NATIONAL PARKS IN INDIA

Part 5 of 6 series of national parks

National Parks in Meghalaya

Balpakram National Park-

• South of Garo hills
• Called as abode of perpetual winds or land of spirit
• Hotspot of biodiversity, pitcher plant is found here
• Rare medical herbs locally called as dikges
• Famous for golden cat and red panda.

Norkrek National Park-

• West of Garo hills
• UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
• Known for citrus plant
• All important rivers and streams of Garo hills originate from Norkrek Range( like simsang river)
• Famous for Sijju caves and red panda.

National Parks in Assam

Kaziranga National Park-

• UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
• Brahmputra river, Diphlu, Mora, Dhansari Rivers
• Landscape is made of sand bars, riverine flood-formed lakes
• Indomalya ecozone-semi evergreen forest of the tropical and sub-tropical moist broadleaf forest and Terai-duar Savanna and grassland
• One horned rhino

Manas National Park-

• UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
• Tiger reserve
• Elephant reserve
• Biosphere reserve
• Located in foothills of eastern Himalaya, on international border dividing India and Bhutan
• Manas river
• Two biomes-grassland and forest
• Combination of sub-Himalayan Bhabhar Terai formation leading upto Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forest(semi-evrgreen)
• Assam roof turtle
• Pygmy hog(critically endangered)only available here

Dibru-Siakhowa National Park-

• Biosphere Reserve
• Lohit river north and Dibru river in south
• Largest salix forest
• Tropical monsoon climate consisting of moist mixed semi-evergreen forests
• Moist mixed deciduous forests and grassland

Nameri National Park-

• In foothills of eastern Himalaya
• Semi-evergreen moist deciduous forest with cane and bamboo spots and narrow strips of open grassland along river
• Bird watchers paradise

Orlang National Park-

• Mini kaziranga
• Part of Indo-Burma hotspot
• In north Brahmputra river, Pachnoi river, Belsiri river, Dhansiri river
• Sub-tropical monsoon climate
• One horned rhino

National Parks in Manipur

Keibul-lamjao National Park-

• Only floating nation park in world
• Ramsar site
• Integral part of loktak lake
• Park is swamp with floating mass of vegetation created by accrual of organic garbage and biomes with soil particles that has been thickened into solid formed called as Phumdis
• On Phumdis eld deer/sangai deer/dancing deer lives

Shiroy National Park-

• Shiroy kashong peak(abundant flowers during monsson)
• Shirui lily is found here(state flower)
• Wildlife- Blyth Tragopan and Mrs humes bar backed pheasant is found

National Parks in Arunachal Pardesh

Namdapha National Park-

• Located between Mishmi and Patakai range
• Near Indo- Myanmar border
• Largest protected area in eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot
• Evergreen rainforest
• The habitat changes with increasing altitude from tropical moist forest to montane forests, temperate forests and at the higher elevation to alpine Meadow and perennial snow

Mouling National Park-

• Named after mouling peak
• In western part of dihang- dibang biosphere reserve
• Forms a transition zone between tropical forest at lower altitudes to moist temperate forest
• Red panda

National Parks in Mizoram

Murlen National Park-

• Closer to chin hills
• Only 1% of sunlight can penetrate the forest so because of this it is also called as land of no return
• Tropical, semi-evergreen and sub-montane forests

Phwangpui National Park-

• Also called as Blue mountain National Park
• Chhimtuipui river
• Slopes are covered by Orchids and Rhododendrous with areas of bamboo
• Mrs hume pheasant (Mizoram state bird)

Ntangki National Park-

National Parks in Tripura

Clouded leopard National Park-

• Clouded leopard
• Spectacled langur

Rajbari National Park-

National Parks in Sikkim

Khangchendzonga National Park-

• Name from peak
• Biosphere reserve
• Zemu glacier
• The vegetation of park include temperate broadleaf and mixed forest
• Alpine grasses and shrubs at higher altitude.