Manas National Park

Situated on the foothills of the Himalayan Mountain range, Manas National Park is one of the World heritage sites declared by UNESCO. It lies 176 km from Guwahati and is named after the mesmerizing and enthralling Manas River, a tributary of the mighty river Brahmaputra that flows through this national park. It is one of the most pristine and spectacular wildlife sanctuaries of India owing to its incomparable and captivating scenery. Neighboring the Royal Manas National Park of Bhutan, this wildlife habitat is renowned for its endangered and rare widespread animals that include Hispid Hare, Pygmy Hog, Assam Roofed Turtle and Golden Langur and also is an abode of a vast population of Wild water buffalo.

A Project Tiger Reserve, a Biosphere Reserve and an Elephant Reserve, Manas National Park lies in the Brahmaputra Valley semi-evergreen forest Terrestrial Eco-region. Spread over an area of 950 sq km, Manas National Park forms the nucleus of Chirang Ripu Elephant Reserve, which reserve covers an area of more than 2600 sq km that stretches up to the bordering nation Bhutan. With distinctive biodiversity and backdrop, this wild life sanctuary is one of the first reserves that have been included in the system of tiger reserve under Project tiger in the year 1973. On October 1, 1928, with an area of 360 sq km, Manas was declared a wildlife sanctuary and prior to this, it was just a forest reserve by the name of Manas R.F. and North Kamrup R.F., which was used as a hunting reserve by the Raja of Gauripur and the Royal family of Cooch Behar.

Agrang is the only village situated in the heart of the forest; however, this National Park is encircled by 56 villages and many other surrounding villages that fringes the national park is dependent some way or the other on this park. It is divided into 3 ranges, namely the central at Bansbari, which lies near Barpeta Road, eastern at Bhuiyapara, which is close to Pathsala and the western range which is at Panbari. The park is the home to several mammals, reptiles and avian species, which include Bengal florican, Royal-Bengal tiger, swamp deer and one-horned rhino besides pygmy hog, etc. It has a special value within the country’s protected areas, as it is one of the most noteworthy existing natural spot in the region that has a considerable population of a huge number of susceptible species that still persist and are surviving.