National Park

Rampant human activities, including mining, construction, hunting, etc., degrade the natural environment and pose a major threat to the existence of wildlife. To conserve the precious flora and fauna, the government can set aside a fixed area in the form of a national park. National parks are protected areas where the natural ecosystem is fully conserved. They are crucial for the country’s ecosystem and geography. These national parks are visited by tourists and locals and are great places for educational, research, and recreational purposes. Of course, it is made sure that tourism does not affect the natural habitat of flora and fauna present here. More often than not, there are certain zones inside the national parks with high biodiversity. Tourists are not allowed to enter these zones. This article covers information about the national parks of India in detail.

National Parks in India

In India, 1.35% of the country’s area is covered by national parks. These parks come under the category of ‘Protected Areas.’ Protected areas (also known as conservation areas) are called so because they receive protection from government agencies due to their richness in resources. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the organisation that defines the guidelines for protected areas. Other than natural parks, ‘Protected Areas’ also include wildlife sanctuaries, community reserves, and conservation reserves. 

History of National Parks

The first national park of India was established in 1936 in Uttarakhand. It was earlier known as Hailey National Park and is now called the Jim Corbett National Park. Until the early 1970s, there wasn’t much increase in the number of national parks in India. In fact, by 1970, India had only five national parks. 

In 1972, the Wildlife (Protection) Act was enacted, and Project Tiger came into action in 1973. These created a mass awareness for wildlife conservation. Since then, many national parks have been set up in the country. Currently, there are 106 national parks in India. Around 75 national parks have been proposed to be set up as per the Protected Area Network Report.

List of National Parks

Specialities of National Parks in India

The largest national park in India is the Hemis National Park. Situated in Ladakh, this national park is spread across 4,400 sq. km. 

The Namdapha National Park of Arunachal Pradesh is famous for the Namdapha flying squirrel, which was first collected and described here. It is also famous for being the only national park in India with four big cat species. These include: leopard, tiger, snow leopard, clouded leopard. 

Similarly, the Kaziranga National Park of Assam is known for its one-horned rhinoceros. Manas National Park of Assam is rich in biodiversity and houses golden langur and red panda. Gir in Gujarat is famous for its Asiatic lions. Dachigam in Jammu and Kashmir is known for Kashmir stag. 

Eravikulam National Park in Kerala is famous as the home of the nilgiri tahr. Kerala’s Silent Valley National Park is known for its lion-tailed macaque. 

Keibul Lamjao in Manipur boasts of being the only floating national park in the whole world, and it houses the ‘sangai,’ also known as the dancing deer of Manipur.

Bhitarkanika in Rajasthan has saltwater crocodiles and is also famous for mangroves. Khangchendzonga in Sikkim is famous for musk deer. Snow leopards can be found in Uttarakhand’s Nanda Devi, while you can go to West Bengal’s Sunderbans for the royal Bengal tiger. 

Conclusion

Now you know how many national parks in India are present and in which cities. These national parks are crucial for the conservation of wildlife, flora, and natural resources. Out of the national parks mentioned above, many are also included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These are Sunderbans, Nanda Devi, Khangchendzonga, Keoladeo, Nokrek, Great Himalayan National Park, Manas, and Kaziranga. These are all highly protected, and no activity that may harm the natural imbalance is allowed here. Such areas are highly significant for educational and research purposes as well. A wildlife sanctuary can become a national park, but the reverse is not possible, i.e., the status of a national park cannot be downgraded.