National Parks in India
A national park is a large area that is protected by the government where a vast variety of animals, flora, fauna, and geomorphological site, and the entire ecosystem are preserved for security, education, and recreational purposes.
The national parks in India are highly secure and protected and allow minimum human interference in them. This means any activity which can harm the environment and wildlife, like hunting and poaching, is strictly prohibited at national parks.
National Parks in India - Major Highlights
Check out all the important facts and highlights below about the national parks in India.
National Park in India 2023 | Highlights |
Number of National Parks in India | 108 |
Latest addition to the total National Parks in India 2022 | Raimona National Park, Assam |
Who designates a National Park in India | State Government |
First National Park in India | Hailey National Park is the oldest national park in India, now known as Jim Corbett national park. |
Largest National Park in India | Hemis National Park is the biggest national park in India, located in Ladakh, with an area of 3350 km2. |
Floating National Park in India | Keibul Lamjao National Park is a floating national park, located in Manipur |
Smallest National Park in India | South Button Island National Park in Andaman and Nicobar Islands |
Highest National Park in India | Hemis National Park |
Tiger National Park in India | also known as Tiger Reserves |
Latest National Parks in India 2022
As per the database, Raimona National Park is the latest addition to National Parks in India. Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary is also under consideration of upgrading to the national park status.
- Raimona National Park is the 6th national park in Assam. It is in the western buffer to the Manas National Park. Pekua river forms a boundary to the park.
- There are a total of six marine national parks in India.
- Omkareshwar National Park, MP was added in 2013.
- Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of national parks in India with a total of 11 parks.
List of National Parks in India
Go through the updated list of state-wise national parks in India. The list contains the state it is located in, and the year it was established. All national parks in India contribute to safeguarding the species of flora and fauna along with their habitats.
Name of State | Name of the National Park in India | Established in |
Andhra Pradesh | Papikonda National Park | 1978 |
Rajiv Gandhi National Park (Rameswaram) | 2005 | |
Sri Venkateswara National Park | 1989 | |
Arunachal Pradesh | Mouling National Park | 1982 |
Namdapha National Park | 1974 | |
Assam | Dibru-Saikhowa National Park | 1999 |
Dehing Patkai National Park | 2004 | |
Raimona National Park | 2021 | |
1905 | ||
Manas National Park | 1990 | |
Nameri National Park | 1998 | |
Orang National Park | 1985 | |
Bihar | Valmiki National Park | 1978 |
Chhattisgarh | Guru Ghasidas National Park | 1983 |
Indravati National Park | 1975 | |
Kanger Ghati National Park | 1982 | |
Goa | Mollem National Park | 1978 |
Gujarat | Blackbuck National Park, Velavadar | 1976 |
Gir Forest National Park | 1965 | |
Marine National Park, Gulf of Kutch | 1982 | |
Vansda National Park | 1979 | |
Haryana | Kalesar National Park | 2003 |
Sultanpur National Park | 1959 | |
Himachal Pradesh | Great Himalayan National Park | 1984 |
Inderkilla National Park | 2010 | |
Khirganga National Park | 2010 | |
Pin Valley National Park | 1987 | |
Simbalbara National Park | 2010 | |
Jharkhand | Betla National Park | 1974 |
Karnataka | Anshi National Park | 1987 |
Bandipur National Park | 1974 | |
Bannerghatta National Park | 1974 | |
Kudremukh National Park | 1987 | |
Nagarhole National Park | 1988 | |
Kerala | Anamudi Shola National Park | 2003 |
Eravikulam National Park | 1978 | |
Mathikettan Shola National Park | 2008 | |
Pambadum Shola National Park | 2003 | |
Periyar National Park | 1950 | |
Silent Valley National Park | 1985 | |
Madhya Pradesh | Bandhavgarh National Park | 1968 |
Omkareshwar National Park | 2013 | |
Kanha National Park | 1955 | |
Kuno National Park | 1981 | |
Madhav National Park | 1958 | |
Mandla Plant Fossils National Park | 1983 | |
Panna National Park | 1981 | |
Pench National Park | 1975 | |
Sanjay National Park | 1983 | |
Satpura National Park | 1981 | |
Van Vihar National Park | 1979 | |
Maharashtra | Chandoli National Park | 2004 |
Gugamal National Park | 1974 | |
Navegaon National Park | 1975 | |
Sanjay Gandhi National Park | 1996 | |
Tadoba National Park | 1955 | |
Manipur | Keibul Lamjao National Park | 1977 |
Sirohi National Park | 1982 | |
Meghalaya | Balphakram National Park | 1987 |
Nokrek National Park | 1986 | |
Mizoram | Murlen National Park | 1991 |
Phawngpui Blue Mountain National Park | 1992 | |
Nagaland | Ntangki National Park | 1993 |
Odisha | Bhitarkanika National Park | 1975 |
Simlipal National Park | 1980 | |
Rajasthan | Desert National Park | 1981 |
Keoladeo National Park | 1982 | |
Mukundra Hills National Park | 204 | |
Ranthambore National Park | 1980 | |
Sariska Tiger Reserve | 1979 | |
Sikkim | Khangchendzonga National Park | 1977 |
Tamil Nadu | Guindy National Park | 1977 |
Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park | 1986 | |
Indira Gandhi Sanctuary and National Park | 1976 | |
Mudumalai National Park | 1940 | |
Mukurthi National Park | 2001 | |
Telangana | Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park | 1994 |
Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park | 1975 | |
Mrugavani National Park | 1994 | |
Tripura | Bison (Rajbari) National Park | 2007 |
Clouded Leopard National Park | 2007 | |
