Assam govt approves addition of 3 new areas to Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve

The Assam government on Thursday approved additions of three new areas to the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, an official spokesman of the Forest department said. The government approved the seventh, eighth and ninth additions to the Park, famed for its one-horned rhino and tiger population, and published the preliminary notifications in this regard, the official said.

The additions include encroachment evicted areas and suitable wildlife habitat in riverine islands. It is a move to consolidate the wildlife areas anticipating better wildlife conservation and reduction in human-wildlife negative interactions in future. The seventh addition is spread over an area of 176 hectares and include Deosur, Palkhowa, Deosur Hill protected Reserve forest in Nagaon District.

The eighth addition, also in Nagaon district, is spread across an area of 307 hectares and include the Banderdubi area of the district. The ninth addition is the largest of the three additions spread across an area of 2570 hectares in Mokua chapori of Sonitpur District.

The total Park area till now comprising the six additions was 885 square kilometre with 483 sq km under the Eastern Assam Wildlife Division and 402 sq km under Bishwanath Wildlife Division. Following the final notification of the three new additions, the entire area of the Park will be 915.53 sq km. Director of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve P Shivakumar thanked the state government and all stakeholders for their support in conserving wildlife.