Manas National Park: Home To Many Species of Reptiles and Amphibians
Manas National Park: Home To Many Species of Reptiles and Amphibians
The Manas National Park has recently been in news on account of being close to losing the World Heritage Site tag. A recent study has some reassuring news however. The park is now home to at least 20 amphibian species and 35 reptile species many of which are highly endangered such as the bubble nest frog, green tree frog, twin spotted tree frog, water monitor lizard, blue fan-throated lizard, pope's pit viper and king cobra.
This study was conducted by the joint team of scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India as well as NGO Aaranyak and Gauhati University. According to Abhijit Das from the Wildlife Institute of India, who led the study team, the survey shows an increasing herpetofaunal diversity of the landscape at the Manas National Park.
The biodvisersity of the park is still unknown. What is currently needed is a series of long-term and periodic surveys for ensuring better understanding of the richness of the species as well as the ecology. This will then contribute to the conservation of this ecologically important group.
The 520 sq km Manas National Park in western Assam is contiguous to the 1057 sq km Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan. This has a special distinction of being a tiger reserve as well as an elephant reserve and a biosphere reserve. The park is also an important bird area.
The survey was conducted by groups on both sides of the border. It is a trans-boundary conservation initiative founded by authorities on each side. The rich and unique diversity of mammals and birds of the park is also well known. There is very little information as of yet available on reptiles and amphibians of the park. The study hopes to remedy the situation.
Many of the herpetofaunal species recorded from Royal Manas are now country records for neighboring countries such as Bhutan. Many of the species are of utmost scientific interest. Manas National Park holds an admixture of Indian, Indo-Chinese and Indo-Malayan elements, according to Sonali Ghosh, Director of Manas National Park.
Manas National Park has about 100 rhinos when it was declared a World Heritage Site according to the UNESCO in 1985. It has been targeted for its biodiversity when Western Assam was experiencing insurgency. Though the park was included in the heritage list in 2011 when rhinos were translocated from Pobitora and Kaziranga in Assam.
Unfortunately, poachers have returned to Manas. Several rhinos were killed since 2011. With 55 species of herpetofauna being discovered in a recent survey in the Greater Indo-Bhutan Manas landscape, this region which is one of the world's single largest protected area landscapes has a tough fight ahead for preserving its status as a World Heritage Site. With enough deterrents, poachers can be prevented from damaging the unique biodiversity of this national park.
