP	31.63	2007
	Wildlife Sanctuaries
3	Gumti WLS	389.54	08.09.88

4	Rowa WLS	0.85	13.07.88
5	Sepahijala WLS	18.53	02.02.87
6	Trishna WLS	194.70	02.02.87

Sikkim

S.No	Name of Protected Area	Area (sq.km)	Date of Estb.
	National Park
1.	Khangchendzonga NP	1784.00	1977
	Wildlife Sanctuaries
2	Barsey Rhododendron WLS	104.00	1998
3	Fambong Lho WLS	51.76	1984
4	Kitam WLS	6.00	2005
5	Kyongnosla Alpine WLS	31.00	1977
6	Maenam WLS	35.34	1987
7	Pangolakha WLS	128.00	2002
8.	Shingba (Rhododendron) WLS	43.00	1984