Protected Areas of India: National Parks in News
High-Yield Coastal & Southern Peninsula Reserves
Bhitarkanika National Park Ramsar Site In News
Location: Kendrapara district, Odisha. Surrounded directly by the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary and the Gahirmatha Beach & Marine Sanctuary.
- Estuarial & River Dynamics: Strategically situated in the estuarial region of the Brahmani-Baitarani river systems, with the Bay of Bengal forming its eastern perimeter. The network is sustained by five distinct rivers: Brahmani, Baitarani, Dhamra, and Pathsala.
- Conservation Status: Designated formally as a Ramsar Site since 19 August 2002, standing as Odisha's second Ramsar wetland enclave after Chilika Lake.
Bandipur National Park
Location: Karnataka, constituting an integral segment of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (1986) at the tri-junction of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
- Historical Inception: Formally established as a National Park in 1974 by expanding the pre-existing Venugopala Wildlife Park. It has been a key component of Project Tiger since 1973.
- Bordering Contiguity: Bordered on the south by Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (Tamil Nadu), on the southwest by Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala), and on the northwest by Nagarhole Tiger Reserve (Karnataka).
- River Networks: Drained by the Kabini River (which marks the boundary separating Bandipur from Nagarhole), the Moyar River along the south, and the Nugu River which intersects through the core park landscape.
- Biodiversity Matrix:
- Flora: Dominated by premium species including Teak, rosewood, sandalwood, Indian-laurel, Indian Kino tree, and dense bamboo clumps.
- Fauna: Serves as a vital habitat for the Asiatic wild elephant, sloth bear, gaur, Indian rock python, jackal, mugger crocodile, four-horned antelope, and the rare flying lizard.
Mukurthi National Park UNESCO World Heritage
Location: Situated on the Western Nilgiris Plateau in Northwest Tamil Nadu. Established in 1990 with the specific target of protecting the endangered Nilgiri tahr.
- Hydrological Systems: Fed by the Pykara and Kundah rivers, with localized streams draining directly into the Bhavani Puzha.
- Landscape & Vegetation: Formally inscribed as part of the Western Ghats UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012. The landscape is characterized by high-altitude montane grasslands, shrublands, and specialized shola forest patches.
- Flora & Fauna:
- Flora: Features specialized alpine assemblages including Gaultheria, Helichrysum, Berberis, Rhododendron, Cinnamon, Mahonia, Satyrium, and wild Raspberries.
- Fauna: Protects the Nilgiri tahr, Indian elephant, Nilgiri langur, Bengal tiger, and bonnet macaque.
Bannerghatta National Park
Location: Anekal hills, Karnataka. Established initially in 1974, with the Suvarnamukhi stream serving as its primary water source.
- Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP): Formally carved out in 2004 under the administrative aegis of the Zoo Authority of Karnataka (ZAK). It holds the distinction of hosting India's first fenced forested elephant sanctuary.
- Structural Divisions: Organically partitioned into four clear structural divisions: Zoo, Safari, Butterfly Park, and a dedicated Rescue Centre. The sacred Champakadhama hills are nestled entirely inside the park borders.
- Invertebrate Innovation: Features India's pioneering specialized butterfly enclosure enclosure module, launched in 2006.
High-Yield Eastern & Himalayan Montane Reserves
Kaziranga National Park UNESCO World Heritage
Location: Golaghat and Nagaon districts, Assam, positioned between the Brahmaputra River and the Karbi Hills.
- Landscape & Rivers: Bounded strictly on its northern border by the Brahmaputra River, and intersected internally by the Diphlu, Mora Diphlu, and Mora Dhansiri rivers. The terrain forms a highly productive wetland patchwork of dense forests, tall elephant grass, reeds, marshes, and shallow pools.
- Global Recognition: Formally designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. It famously shelters the world's largest population of the Great Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros.
- Faunal Assemblage: Home to the Great Indian One-Horned Rhino, Bengal Tiger, Swamp Deer, Asian Elephant, Wild Water Buffalo, Hoolock Gibbon, Capped Langur, and Gangetic Dolphin.
Singalila National Park
Location: Darjeeling district, West Bengal. It sits at an altitude above 2,300 meters, making it the highest national park in West Bengal.
- Geographic Frontiers: Runs completely contiguous with Nepal along its western border and shares its northern border with Sikkim. Globally famous for the Sandakphu trekking trail and panoramic Himalayan views.
- Key Wildlife: Acts as an important Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hub sheltering the Red Panda, Himalayan Black Bear, Clouded Leopard, Leopard Cat, and various rare alpine Pheasants.
Neora Valley National Park
Location: Kalimpong district, West Bengal, with its highest geographic crest culminating at the strategic Rachela Pass.