Uttar Pradesh | Dudhwa National Park | 1977 |
Uttarakhand | Gangotri National Park | 1989 |
Govind Pashu Vihar National Park | 1955 | |
Jim Corbett National Park | 1936 | |
Nanda Devi National Park | 1982 | |
Rajaji National Park | 1983 | |
Valley of Flowers National Park | 1982 | |
West Bengal | Buxa Tiger Reserve | 1983 |
Gorumara National Park | 1949 | |
Jaldapara National Park | 2012 | |
Neora Valley National Park | 1986 | |
Singalila National Park | 1986 | |
Sundarbans National Park | 1984 | |
Andaman & Nicobar Islands | Campbell Bay National Park | 1992 |
Galathea National Park | 1922 | |
Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park | 1983 | |
Middle Button Island National Park | 1979 | |
Mount Harriet National Park | 1979 | |
North Button Island National Park | 1979 | |
Rani Jhansi Marine National Park | 1996 | |
Saddle Peak National Park | 1979 | |
South Button Island National Park | 1987 | |
Jammu & Kashmir | Dachigam National Park | 1981 |
Kishtwar National Park | 1981 | |
Kazinag National Park | 1992 | |
Salim Ali National Park | 1986 | |
Ladakh | Hemis National Park | 1981 |
National Parks in India PDF
Download the list of national parks in India PDF using the direct link mentioned below.
Download List of National Parks in India
Some of the famous national parks in India are
Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh to get sightings of tigers, Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand and Keibul Lamjao National Park to experience the Loktak lake.
Top 10 National Parks in India
As per the area covered, here are the Top 10 National Parks in India.
- HemisNational Park - 3350 km2
- DesertNational Park- 3162 km2
- Gangotri National Park - 2390.02 km2
- Kishtwar High Altitude National Park - 2191.5 km2
- Namdapha National Park - 1807.82 km2
- Khangchendzonga National Park- 1784 km2
- Guru Ghasidas (Sanjay) National Park - 1440.71km2
- Sunderban National Park - 1330.1km2
- Indravati (Kutru) National Park - 1258.37km2
- Papikonda National Park -1012.8588 km2
Important National Parks in India
Go through the list of Important National Parks in India, the Tiger Reserve, and Wildlife Sanctuary and why they are in News.
State | National Park, Tiger Reserve, Wildlife/Bird Sanctuary | Important Facts | Why in News |
Andhra Pradesh | Atapaka Bird Sanctuary | It is located in Kolleru Lake, a Ramsar site in India. | The Atapaka Bird Sanctuary has recently become a safe breeding ground for two migratory bird species- Grey Pelicans and Painted Storks. |
Andhra Pradesh | Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve | It covers the Guntur, Prakasam, and Kurnool districts of Andhra Pradesh and the Nalgonda and Mahabubnagar districts of Telangana. It was recognized by Project Tiger in 1983 Located in the deciduous Nallamala Forests. It covers a total area of about 3,800 sq. Km. | The number of tigers in the Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve has gone up, reversing a declining trend, thanks to the efforts of the Tiger Conservation Foundation (TCF). |
Arunachal Pradesh | Tally Valley Wildlife Sanctuary | It is a Wildlife Sanctuary and also a biodiversity hotspot near Zero town in Arunachal Pradesh. Situated at an altitude of 2400 meters. Pange, Sipu, Karing, and Subansiri rivers flow through it. Clouded Leopard and Pleioblastus Simone Bamboo are found here. | Recently, a new non-venomous burrowing species of snake-Trachischiumapteii, was found here. |
Arunachal Pradesh | Namdapha National Park | It is Largest Protected Area in the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot. It is also the third-largest National Park in India. It is the only park in the world to be home to four cats- snow leopards, clouded leopards, common leopards, and tigers. Hoolock Gibbons, the only ape species in India, is found here. | Recently, The Indian Airforce has inaugurated a resurfaced runway at Vijaynagar(India’s easternmost village) near Namdapha National Park. |
Arunachal Pradesh | Pakke Tiger Reserve | It falls within the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot. It is also known as Pakhii Tiger Reserve. It is famous for its four resident hornbill species. | The government of Arunachal is planning to build a 692.7 km Highway called the East-West industrial corridor through Pakke Tiger Reserve. |
Assam | Kaziranga National Park | It was declared a National Park in 1974, a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985 and a Tiger Reserve in 2007. It has also been recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by Birdlife International. One-horned rhinos, tigers, wild water buffalo, and swamp deer are found here. River Brahmaputra flows to its North, and river Diphlu runs through it. | The second wetland bird count was conducted here from 9th-10th January 2020. |
Assam | Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary | It has the highest density of one-horned rhinos in the world. It is also known as Mini Kaziranga. 72% of the sanctuary is wet Savannah. Water hyacinth is a major problem in this Sanctuary. Chinese pangolins and Asiatic wild water buffalo are also found here in abundance. | Recently, two Asiatic wild water buffaloes died in Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary due to anthrax. |
Bihar | Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary | It is the only Dolphin Sanctuary in India It spreads from Sultanganj to Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur District on the Ganga river in Bihar. National waterways-1 passes through it. | The Ministry of Shipping is planning to restrict the speed of vessels and blow sirens and horns in the Vikramshila dolphin sanctuary to safeguard the population of the Ganges river dolphin. |
