Dehing Patkai Wildlife sanctuary gets National Park tag

Special Representative

GUWAHATI, July 03 2021: Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam today was formally accorded National Park status in a function chaired by Assam’s Minister for Environment and Forest Parimal Suklavaidya. It has become the 7th National Park in the state.

Dehing Patkai National Park which falls under the Jeypore Range and Soraipung Range of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts covers an area of 234.26 sq km.

 The park is well known all over for its rainforest, the last remaining stretches of Assam Valley Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests. The park is home to elephants, hoolock gibbons, golden cat, clouded leopard and other animals.

Till date, 47 mammal species, 47 reptile species and 310 butterfly species have been recorded in the park known for its rich biodiversity.

Following the declaration of Dehing Patkai as a national park on World Environment Day on June 5 by Chief Minister, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, the official process was completed with the publication of the notification on June 15.

Suklabaidya said with the national park recognition accorded to Dehing Patkai, the conservation of the rich flora and fauna would get a big boost.

Suklabaidya said that the government would take necessary steps for infrastructure development of the park to attract tourists. He said the park would open up vistas of opportunities for the unemployed youths.

The other six national parks in Assam include Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, Manas National Park and Tiger Reserve, Nameri National Park, Dibru Saikhowa National Park, Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park and Raimona National Park.