About Kaziranga National Park

• The Kaziranga national park is located in Assam and was formed in 1908 on the recommendation of Mary Curzon (wife of Lord Curzon), . The park is located on the edge of the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspots – Golaghat and Nagaon district.
• In the year 1985, the park was declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
• Kaziranga was declared as Tiger Reserve in 2006 and it is also recognised as an Important Bird Area by Birdlife International for conservation of avifaunal (birds) organisms.
• In the park one can see four types of vegetation like alluvial inundated grasslands, alluvial savanna woodlands, tropical moist mixed deciduous forests, and tropical semi-evergreen forests.
• The park is famous for its One-horned Rhinoceros, about 2200 rhinoceros exist in this park, which is half of the world’s one-horned rhino population.
• River Brahmaputra flows adjacent to the park.

Why in the news?

• Kaziranga National Park has faced severe floods resulting in the death of more than 100 wild animals, which includes 8 one-horned rhinoceros.
• But floods in the park are an annual necessity to maintain the ecosystem of the park.
• In the following ways the floods help national park :

1. Since Kaziranga park itself is a floodplain ecosystem and water is essential to maintain its character.
2. Floodwaters also function as a breeding ground for fish and help in replenishing the Brahmaputra river’s fish livestock.
3. Floods act as natural selection to eliminate the old and weak animals.

• The floods intensity is increasing year by year, hence proper steps need to be taken to mitigate the effects.
• The solution, as experts say, lies in securing animal corridors and ensuring safe passage to the Karbi hills which is a highland refuge for animals during floods.

https://www.kaziranga-national-park.com