CH-2 :- Biodiversity
1.
Assam is a part of the transactional zone between Indo-Malayan and Indo-Chinese biographical regions. It is also an important
component of the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot.
2.
The area protected to save Assam's rich biodiversity
including the national parks and wildlife sanctuaries comprises of 3925 sq. km., constituting about 5% of the total geographical area of Assam.
3.
Assam has:-
a) 7 National Parks;
b) 22 Wild Life Sanctuaries;
c) 3 Tiger Reserves;
d) 5 Elephant Reserves;
e) 2 Biosphere Reserves; and
These National Parks, Sanctuaries and Reserves are the primary tools for
the conservation of biodiversity in Assam.
4.
Assam is now on the third
position in term of National Parks
(after 12 in Madhya Pradesh and 9 in Andaman and Nicobar Islands).
5.
Kaziranga National
Park is famous for Five Big Mammal Species, They are –
a)
One Horned
Rhinoceros;
b)
Asiatic Elephant;
c)
Wild Water Buffalo;
d)
Eastern Swamp Deer; and
e)
Royal Bengal Tiger.
6.
The other important species that lives in the
Kaziranga National Park are as follows-
a)
Hog Deer;
b)
Sambar;
c)
Leopard;
d)
Reptiles;
e)
Amphibians;etc.
7.
Kaziranga National Park has the world’s highest population of
critically endangered Indian One Horned Rhinoceros
and Wild Water Buffalos. It also has the world’s highest density of
Royal Bengal Tiger per sq. km.
8.
Kaziranga National Park has a total of 35 species of Mammals, 42
species of fishes, and 254 species of
birds including the Bengal Florican.
9.
The Kaziranga National Park including the
Laokhowa and Burhachapori
Wildlife Sanctuaries were declared as tiger reserve in 2007.
10. Manas National Park is also a biosphere
reserve along the foot of Himalayas.
11. The
flora diversity of Manas National Parks 543
plant species and fauna diversity
includes 60 mammalian species, 42 species of reptiles, 7 species of amphibians, 5
fish species, 103 invertebrate species
and 327 species of birds.
12. The
one horned rhinoceros is recently being reintroduced in the Manas National Park
under the “Indian Rhino Vision-2020”
programme.
13. Manas
National Park and Nameri National Park were notified as
Tiger Reserves in 1973 and 1985
respectively.
14. Manas National Park has the distinction of having highest
number of endangered species.
15. 4273 species of vascular plants have been recorded in Assam which constitute about 25% of total floristic wealth of India.
16. There
are a total of 3895 species of Angiosperms
including 154 species of primitive
species, which are the largest category of plant in Assam. These are the
most economically important plants that meet the demand for timber, plywood,
pulpwood, furniture and agriculture including for rearing of silkworm.
17. About 293 species
of Orchids are found in Assam that is
almost about 25% of the total orchid species found in India.
18. About
38 species of
naturally growing bamboo are found in Assam along with 14 species of cane.
19. There
are large number of medicinal plant are found and recorded in Assam and these medicinal
plants are mostly used by traditional village practitioner called Bej.
20. Among
the medicinal plants found in Assam some of them are as follows – Tulsi,
Titaphul, Pipoli, Asoka, Mahabhringraj, Ada,
Satmul, Lohajam, Thekera, Dudhkuri, Chalmugra,
Banhaldi, Bel, Hilikha, Bahera, Mejankuri,
etc.
21. Assam’s
forest and grasslands provides an ideal condition for a wide variety of fauna. The mammalian
diversity of Assam is recorded to be 193 species
so far. However, many of these species such as Indian One Horned Rhinoceros,
Asiatic wild water buffalo, pigmy hog, Swamp deer, etc.,
have their distribution to a limited protected area due to the habitat
fragmentation.
22. Other important mammals that
have their habitat in Assam are - Asiatic elephant, sambar, spotted
deer, clouded leopard, Marbled cat, Golden cat, large
Indian civet, Binturong, Hog Badger, and Himalayan Bear,
etc.
23. Assam
is a home of a number of primate species as well, altogether 9 out of 15 Indian primate species are found in Assam. The Hoolock Gibbon is the only ape found in
India.
24. Other
primate species found in Assam are – Rhesus Macaque, Pigtail Macaque,
Stump Tailed Macaque, Assamese Macaque, Slow Loris, Golden
Langur and Capped Monkey.
25. Assam
is rich in bird diversity and has many Important
Bird Area (IBA) sites.
26. There
are more than 600 species of bird have
been recorded in Assam so far, which comprises of 53%
of the bird species from the Indian subcontinent.
Of this 53%, 17 bird species are endemic to Assam and on the other hand, 45 bird species from Assam and enlisted as endangered to highly endangered in the “Indian Red Data
Book”.
27. Some
of them which are enlisted as endangered to highly endangered in the “Indian
Red Data Book” are as follows –
a)
Greater Adjutant;
b)
Lesser Adjutant;
c)
Bengal Florican;
d)
White Winged Wood Duck;
e)
Blyth’s Tragopan;
f)
Lesser White-fronted Goose;
g)
Marbled Teal;
h)
White Rumped Vulture;
i)
Longbilled Vulture;
j)
Beer’s Pochard;
k)
Palla’s Sea Eagle;
l)
Greater Spotted Eagle;
and
m)
Green Peafowl,
etc.
28. Assam
also has a rich variety of reptilian population having 19 species of tortoises and 77 species
of snakes and lizards.
29. Assam
also has 70 species of Amphibians.
30. Brahmaputra
and Barack river along with their tributaries and flood plain wetlands are
ideal habitat for a wide variety of fish species. 185
food, sports and ornamental fish species are reported in Assam.
31. Important
Ornamental fish species are as follows – Danio,
Botia, Colisa, Chaca and Nemacheilus.
32. Important
Commercial fish species are as follows – Pabha,
Pabda, Chital, Rohu, Katla, Magur, Singi,
Sol, etc.
33. Assam’s
river system and extensive flood plains also harbour fresh water Molluscs. There are 39
species of snails has been reported in Assam so far out of which 10 species are used as food.
34. Out
of 1,500 reported
butterflies, nearly 50% have been
documented in Assam.
35. 387 species of moths have also been documented in Assam so far.
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