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Protected Area

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary

Habitat and Species Management Area

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area in Assam, northeastern India, along the Himalayan foothills on the border with Bhutan, designated a wildlife sanctuary in 1928 and later elevated to a tiger reserve within its core zone. It protects a combination of grassland, riverine forest and tropical forest habitat along the Manas River, sheltering the Bengal tiger, Asian elephant, and one of the last strongholds of the Assam roofed turtle and pygmy hog. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1985 and placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger during the 1990s due to insurgency-related poaching before recovering its full standing.

Facts
Partially Attested
Designation Category
Wildlife Sanctuary 1
Declared a sanctuary in 1928; the same protected area was enlarged and reconstituted as Manas National Park in 1990, which is its current legal designation.
Established Year
1928 1
1928 is the original wildlife sanctuary declaration date; the site was reconstituted as Manas National Park in 1990.
Classification
Governance Type
Governance by Government 1
Realm
Terrestrial 1
International Designation
UNESCO World Heritage Site 1
Governing Body
Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India 1
IUCN Category
II 1
Governing Body
Governing Body (category)
Ministry of the Environment 1
Governing Body (category)
Ministry of Environment and Forests (India) 1
Disputed
Area (sq km)
850 1
Infobox and most sources give 850 km2 for the park's current area; the Physical Geography section of the same article states 950 km2, an internal inconsistency in the source.
FAQs

Does Manas Wildlife Sanctuary connect to a protected area across the border in Bhutan?

Yes. Bhutan's Royal Manas National Park lies along its northern side.

Yes. UNESCO's record says Manas Wildlife Sanctuary is buffered on the north by the Royal Manas National Park of Bhutan, and on the east and west, less effectively, by the Manas Tiger Reserve. The sanctuary itself lies in Assam, India, so the protected forest on the Bhutan side forms its northern neighbour.
Sources
1. Manas National Park - Wikipedia
  • History section
    The Manas Wildlife Sanctuary was declared a sanctuary on 1 October 1928 with an area of 391 km2 (151 sq mi).
  • History section, sanctuary sentence
    The Manas Wildlife Sanctuary was declared a sanctuary on 1 October 1928 with an area of 391 km2 (151 sq mi).
  • Infobox: Area
    850 km2 (330 sq mi)
  • Infobox: Governing body
    Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India
  • Infobox: IUCN category
    II (national park)
  • Infobox: governing_body
    Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India
  • entity-description, realm terrestrial
    It protects a combination of grassland, riverine forest and tropical forest habitat along the Manas River, sheltering the Bengal tiger, Asian elephant, and one of the last strongholds of the Assam roofed turtle and pygmy hog.
  • entity-description, international-designation unesco-world-heritage-site
    It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1985 and placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger during the 1990s due to insurgency-related poaching before recovering its full standing.
  • On Continent: Asia, Introduction
    Manas National Park is a national park, Project Tiger reserve, and an elephant reserve in Assam, India.
  • Part Of: India, Lead
    Manas National Park is a national park, Project Tiger reserve, and an elephant reserve in Assam, India.
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