State

Assam

History

Altitude (above M.S.L.)

61 - 110 m

Manas is located along the Indo-Bhutan border with contiguous wildlife habitats in Bhutan. Manas Sanctuary was established in 1928. Prior to that the Raja of Gauripur and the Cooch-Behar royal family used Manas as their hunting grounds. The area was declared a National Park in 1990.

Area

Total

2837 km²

Core

520 km²

Buffer

2317 km²

Flora and Fauna

Manas consists of a pristine wildlife reserve in the core zone, surrounded by 18 reserved forests intertwined with revenue villages. Here 374 species of dicots and 139 species of monocots have been recorded, many of which are rare. An estimated 89 tigers are found in Manas.

Temperature

5°C - 37°C

Rainfall (per annum)

3330 mm

Seasons

Winter

Dec - Feb

Summer

Mar - May

Monsoon

Jun - Sep

Fauna

Tiger, black panther, leopard cat, clouded leopard, wild cat, golden cat, fishing cat, binturong, dhole, jackal, fox, sloth bear, black bear, otter, pangolin, porcupine, elephant, rhinoceros, gaur, sambar, barking deer, hog deer. swamp deer, spotted deer, wild boar, slow loris, langur, rhesus macaque, gangetic dolphin, etc.

Forest Types

Sub-Himalayan High Alluvial Semi-Evergreen Forest, Eastern Valoor Type of Forest, East Himalayan Moist Mixed Deciduous Forest, Low Alluvial Savannah Woodland, Assam Valley Semi-Evergreen Alluvial Grassland

Funds

Insufficient & late

Management Objectives

Staff

Understaffed

Manas management is making concerted efforts to stop deer poaching for consumption during feasts by villagers. Fire is used to maintain grasslands.

Problems

Crime in Manas is high. There have been several cases of murders, armed encounters, arson, abductions and snatching of arms and communication devices. Among the local people there is hostility towards Manas. Poaching of animals including tigers and elephants, as well as timber theft is fairly common.

External Influences (1991 census)

Villages

57

Human population

28,800

Livestock numbers

20,300