- Biogeographical Intersections: Uniquely positioned at the structural junction of three major biogeographical zones: the Himalayan Montane, Indian Peninsular, and Malayan Sub-region.
- Forest & Habitat Types: Hosts an unbroken transition of Subtropical Mixed Broadleaf Forest, Lower & Upper Temperate Evergreen Forest, and dense Rhododendron Forests. Vegetation includes dry & wet mixed forests, oak, bamboo, and coniferous moist temperate blocks.
- Fauna: Shelters the Red Panda, Himalayan Tahr, Asian Black Bear, Sambar, Barking Deer, Serow, Goral, Dhole (Wild Dog), and Gaur.
Khangchendzonga National Park UNESCO Mixed Site
Location: Sikkim, India. Features a massive vertical altitudinal range spanning from 1,220 m up to the summit of Khangchendzonga Peak at 8,586 meters.
- Heritage Standing: Formally established by the state government in 1977 and inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016 under the rare "Mixed" category, recognizing both its natural and cultural values.
- Carnivore Profile: Uniquely supports six distinct felid species in a single high-altitude zone: Bengal Leopard, Clouded Leopard, Snow Leopard, Jungle Cat, Golden Cat, and Leopard Cat.
- Other Wildlife: Mammals include the Jackal, Tibetan Wolf, Red Panda, Blue Sheep (Bharal), Goral, Himalayan Tahr, Musk Deer, civets, pikas, and diverse rodents. Flora is rich in high-altitude vascular plants, orchids, rhododendrons, gymnosperms, and pteridophytes.
Namdapha National Park
Location: Changlang District, Arunachal Pradesh, sharing an international border with Myanmar to the southeast and bordering the Kamlang Wildlife Sanctuary.
- Geographic Orientation: Nestled strategically between the Dapha Bum Ridge (Mishmi Hills) and the Patkai Mountain Ranges. It sits at the exact evolutionary junction of the Indian Subcontinent and the Indo-China Biogeographic Regions, with the Namdapha River flowing north to south through its core.
- Forest Complexity: Hosts an exceptionally diverse range of forest types: Northern Tropical Evergreen Forest, North Indian Tropical Moist Deciduous Forest, East Himalayan Moist Temperate Forest, and Moist Alpine Scrub Forests. The climate transitions dramatically across tropical, subtropical, temperate, and alpine Arctic zones.
- Specialized Flora & Fauna:
- Flora: Home to relic gymnosperms like Pinus merkusi and Abies delavayi, the Endangered **Blue Vanda** orchid, and the highly potent medicinal plant Mishmi Teeta, which is utilized by local tribes.
- Fauna: Home to the Himalayan Black Bear, Himalayan Sun Bear, Elephants, and primates including the Hoolock Gibbon (India's only ape) and the Slow Loris.
- Critically Endangered: The endemic Namdapha flying squirrel is strictly restricted to this park and was last officially recorded here in 1981.
High-Yield Central & Dry Deciduous Profiles
Ghughwa National Fossils Park
Location: Dindori district, Madhya Pradesh, officially notified as a National Park in 1983.
- Ecosystem: Set entirely within a tropical dry deciduous forest zone.
- Paleontological Value: Contains valuable fossilized tree trunks that were used by prehistoric early humans to construct basic stone tools. It features beautifully preserved plant fossils of woody species, climbers, leaves, flowers, and fruits, alongside dinosaur egg fossils.
Mrugavani National Park In News
Location: Hyderabad, Telangana. Set within a tropical dry deciduous forest ecosystem.
- Recent Context: The Telangana Forest Department formally submitted an official report to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) concerning an 80-hectare territorial reduction inside the Chilkur zone.
- Wildlife: Provides refuge to the Spotted Deer (Chital), Indian Hare, Forest Cat, Civet, Indian Rat Snake, and Russell’s Viper.
High-Yield Concept Summary
Core Revision Takeaways:
1. Oldest and Largest: Corbett is India's oldest National Park, whereas Hemis (Ladakh) stands as the largest.
2. The Swamp Deer (Barasingha): Kanha National Park (MP) is specifically well-known for successfully conserving a sub-species of the hard-ground swamp deer, which is exclusively graminivorous (UPSC 2020).
3. Floating Vegetation (Phumdis): Keibul-Lamjao National Park (Manipur) is globally unique as the world's only floating swamp national park, supporting a rich biodiversity on floating mats of vegetation called phumdis (UPSC 2015).
4. Great Indian Bustard: Desert National Park (Rajasthan) spans across two districts and serves as one of the definitive natural habitats for the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (UPSC 2020).
