On 5th June 2021, the World Environment Day, Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma has declared Raimona region in Kokrajhar district as Assam’s 6th National Park (NP). The Raimona NP is a 422 sq. km contiguous forest patch within the Bodoland Territorial Region.
i.Raimona NP is an integral part of Manas Biosphere Reserve and Chirang-Ripu Elephant Reserve and shares contiguous forest patches of Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary and Jigme Singye Wangchuk National Park in Bhutan
ii.The new national park shares border with Bhutan in the East and North, Ripu Reserve Forest in the South and Sonkosh river flows along the Assam-West Bengal inter-state border in the West.
iii.The Assam government is also planning to convert Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary as the state’s 7th National Park.
Note – Endangered species like Golden Langur, can increase in population because of the transboundary conservation zone between India & Bhutan
Other National Parks in Assam:
- Kaziranga National Park (UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site – 1985)
- Dibru – Saikhowa National Park
- Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park
- Manas National Park (UNESCO Natural World Natural Heritage Site – 1985)
- Nameri National Park
Note – At present, there are 105 National Parks in India. (including Raimona NP)
What is a National Park?
National Parks are areas designated by the State government to conserve the Natural environment of the region.
A National Park is protected with more restrictions compared to a wildlife sanctuary
- No Human activity is allowed inside National Parks
Transboundary Manas Conservation Area (TraMCA):
Established in 2011, with Manas Tiger Reserve in India and Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan at the core, TraMCA is a transboundary conservation zone for people & wildlife.
- It has considerably increased the Tiger population in both countries.
Recent Related News:
Government of India approved Srivilliputhur-Meghamalai Tiger Reserve (SMTR) in Tamil Nadu (TN), as India’s 51st Tiger Reserve.
Assam shares international boundary with Bangladesh & Bhutan
State Animal – One-horned Rhinoceros
Brahmaputra river is often called as the “Sorrow of Assam”