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When ever I am in India
and the subject of Manas is discussed amongst those with a
passion for wildlife, especially the older generation, I feel
strong pangs of both envy and regret about having been unable
to see this park at its very peak. Back then under the careful
management of the legendary Park Director, Deb Roy, it enjoyed
a golden period before the onset of the Bodo insurgency and
rampant poaching reduced this park to a shadow of its former
self. However, as these pictures clearly show (taken by David
Kennedy in 2006, a regular Wildlife Trails traveller) a
recovery is well under way and the park is once again, quite
rightly, high on the list of India’s premier wildlife
locations to visit.
Manas National Park sprawls over 2837 sq kms of Assam at the
foot of the Bhutan Himalayas in India's North-East. It became
a Project Tiger reserve in 1973 and was declared a National
Park in 1990. |
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Rich in biodiversity of both
flora and fauna, Manas has 22 species of fauna that are globally
endangered amongst its 50 listed mammal species. In 1985 it was
declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, and was included on its ‘in
danger’ list in 1992 due to the effects of civil unrest and
encroachment pressure. The moist sal forests, riverine
successions, grasslands and mixed deciduous forests provide
habitat for species like Tiger, Leopard, Clouded Leopard, Golden
Cat, Leopard Cat, Pangolin, Indian Elephant and Rhinoceros, Asian
water buffalo, Gaur, Swamp deer and the Pygmy Hog.
One of the great attractions of Manas is the variety of methods of
viewing wildlife and enjoying the magnificent scenery all around.
Jeep safaris allow you to see large areas of the park, but the
more peaceful and intimate boat rides on the Manas River offer the
chance to observe resident wildlife as you gently float down the
river, a tributary of the mighty Brahmaputra. There are also
excellent Elephant Safaris available at Mathanguri which depart
early morning as well as late afternoon. Finally, there are
marvellous jungle trails to walk along the river with a guide, and
where you can do some excellent birding or track animals from
their pugmarks and spores.
Accommodation is fairly limited around Manas National Park and
ranges from very basic forest guest houses to a simple private
lodge that has been recently built. However for those wanting to
see all of the wildlife that the state of Assam has to offer we
genuinely feel that, just like Kaziranga, Manas is a ‘must see’ on
the Indian National Parks trail and we hope that future
generations will have a chance to see her recapture her crown.
Manas National Park is approximately 5 hours drive from Guwahati
airport, and is best visited between November and March.
Previously there have been several severe floods in the low lying
park land during the peak rainfall months of June and July, but
early storms can occur from April. |
