Manas Wildlife Sanctuary

The name of the park originated from the Manas River, which was named after the serpent God Manasa. The Manas River is a major river that passes through the heart of the national park.

Manas was declared a sanctuary on October 01, 1928. The Manas Tiger reserve was created in 1973. Before it was claimed a sanctuary it was a forest that used to be called the Manas R. F. and North Kamrup R. F. The forest was used as hunting grounds for the local family of royalty.

Then in December of 1985 Manas was declared a World Heritage site (New World Encyclopedia, 2009).Manas has enormous natural diversity as well as brilliant scenery. Its wetlands are of international importance. It is also the single most important site for the survival of golden languor, pygmy hog, and hispid hare. The diversity of the life forms in the Manas National Park include elephants, rhinos, wild buffaloes, leopards, clouded leopards and the incredibly beautiful and rare black panthers. The birds found in the sanctuary are ones I have never heard of with some of the most exotic names, to name a few; there are Jungle Fowls, Bulbuls, Khaleej Pheasants, Scarlet Minivets, and Mergansers.There are also wildlife species with names just as or more bizarre than the bird species.

Some of the species names that caught my attention were the Hoolock Gibbons, Assamese Macaques, Hispid Hare, Slow Loris and the Barking Deer. I wonder if the deer actually barks (Wild India). Manas Sanctuary is a world heritage site that is in need of support to reform. This is a home for a large variety of unique wildlife, including many endangered species including the Indian rhinoceros and elephant, the pygmy hog and the tiger. Manas is at the foothills of the Himalayas where the grasslands and tropical forest are in view.Tribes have endangered MANAS WILDLIFE SANCTUARY its wildlife and a great deal of its plant life. In order to protect this area, they need people to support the backing of their protection plan.

There are more than 370 different species of dicots and close to 140 species of monocots. Manas National Park has an abundant array of trees and plants and it is also a place where rare flora is found. Some examples of the flora present in Manas are the Biden Pilore, Pueroria Subspicota, Desmodium Motoruim and, the Exacum Teres.There are many other rare floras that can be found in Manas and like the rest of the wildlife, they are in danger of extinction. With our help, we can rare flora can be saved from extinction, and with some help, we will be able to protect the area and allow the rare flora to prosper. Almost 50% of Manas National Park is covered by grasslands. The grasslands are the best environment for the tigers, barasingha, and, the wild buffalo heard (Wild India).

The biological interrelationships are an important preservation for the park.The Malabar pied hornbill feeds on the fruit, fish and small mammals, the swamp deer survive on the abundance of grass, leaves and aquatic plants and the clouded leopards fill their bellies with the deer, pigs, monkeys, and squirrels. This “Cycle of Life” habitat is hoped to one day be able to self preserve; but for that to happen, humans have to intervene and make saving the wildlife a priority. The Committee decided to include this site on the World Heritage in Danger List in 1992, when it was invaded by militants of the Bodo tribe in Assam. Damage to the sanctuary wasMANAS WILDLIFE SANCTUARY estimated to have been more than two million dollars. The sanctuary’s infrastructure suffered considerable damage during 1992-93. Political instability seems to have led to poaching during this period of 33 rhinos during 1989-1992.

A monitoring mission jointly undertaken by the Government of India and the UNESCO World Heritage Centre in January 1997 confirmed and documented the extensive damage to the park’s infrastructure and decrease in the population of some species, predominantly the greater one-horned rhino (UNESCO).For decades, Manas was under attack. Bodo tribes hid in the forests and became violent. The forest staff was not trained to handle these attacks and they also didn’t possess the needed weapons and explosives that the tribe was using against them. Knowing this, they were able to take advantage of situation and the professional poachers were able to take over. Animals were killed and so were forest staff. Infrastructure was destroyed, trees were cut, and grasslands were flattened (Lakhotia, 2005).

The Bodo tribes later decided to give up their violent ways after an agreement was signed on February 10, 2003, for the creation of a Bodoland Territorial Council. ” They (the Bodos) realized that they would have to conserve the forests and wildlife in order to survive. They selected tourism as an eco-friendly, sustainable and alternate source of income. Eco-tourism will help substitute a number of activities like firewood collection, cattle grazing in a protected area and illegal felling and poaching (Lakhotia, 2005). Since this started, the society has done a fairly good job.Around 27 Bodos patrol the park 24 hours a day and for almost nothing; but they have acquired a pride in their land that they MANAS WILDLIFE SANCTUARY didn’t have before and this motivates their determination to protect what they used to destroy. Management for the park, ideas and plans to rebuild is also being implemented.

They have started grassland management, and have burned tracts of old grass before the monsoon so that the fresh showers will allow the new shoots to grow. This is very important because the new grasses attract herbivores and with a healthy deer population, carnivores like tigers will thrive (Lakhotia, 2005).The Government of India, the State Government of Assam and the Park authorities have come up with a million dollar rehabilitation plan that began to be implemented in 1997 and is progressing effectively. But even though the security conditions in and around Manas have improved, the threat still exists in the State of Assam and militants will often walk the areas of the sanctuary. The situations of the site’s protection and the affiliation with the local villagers still seem to be improving (UNESCO).There are several measures being taken by the State Government, the Tiger Reserve Authorities and several NGOs to prevent the decline in Tiger count. The Tiger Protection Force is being created, Tiger and Other Endangered Species Crime Control Bureau has been constituted by the Central Government to prevent smuggling of animal skin, and local authorities are trying to spread awareness among the forest villagers and are trying to improve their economic conditions (Wild Life, 2009).

The Manas workers have gone months without being paid and the lack of funds causes a shortage of fuel for the anti-poaching vehicles.The vehicles stay parked and useless because fuel MANAS WILDLIFE SANCTUARY can’t be afforded. This leaves the guards ill equipped and delays grassland management. There are 450 posts for the park’s protection and of the 450 posts, 130 are still unfilled (Lakhotia, 2005). There is something that we can do to help, not only Manas Wildlife Sanctuary but all Wildlife reserves that are in danger, in your area. First thing is to stay informed and educated in the wildlife conditions in your area and around the world. Take an interest and become involved.

Find out about local conservation projects and lend a hand or a dollar. Making donations to foundations and organizations that are fighting for the cause is a perfect place to start but just simply spreading the word is a big step toward global awareness. Tell your family, friends, and community leaders. You can organize an event that educates the public about the importance of preserving wildlife. When you’re shopping, research the products you consume to ensure they are made sustainably and last but not least; write letters or start and send petitions to national and international leaders.I don’t believe it is fare or just that a tiger reserve with more than 20 threatened species has to continue to struggle to survive and endure repeated resistance of funding from the government. Unless the state gives it the support it needs, the Manas Wildlife Sanctuary and all its magnificent wildlife will cease to exist.

We are the only voice for our wildlife; they are unable to speak for themselves and we would not be here without them. Remember that as wildlife dies off, so soon will we.