5. Alpine Habitats: Gangotri National Park hosts the Musk Deer in its natural habitat, while the Valley of Flowers National Park (Uttarakhand) is situated entirely within the temperate alpine zone (UPSC 2019).
1. Oldest and Largest: Corbett is India's oldest National Park, whereas Hemis (Ladakh) stands as the largest.
2. The Swamp Deer (Barasingha): Kanha National Park (MP) is specifically well-known for successfully conserving a sub-species of the hard-ground swamp deer, which is exclusively graminivorous (UPSC 2020).
3. Floating Vegetation (Phumdis): Keibul-Lamjao National Park (Manipur) is globally unique as the world's only floating swamp national park, supporting a rich biodiversity on floating mats of vegetation called phumdis (UPSC 2015).
4. Great Indian Bustard: Desert National Park (Rajasthan) spans across two districts and serves as one of the definitive natural habitats for the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (UPSC 2020).
5. Alpine Habitats: Gangotri National Park hosts the Musk Deer in its natural habitat, while the Valley of Flowers National Park (Uttarakhand) is situated entirely within the temperate alpine zone (UPSC 2019).
High-Yield Interactive UPSC Quiz (Protected Areas Focus)
Q1. With reference to Bandipur National Park, consider the following statements:
1. It is situated at the tri-junction of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, forming part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
2. The Kabini River runs through the south of the park, separating it directly from the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Correct Answer: A. Statement 1 is correct because Bandipur is situated at the tri-junction and is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Statement 2 is incorrect because the Kabini River flows along the northern boundary, separating Bandipur from Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, not Mudumalai. The southern boundary is instead marked by the Moyar River.
Q2. Which of the following National Parks contains India's first fenced forested elephant sanctuary and was carved out under the Zoo Authority of Karnataka?
Correct Answer: B. Bannerghatta National Park features the Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP), which was carved out in 2004 under the Zoo Authority of Karnataka and holds India's first fenced forested elephant sanctuary.
Q3. The Namdapha flying squirrel, listed as Critically Endangered, is endemic to a national park situated between which mountain ridges?
Correct Answer: A. The endemic Namdapha flying squirrel resides within Namdapha National Park, which lies geographically between the Dapha Bum Ridge (Mishmi Hills) and the Patkai Ranges.
Q4. With reference to Khangchendzonga National Park, consider the following statements:
1. It was inscribed as India's first "Mixed" category UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016.
2. It is notable for supporting six distinct felid species, including the Clouded Leopard and Snow Leopard, within its high-altitude boundaries.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Correct Answer: C. Both statements are entirely correct. Khangchendzonga is India's premier Mixed World Heritage Site and uniquely hosts six cat species: Leopard, Clouded Leopard, Snow Leopard, Jungle Cat, Golden Cat, and Leopard Cat.
Q5. Which of the following National Parks is geographically situated at the unique biogeographical intersection of the Himalayan Montane, Indian Peninsular, and Malayan Sub-region?
Correct Answer: C. Neora Valley National Park in Kalimpong, West Bengal, is situated at the meeting point of the Himalayan Montane, Indian Peninsular, and Malayan Sub-region biogeographical zones.
Q6. Consider the following pairs of National Parks and their primary river systems:
1. Bhitarkanika National Park — Brahmani and Baitarani rivers.
2. Mukurthi National Park — Pykara and Kundah rivers.
3. Kaziranga National Park — Diphlu and Brahmaputra rivers.
How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
Correct Answer: C. All three pairs are perfectly matched according to their respective river basins and boundaries.
Q7. Fossilized tree trunks used by early humans for tools, along with dinosaur egg fossils, are preserved in which protected area?
Correct Answer: A. Ghughwa National Fossils Park in Madhya Pradesh contains preserved fossilized wood utilized by prehistoric humans alongside dinosaur eggs.
Q8. With reference to the hard-ground swamp deer (Barasingha), which National Park is uniquely celebrated for its exclusive graminivorous sub-species conservation?
Correct Answer: A. As per UPSC 2020 standards, Kanha National Park is well-known for successfully conserving the hard-ground swamp deer (Barasingha), which thrives well on hard ground and is exclusively graminivorous.
Q9. Consider the following statements regarding Mrugavani National Park:
1. It features a tropical dry deciduous forest ecosystem.
2. It is geographically located in the state of Telangana.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Correct Answer: C. Both statements are accurate. Mrugavani is a dry deciduous forest habitat situated in Hyderabad, Telangana.
Q10. The oldest bird sanctuary in India, established early in 1796, is located in which state?
Correct Answer: C. The Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, established in 1796, holds the milestone distinction of being the oldest bird sanctuary in India.