Context
- Assam’s Manas National Park recently established its first grass nursery, financially backed by the State Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA). This initiative aims to ecologically restore the park, which has lost over 60% of its critical grasslands over the past 35 years.
About Grass Nursery Initiative
- Objective: To restore the damaged grassland ecosystem for animals that depend on it.
- Implementing Agency: Executed by the Assam Environment and Forest Department and Manas Park Authorities.
- Funding: Financially supported by the State CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority).
Geographical and Hydrological Profile
- Location: Geographically anchored at the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas in Western Assam.
- Transboundary Link: Shares a contiguous northern border with Bhutan’s Royal Manas National Park.
- River System: The Manas River flows directly through the park, sustaining its ecosystem.
- Topography: Forms a crucial ecological junction between the Sub-Himalayan Bhabar Terai and Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests.
Institutional Conservation Status
- Multiple Designations: It uniquely holds six concurrent tags: National Park, the core zone of a Tiger Reserve, the core zone of an Elephant Reserve, a national Biosphere Reserve, an Important Bird Area (IBA), and a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site (designated in 1985).
Flora and Fauna (Biodiversity)
- Rare & Endemic Fauna: Serves as a vital refuge for highly endangered species including the pygmy hog, hispid hare, golden langur, red panda, wild buffalo, and the Gangetic dolphin.
- Avian Species: Home to globally threatened birds like the Bengal florican and various species of hornbills.
- Vegetation: Contains four major vegetation types, with the Hoolong tree being the dominant plant species across its alluvial grasslands and deciduous forests.
Socio-Cultural Link
- Indigenous Inhabitants: The Bodo tribe is the primary indigenous community living in and around the park’s boundaries.
With respect to Manas National Park consider the following statements:
I. It is situated at the ecological junction of the Sub-Himalayan Bhabar Terai and Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests.
II. It holds the dual conservation status of a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site and the core zone of a Tiger Reserve.
III. The indigenous Bodo community resides in and around the boundaries of this protected area.
How many of the above statements are correct?
A. Only one
B. Only two
C. All three
D. None
Answer: C
Explanation:
Statement I is correct: The park possesses rich biodiversity specifically due to its unique geographical location at the junction of the Sub-Himalayan Bhabar Terai and Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests.
Statement II is correct: Manas uniquely holds six major designations simultaneously, which critically includes its status as a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site and the core zone of the Manas Tiger Reserve.
Statement III is correct: Indigenous communities, predominantly the Bodo tribe, inhabit the regions in and around the fringes of the park and share a deep historical association with the landscape.
