Manas Wildlife Sanctuary

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Assam, a biodiversity hotspot in North-East India. It bridges the Manas river and is bordered to the north by Bhutanese woods, covering 39,100 hectares. The Manas Wildlife Sanctuary is located amid the fluctuating river channels of the Manas River and is part of the core zone of the 283,700-hectare Manas Tiger Reserve. A variety of forested hills, alluvial grasslands, and tropical evergreen woods contribute to the site’s visual attractiveness. Rare and endangered species like the tiger, larger one-horned rhino, swamp deer, pygmy hog, and Bengal florican have important and viable habitats at the site.

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary historical information:

On October 1, 1928, the Manas National Park, which covers 360 km square, was declared a sanctuary. In 1973, the Manas bio reserve was established. It was once a reserved forest known as Manas R.F. and North Kamrup R.F. before the sanctuary was established. It was used as a hunting reserve by the royal family of Cooch Behar and the Raja of Gauripur. The area was enlarged to 391 km2 between 1951 and 1955. UNESCO designated it as a World Heritage Site in December 1985. In 1990, the Manas National Park was expanded to include the Kahitama R.F., the Kokilabari R.F., and the Panbari R.F. Due to widespread poaching and terrorist operations, UNESCO labelled it a world heritage site in risk in 1992.The area was enlarged to 500 km2 on February 25, 2008. It was removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger on June 21, 2011, and praised for its preservation efforts. In the heart of the national park, there is only one forest village, Pagrang. Apart from this settlement, the park is surrounded by 56 others. Many more settlements on the outskirts are directly or indirectly reliant on the park.

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary as a habitat:

The Manas Wildlife Sanctuary is home to 22 of India’s most endangered mammal species. There are roughly 60 mammal species, 42 reptile species, 7 amphibian species, and 500 bird species in all, with 26 of them being globally threatened. Elephants, tigers, larger one-horned rhinos, clouded leopards, sloth bears, and other animals are among them. In India, the wild buffalo population is likely the last pure strain of the species. It is also home to endemic species such as the pygmy hog, hispid hare, and golden langur, as well as the critically endangered Bengal florican. Plant diversity is high due to the variety of habitats and flora, which includes 89 tree species, 49 shrubs, 37 undershrubs, 172 herbs, and 36 climbers.There are also 15 orchid species, 18 fern species, and 43 grass species that provide critical food for a variety of ungulate species.

Natural History of Manas Wildlife Sanctuary:

Biomes:

Manas is divided into two biomes:

The grassland biomes :Pygmy hogs, Indian rhinoceroses (reintroduced in 2007 after extinction owing to extensive poaching during the Bodo insurgency), Bengal floricans, wild Asian buffalo, and other grassland biomes.

The forest biomes :Slow loris, capped langur, wild pig, sambar, great hornbill, Malayan giant squirrel or black giant squirrel, Chinese pangolin, and others can be found in the woodland biomes.

Flora:

Manas’ monsoon woods are part of the semi-evergreen forests ecoregion of the Brahmaputra Valley. The Sub-Himalayan Bhabar Terai region, with its riverine succession leading up to Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests, is one of the world’s most diverse biodiversity zones.

• In the northern portions, the predominant vegetation types are Sub-Himalayan light alluvial semi-evergreen forests.

• East Himalayan deciduous woods, both moist and dry (the most common type).

• Woodland with low alluvial savanna.

• Semi-evergreen alluvial grasslands of the Assam Valley cover over half of the park.

The riverine dry deciduous woodland is in the early stages of succession. It is replaced by wet deciduous woodland away from water channels, which is followed in the northern portion of the park by semi-evergreen climax forest. From the core zone, 543 plant species have been identified. There are 374 dicotyledons (including 89 trees), 139 monocotyledons, and 30 pteridophytes and gymnosperms among them.

Fauna:

The sanctuary is home to 55 animal species, 380 bird species, 50 reptile species, and three amphibian species. There are 21 Schedule mammals in India and 31 endangered mammals among these animals.Indian elephants, Indian rhinoceros, gaurs, wild water buffaloes, barasingha, Indian tigers, and Indian leopards are among the sanctuary’s species.The park is noted for unique and endangered fauna such as the Assam roofed turtle, hispid hare, golden langur, and pygmy hog, which are found nowhere else on the planet.The Manas is home to almost 450 different bird species.It is home to the world’s largest population of the endangered Bengal florican. Great hornbills, jungle fowls, bulbuls, brahminy ducks, and kalij are among the other significant bird species.

Conclusion

Manas is known for its diverse biodiversity as well as its breathtaking landscapes and natural setting. Manas is situated in the Eastern Himalayan foothills. The park’s northern boundary runs parallel to Bhutan’s international border, which is marked by the majestic Bhutan highlands. It stretches on both sides of the gorgeous Manas river, with conserved woods to the east and west. A unique wilderness experience is provided by the tumultuous river rushing down the steep slopes against a backdrop of forested hills, as well as the peacefulness of alluvial grasslands and tropical evergreen woods.