1. Statutory Foundations: Wildlife Protection Act (WPA), 1972
National Parks in India are declared under Section 35 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. It is crucial for competitive exams to understand the strict statutory differences between protected area classifications:
| Feature | National Park (NP) | Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS) | Biosphere Reserve |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level of Protection | Highest Level (Strictly Protected) | Moderate Protection | Zoned (Core, Buffer, Transition) |
| Human Activities & Grazing | Completely Prohibited | Permitted (Subject to Chief Wildlife Warden) | Sustainable human activity in transition zones |
| Boundaries | Fixed by State Legislation | Not rigidly circumscribed by statute | Designated under UNESCO MAB Programme |
| Focus | Entire habitat & ecosystem | Often focused on a specific species | Conservation + Sustainable Human development |
2. High-Yield State-Wise Directory of National Parks
Below are the most frequently asked National Parks across major states, along with their core rivers, flagship fauna, and distinctive ecological traits:
Madhya Pradesh (11 National Parks — Tiger State of India)
Highest Count in Any State- Kuno National Park: Site of the historic Project Cheetah reintroduction (Cheetahs translocated from Namibia & South Africa in 2022-2023). River: Kuno River.
- Kanha National Park: Inspired Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book. Only home to the southern swamp deer (Hard-ground Barasingha — state animal of MP). Mascot: Bhoorsingh the Barasingha.
- Bandhavgarh National Park: Known for the highest tiger density in India; ancient Bandhavgarh fort atop central hillock.
- Panna National Park: Ken River flows through it; Ken-Betwa river linking project intersects its buffer/core.
- Other Prominent NPs: Pench (Mowgli land), Satpura, Sanjay, Madhav, Van Vihar, Dinosaur Fossils, and Fossil NP.
Assam (7 National Parks)
Eastern Himalayan Hotspot- Kaziranga National Park: World Heritage Site; harbors over two-thirds of the world's Great One-Horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis). River: Brahmaputra, Diphlu.
- Manas National Park: Biosphere Reserve & Tiger Reserve on Bhutan border. Flagship: Pygmy Hog, Golden Langur, Hispid Hare.
- Dehing Patkai National Park: 7th NP of Assam (known as the "Amazon of the East"); lowland tropical rainforest.
- Raimona National Park: 6th NP of Assam located in Bodoland Territorial Region; known for Golden Langur.
- Dibru-Saikhowa National Park: Famous for Feral Horses and white-winged wood duck.
- Orang & Nameri NPs: Orang is known as "Mini Kaziranga" due to rhino habitat.
Uttarakhand (6 National Parks)
Garhwal & Kumaon- Jim Corbett National Park: India's first national park (1936, Hailey NP). Ramganga River traverses the park. Launch site of Project Tiger in 1973.
- Valley of Flowers & Nanda Devi: UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Pushpawati River flows through Valley of Flowers. Famous for alpine meadows and Snow Leopard.
- Rajaji National Park: Spans Shivalik ranges; prominent elephant corridor. River: Ganga and Song.
- Gangotri & Govind Pashu Vihar: High-altitude Himalayan biomes. Bhagirathi River originates near Gangotri.
Western Ghats (Kerala & Tamil Nadu)
Biodiversity Hotspot- Silent Valley National Park (Kerala): Kunthipuzha River. Famous for the save-Silent-Valley ecological movement and the endangered Lion-Tailed Macaque.
- Eravikulam National Park (Kerala): Home to the largest surviving wild population of Nilgiri Tahr (state animal of TN). Anamudi Peak (2,695m, highest in South India) is inside this park. Neelakurinji flowers bloom once every 12 years here.
- Periyar National Park (Kerala): Elephant and Tiger Reserve on Periyar Lake; evergreen and moist deciduous forest.
- Mukurthi & Mudumalai (Tamil Nadu): Part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (India's first biosphere reserve, 1986).
- Gulf of Mannar Marine NP (Tamil Nadu): First Marine NP in South Asia; famous for the Dugong (Sea Cow).
Unique & Singular Ecological Wonders
High Exam Repeat Rate- Keibul Lamjao National Park (Manipur): The only floating national park in the world. Located on Loktak Lake, characterized by floating decomposed biomass called Phumdis. Home to the endangered dancing deer, Sangai.
- Sundarbans National Park (West Bengal): World's largest mangrove delta formed by Ganga-Brahmaputra. Only mangrove habitat in the world with Royal Bengal Tigers. Flagship: Estuarine Crocodile, Gangetic Dolphin.
- Gir National Park (Gujarat): The only natural habitat of the Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica) in the world.
- Keoladeo Ghana National Park (Bharatpur, Rajasthan): Man-made wetland and bird sanctuary; wintering home of migratory waterfowl (formerly Siberian Crane). UNESCO World Heritage.
3. Solved High-Yield PYQs on National Parks
Q1. Which of the following National Parks is unique in being a swamp with floating vegetation that supports a rich biodiversity?
Explanation: Keibul Lamjao NP in Manipur is situated on Loktak Lake and is the world's only floating park, resting on heterogeneous masses of soil, vegetation, and organic matter termed phumdis. It hosts the Eld's deer subspecies Sangai.
Q2. The Kunthipuzha river originates in and flows through which of the following pristine National Parks?
Explanation: Kunthipuzha river flows through the entire 12-km length of Silent Valley NP in the Palakkad district of Kerala, joining the Thuthapuzha and ultimately the Bharathapuzha.