List of national parks of India

Nicobar Treeshrew (Tupaia nicobarica nicobarica)

National Parks of India are protected areas under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 aimed at the conservation of wildlife and their habitat. India's first national park was established as Hailey National Park (now known as Jim Corbett National Park) in 1936. Since then, the network of national parks has expanded across the country to protect the ecological and cultural heritage. As of the latest data, there are more than 100 national parks in India, covering an area of approximately 1.23% of its total land area.

Overview

National parks in India are declared by the Government of India under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The purpose of these parks is to safeguard the biodiversity of the country, which includes the protection of endangered species, conservation of habitats, and promotion of ecotourism. These parks are of immense ecological, cultural, and aesthetic importance and offer a diverse range of flora and fauna.

List of Some Prominent National Parks

• Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand - Established in 1936, it is the oldest national park in India and a haven for the Bengal tiger.
• Kaziranga National Park, Assam - Known for housing two-thirds of the world's Great One-horned Rhinoceroses.
• Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh - Inspiration for Rudyard Kipling's classic, The Jungle Book, and known for its significant population of the Royal Bengal Tiger, leopards, the sloth bear, and Barasingha.
• Sundarbans National Park, West Bengal - A UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for its unique mangrove forests and the Royal Bengal Tiger.
• Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan - Known for its large tiger population, making it a popular site for wildlife photography and tiger safaris.
• Bandipur National Park, Karnataka - Part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and known for its significant tiger and elephant population.

Conservation Efforts

The management and conservation of national parks in India are primarily the responsibility of the State governments. However, the Central Government also provides assistance. Conservation efforts include anti-poaching measures, habitat restoration, wildlife research, and the promotion of ecotourism. The Project Tiger initiative, launched in 1973, has been a significant conservation effort towards the protection of tigers and their habitats.

Challenges

Despite the efforts, national parks in India face several challenges, including poaching, habitat destruction due to deforestation and urbanization, human-wildlife conflicts, and climate change. Addressing these challenges requires concerted efforts from the government, non-governmental organizations, and the local communities.

See Also

• Wildlife sanctuaries of India
• Project Tiger
• Biosphere reserves of India
• Conservation in India

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