“Kaziranga park” is to be expanded by 3,053 hectares

It will connect the park with Karbi Anglong hills and Nameri National Park

• The Assam Government recently added 3,053 hectares (884 sq km) to
  Kaziranga National Park
• Kaziranga is home to Asiatic one-horned rhinos. The additions will connect the
  park with Karbi Anglong hills and Nameri National Park
• It is a move to consolidate the wildlife areas anticipating better wildlife
  conservation and reduction in human-wildlife negative interactions in the
  future

Highlights of the Expansion

• The additions include encroachment-evicted areas and suitable wildlife habitat
  on river islands (sandbars) that are vulnerable to encroachment
• It is a move to consolidate the wildlife areas anticipating better wildlife
  conservation and reduction in human-wildlife negative interactions in the
  future
• The three additions are habitat corridors and would help provide connectivity to
  Orang and Nameri National Parks across river Brahmaputra from KNPTR
  besides the hills of Karbi Anglong to the south of the park, where the rhino,
  tiger, deer and other animals take refuge during the floods
• The areas are being added after 35 years. The Kaziranga National Park hosts
  two-thirds of world’s great one-horned rhinoceroses
• It is a world heritage site. It was declared a national park in 1974. It was
  declared a tiger reserve in 2007
• The IUCN status of one-horned rhinos is “Vulnerable”. It was updated from
  “threatened” in April 2020

Rhino census in Kaziranga National Park

• Kaziranga National Park is a protected area in the northeast Indian state of
  Assam
• Spread across the floodplains of the Brahmaputra River, its forests, wetlands
  and grasslands are home to tigers, elephants and the world’s largest population
  of Indian one-horned rhinoceroses
• Ganges River dolphins swim in the park’s waters
• It’s visited by many rare migratory birds, and gray pelicans roost near
  Kaziranga village
• The Rhino census of Kaziranga National Park was held in 2018. The numbers
  counted were 2,413. This has increased by 15 as compared to that of 2015
• The wetland bird count was held in January 2020 in the park. There are total of
  19,225 birds belonging to 96 species
• There are 103 tigers in the ark and is the third highest tiger population after
  Jim Corbett National Park (215) and Bandipur National Park (120)

Special feature of Kaziranga

• The three species of Rhinos other than the One-Horn Rhinos that are “Critically
  Endangered” according to IUCN Red List of Threatened species are Black
  Rhinos, Sumatran rhinos and Javan Rhinos
• Recently, the Sumatran Rhinos became extinct in Malaysia
• No alteration in wild life sanctuaries and national parks can be done without
  the approval of NBWL
• The main role of NBWL is giving advises to Government in framing policies and
  measures of conservation
• The main function of the board is to promote conservation and development of
  forests and wildlife
• It has powers to review wildlife related projects

Indian Rhino Vision 2020

• It is a partnership among the Government of Assam, the International Rhino
  Foundation, and the World Wide Fund for Nature, the Bodoland Territorial
  Council, and the U.S. Fish & World Wildlife foundation that aims to attain a
  population of 3,000 wild greater one-horned rhinos in seven of Assam’s
  protected areas by the year 2020
• Improving the protection and security of rhinos in all rhino areas in Assam
• Expanding the distribution of rhinos over seven protected areas to reduce the
  risks associated with having a whole population in one area
• Translocating rhinos from two source populations (Kaziranga and Pabitora) into
  five target protected areas (Manas, Laokhowa, Buracharpori-Kochmora,
  Dibrusaikhowa and Orang

Pic courtesy : currentaffairs.gktoday.in