Namdapha National Park [UPSC Notes]

National Parks in India are IUCN category Ⅱ protected areas. India’s first National Park was established in 1936 as Haileys National park, now known as Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand.

As per the latest update, there are a total of 108 National Parks in India as of 2022. They are required for the goal of conserving, enhancing, or developing the local wildlife or its ecosystem. For the IAS Exam, aspirants should know about the National Parks in India which is an integral part of Indian geography and Environment.

This article is about Namdapha National park, which is the easternmost National Park in India.

Namdapha National Park

In 1972, Namdapha was designated as a wildlife sanctuary. In 1983, it was designated as a tiger reserve and a national park. It is on the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India.

• It is the easternmost biodiversity hotspot in the eastern Himalayas with over 1400 faunal species and 1000 floral species. 
• There are altitudinal variations which can range from 200 m to 4500 m at Dapha Bum – the highest point.
• It is the only park in the world to have four feline species of big cat namely – tiger (Panthera tigris), leopard (Panthera pardus), clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) and snow leopard (Panthera uncia) and a number of lesser cats.
• The region is very rich in Lepidoptera species. Both butterflies and moths are in equal abundance.
• A number of primate species are seen in the park, such as the Assamese macaque, pig-tailed macaque, stump-tailed macaque and a number of the distinctive Hoolock Gibbons (Hylobates Hoolock), a highly endangered and the only ‘ape’ species found in India dwells in this impenetrable virgin forest.
• Of the many other important animals are the elephants, black bears, Indian Bison, several species of deer, reptiles and a variety of arboreal animals.
• The park has more than 425 bird species. There are five species of hornbills recorded from the area.
• There are more than 150 timber species. The Pinus merkusii and Abies delavavi are not found elsewhere in India.
• One of the rarest and endangered orchids, the Blue Vanda is found here.
• The most famous local medicinal plant Mishimi Teeta (Copti teeta), which is used by the local tribe for various diseases is available here but its export has been banned.

Get a list of the important national parks in India in the linked article.

Namdapha National Park Facts

• Namdapha national park covers an area of about 1985.23 square kilometres.
• It is located 27°N of the equator in the Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh.
• It is flanked by the Patkai hills to the south and southeast and by the Himalayas in the north. The area lies close to the Indo-Myanmar-China tri-junction. 
• Noa-Dihing river, a tributary of the Brahmaputra river flows in a north-south direction in the middle of the national park. Also, Deban and Namdapha rivers flow through the park.

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