Namdapha National Park - History, Geographical Features, Biodiversity, & More!

Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve is a true wilderness and virgin forests spread across 1985.23 square kilometres. The Namdapha National Park is situated in Changlang District in Arunachal Pradesh, on the international border between India and Myanmar (Burma). Namdapha was designated as a wildlife sanctuary in 1972, a national park, and the 15th Tiger Reserve in 1983. It has also been proposed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in India.

Source: Namdapha Tiger Reserve

This topic of “Namdapha National Park” is important from the perspective of the UPSC IAS Examination, which falls under General Studies Paper 1 (Mains) and General Studies Paper 1 (Prelims) and particularly in the Geography section. 

In this article, we shall discuss the Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh, Its History, Geographical Features, Biodiversity, Flora and Fauna, and More!

About Namdapha National Park

Namdapha National Park is a 1,985 km2 (766 sq mi) large protected area in Arunachal Pradesh of Northeast India. The park was established in 1983 and is one of the largest national parks in India. It is known for its diverse flora and fauna, including over 1,000 floral species and about 1,400 faunal species.

History of Namdapha National Park 

Namdapha National Park is located in Arunachal Pradesh, near the Indo-Myanmar-China trijunction.

• Originally, the Namdapha Tiger Reserve was a reserve forest.
• On October 2, 1972, it was designated as a Wildlife Sanctuary under the Assam Forest Regulation 1891.
• It was later designated as a National Park on May 12, 1983, under the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972.
• On March 15, 1983, it was designated as the country's 15th tiger reserve, with a core area of 985.245 sq. Km and a buffer area of 245 sq.Km, under the Project Tiger Scheme of the Government of India.
• In October 2022, the Changlang district administration declared the cultivation of large cardamom in the protected areas of Namdapha National Park illegal.

Namdapha National Park Map

Read the linked article for the UPSC Exam to learn more about Tiger conservation in India for the UPSC Exam!

Geographical Features of Namdapha National Park 

The Namdapha National Park area, located at 27°N of the equator (specifically between the 27°23´N to 27°39´N latitude), is geographically subtropical and has a subtropical climate. The climate of the area, however, varies from place to place within the Protected Area due to altitude differences ranging from 200 m to 4571 m, as well as the area being a zone of heavy rainfall.

• The Namdapha protected area is wedged between the Patkai Ranges and the Dapha Bum ridge of the Mishmi Hills in the North Eastern Himalayas.
• Namdapha is the name of a river that flows from Dapha Bum (the name of a hill, and Bum means the peak of a hill) to the Noa-Dehing river.
• The Noa-Dehing river is a tributary of the Brahmaputra that flows north-south through the National Park.
• Hence, the National Park was named "Namdapha" after this river.

Read the linked article for the UPSC Exam to learn more about the Madhav National Park!

Biodiversity of Namdapha National Park

Namdapha National Park is situated where the Indo-China Biogeographic Region and the Indian Subcontinent Biogeographic Region meet. Hence, extensive biodiversity of flora and fauna is observed in this belt. 

• The Namdapha protected area contains over 1285 floral species and over 1400 faunal species, making it a biodiversity hotspot.
• This protected area contains evergreen forests, moist deciduous forests, subtropical forests, temperate forests, and alpine forests.
• The fauna diversity in the area is also high, and each group has a large and diverse species complex along its evolutionary path.
• It is the only national park in the world with four feline species of big cats, namely;
  • Snow Leopard (Panthera Uncia)
  • Clouded Leopard (Neofelis Nebulosa)
  • Tiger (Panthera Tigris)
  • Leopard (Panthera Pardus)

• This National Park is home to Hoolock Gibbons, India's only 'ape' species.
• The park is also known for its primate population, including Assamese macaques, pig-tailed macaques, and stump-tailed macaques.
• Other notable species found in the park include the Indian pangolin, Malayan sun bear, Himalayan black bear, and binturong.
• This national park is also famous for critically endangered species, such as the Namdapha flying squirrel, which was last seen in 1981.

Read the linked article for the UPSC Exam to learn more about the Biological Diversity Act 2002!

Flora and Fauna at Namdapha National Park 

Image Source: My GovIndia

Namdapha National Park's geographical location, varied topography, and high annual precipitation spread throughout the year have resulted in a rich floral diversity in this virgin forest. 

• The Namdapha protected areas' flora is incredibly abundant, dense, and diverse in terms of species composition.
• The flora of Namdapha Protected Area has stronger phytogeographical affinities with Indo-Malayan flora, but it also contains plants from other parts of India in addition to native flora species.
• According to a survey conducted in the Namdapha protected area, there are 59 species of Bryophytes, 112 species of Heridophytes, 5 species of Gymnosperons, 73 species of lichens, and approximately 801 species of Angiosperms.

Here is a list of the faunal groups inhabiting soil, ground, litter, under a stone, decaying woods, and grasslands in Namdapha National Park for the UPSC Exam;

Read the linked article for the UPSC Exam to learn more about the Forest Rights Act 2006!

Interesting Facts about Namdapha National Park 

Here are some interesting facts about Namdapha National Park; 

• Namdapha National Park is the fourth-largest national park in India in terms of protected area.
• The first three national parks are Hemis National Park (Ladakh,) Desert National Park (Rajasthan), and Gangotri National Park (Uttarakhand).
• Namdapha National Park and its adjoining areas are also on the Tentative List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India.
• The most recent tiger census, conducted in 2018, recorded 29 tigers in Arunachal Pradesh, including Dibang, Kamlang, and Namdapha Block.

Read the linked article for the UPSC Exam to learn more about the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)!

Conclusion

Namdapha National Park is in the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. It is a biodiversity hotspot and one of the region's largest protected areas. It is also home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, including many endangered and rare species. The park is also a paradise for birdwatchers, with over 453 species of birds recorded there, including the rare white-winged wood duck, white-bellied heron, great Indian hornbills, grey peacock-pheasant, etc.

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