Clouded Leopard National Park

The Clouded Leopard National Park is situated within the premises of the Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary in Tripura. It is India’s first dedicated wildlife park for Clouded Leopards, established in 2007. The Clouded Leopard Park spreads over 5.08 square kilometres, whereas the sanctuary spans more than 18 square kilometres in size. This national park is home to several primate monkey species, including the Phayre’s langur. Except for the two humid and hot summer months, the park’s landscape is lush all year, and the weather is temperate and pleasant. There’s a man-made lake in the middle of a wooded region. The average annual rainfall of the national park is 202 centimetres.

Geography 

Clouded Leopard National Park has mesmerising weather throughout the year, though the summer months are hot and humid, particularly May and June. 

The average precipitation of the national park is more than 200 centimetres. In general, the months of July to September are the most precipitative months, but due to excessive rainfall, tourism activities halted.

Agartala, the state capital, lies 28 kilometres away from the National Park, and the nearest airport is Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport, which is 35 kilometres away.

Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary

Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary located in Bishalgarh of Tripura, India, with an area of around 18 square kilometres. It is 25 kilometres from the main city of Tripura, Agartala. This sanctuary has a wooded forest area with a man-made lake as well as natural botanical and zoological gardens. This sanctuary is world-renowned for clouded leopards. Even the clouded leopards have become so popular that a distinct national park, i.e. Clouded Leopard National Park dedicated to clouded leopards, was created in the year of 2007. This sanctuary serves as a wildlife refuge as well as an academic and research centre for fauna and flora development.

Clouded Leopard

Clouded leopards are an old cat species that can be found in Southeast Asia’s cloud forests. However, because they are unable to roar, they are not considered true cats. 

• These medium-sized cats are named after the cloud-shaped patterns on their skin. 

• The mainland Clouded Leopard is also known as the Himalayan clouded leopard.

• Tripura, Sikkim, West Bengal, Meghalaya forests, Mizoram, Manipur, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh are the Indian states where they can be found. 

• In Tripura, Clouded Leopard National Park was established, which is popular for clouded leopards.

• They have highly developed binocular vision, resulting in incredibly accurate vision, which helps them determine prey distance while hunting in the forest canopy. 

• The IUCN has listed Clouded leopards as “vulnerable.” The loss of habitat induced by deforestation for agriculture is the primary cause of clouded leopard extinction. 

• They’re hunted for their bodies, especially for their teeth, claws, and bones, as these parts are employed in the traditional medicinal system of Asia. These adorable cats can often be spotted on Asian restaurant menus.

• A clouded leopard was photographed in the semi-evergreen forest at an elevation of 144 metres in Pakke Tiger Reserve. Between 2008 to 2010, clouded leopards were caught in the Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve at heights of 2,500–3,720m.

Flora and Fauna of Clouded Leopard National Park

Clouded Leopard is the most famous wildlife of Clouded Leopard National Park. Apart from the Clouded Leopard, a number of mammals are also found in this national park. 

• They are Langur, Clouded Leopard, Rhesus Macaque, Barking Deer, Hoolock Gibbon, Civets, Wild Pig, Pigtailed Macaque, Slow Loris, etc.

• Presbytis, or spectacled langur, is a Tripura indigenous species, which is seen in abundance in Clouded Leopard National Park.

• Also, the numerous birds which are the habitat of this park are the White Ibis, Open Billed Stork, Whistling Teal, etc. 

• The famous vegetation of this national park is Sal, Bamboo, Agar, Kanak, Awla, and Amlaki.

Conclusion

National parks are specialised regions where the conservation and preservation of wildlife,  flora and fauna are taken place and where several activities like hunting, poaching, and grazing are strictly banned, along with the prohibition of developmental and forestry activities. The boundaries of such parks are demarcated and well-defined. The Clouded Leopard National Park is situated within the Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary with an area of 5.08 km square, while the total area of the Sanctuary is 18.53 square kilometres. This place is not only a national park for clouded leopards, but a ton of fauna is also found, particularly birds and primates. Within the park, there are several water bodies too.