The Central Empowered Committee (CEC), instituted by the Supreme Court, has recently recommended that the Assam government take measures against unauthorised building in the identified wildlife corridors of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve. This comes after Kaziranga National Park became the first in India to employ satellite phones, and Dehing Patkai and Raimona were labelled as National Parks. Moreover, the Eco-sensitive zone of the Deepor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary was announced.
Geographical Location and Expanse
Located in the state of Assam, Kaziranga National Park spans 42,996 hectares. It retains the position of being the largest uninterrupted and representative area in the floodplain of the Brahmaputra Valley.
Legal and International Recognition
The park was legally declared as a National Park in 1974 and further recognised as a tiger reserve in 2007. The international community acknowledged its importance by declaring it a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. Further, BirdLife International identifies it as an Important Bird Area, signifying its key role in the preservation of avian species.
Biodiversity
Kaziranga serves as the abode for the world’s highest population of one-horned rhinos. While Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary also boasts a high density of these creatures, Kaziranga holds the second-largest number of rhinos in Assam. Conservation efforts here mainly target the ‘big four’ species: Rhino, Elephant, Royal Bengal tiger, and Asiatic water buffalo. According to the 2018 census, the park housed 2,413 rhinos and approximately 1,100 elephants. An earlier 2014 tiger census revealed that the park had the third-largest tiger population in India, next only to Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand and Bandipur National Park in Karnataka. It’s also worth noting that Kaziranga is home to 9 out of the 14 primate species found on the Indian subcontinent.
Notable Features: Rivers and Highways
The National Highway 37 makes its way through the park area, adding a unique aspect to its landscape. Additionally, the park enriches its biodiversity with more than 250 seasonal water bodies apart from the Diphlu River that flows through it.