Goa | Mahadayi Wildlife Sanctuary | It is located in the North Goa district. It was formed in 1999. It has been declared an International Bird Area by Birdlife International. It is located in the Mahadayi river basin. | Mahadayi Wildlife Sanctuary can be declared as a tiger reserve under Project Tiger because Royal Bengal Tiger is found here. |
Goa | Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary | It is located in South-Eastern Goa. Netravali river originates from this sanctuary. | Recently, a black panther was spotted here for the first time. |
Haryana | Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary | It is spread across the Gurugram and Faridabad districts of Haryana. It is at the end of the Aravali Biodiversity Corridor. | Recently, The Ministry of Environment and Forests has declared an area of 1 kilometer around the Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary as an Eco-sensitive zone where activities like commercial mining, setting up of industries, and development of major hydroelectric projects will not be allowed. |
Karnataka | Bandipur Tiger Reserve | It was formed in the year 2007. It is located at the tri-junction of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu states. It is the largest Protected Area in South India. It has the second-highest Tiger population in India and the largest habitat of wild elephants in South Asia. it is a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Moyar River flows through it. It shares a boundary with Nagarhole National Park, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, and Mudumalai National Park. | National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) convened an inter-state meeting of senior forest personnel from Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu at Bandipur in June 2019. |
Karnataka | Malai Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary | It is located in the Chamrajanagar district of Karnataka. Shola forest is found here in higher altitudes. | Malai Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary is set to be declared a tiger reserve soon, taking the total number of Tiger Reserves in Karnataka to six. |
Karnataka | Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary | It was formed in 1987. It is located in Karnataka's Chamrajanagar, Ramanagar, and Mandya districts. Important species are Crocodiles, Otters, and Hump-backed Mahseer Fish. | Recently, reports about several wild elephants dying of electrocution have come up. |
Madhya Pradesh | Bandhavgarh National Park | It is located in the Umariya district of MP in the Vidhya Ranges. It was declared National Park in 1968 and Tiger Reserve in 1993. | Recently, an elephant colony was found in Bandhavgarh Reserve Forest for the first time. |
Madhya Pradesh | Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary | It is located in the Sagar district of MP. It spreads across the Narmada and Ganga river basins. It is a Potential Site for Cheetah re-introduction in India from Africa. | Recently, a successful tiger relocation program was carried out here. |
Madhya Pradesh | Van Vihar National Park | It is located in Bhopal. Many free Ranging animals like Chital, Sambhar, Chousingha, etc., and white tigers, leopards, hyenas, and sloth bears are present. | Here an amalgamation of natural habitat and modern concept of Zoo management is present. |
Madhya Pradesh | Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary | It is located in the Bhopal-Raisen forest division of Madhya Pradesh. It covers an area of about 890 sq. km. It has around 40 tigers. | Recently, The Madhya Pradesh government has decided to declare the Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary a Tiger Reserve. |
Odisha | Nalbana Bird Sanctuary | It is the core area of the Ramsar site in Chilika Lake. The Island disappears during the Monsoon due to flooding and re-emerges in the post-monsoon season. | Recently, due to the dismantling of illegal prawn gheries inside Chilika Lake, a record number of migratory birds arrived at the Nalbana Bird Sanctuary. |
Rajasthan | Sariska Tiger Reserve | It is located in the Alwar district of Rajasthan. Famous for Royal Bengal Tiger. It's a part of Project Tiger. Kankarwadi fort and pandupole temple are located within the reserve. | Recently, the 13th session of the Ministry of Tourism’s DEKHO APNA DESH webinar titled- Destination-Sariska Tiger Reserve' was held here. |
Telangana | Papikonda National Park | It is located in the Khammam district of Telangana and East Godavari and West Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh. It is spread across an area of over 1012.86 sq. Kms. It was declared a National Park in 2008. Godavari River flows through it. Deciduous forest is found in this National Park. Important species found here are- Tigers, mouse deer, gaur, etc. It has been designated as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area. | Recently, the maiden survey of butterfly species was conducted in the Papikonda National Park. |
Telangana | Amrabad Tiger Reserve | It is located in Nallamala Hills. It is India’s second-largest tiger reserve, after the Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve. Chenchu tribe, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group is found here. | In July 2019, A Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate change panel has recommended 'in- principle' permission for Uranium survey and exploration in Amrabad Tiger Reserve. |
Uttar Pradesh | Dudhwa National Park | It is located on the Indo-Nepal border in Lakhimpur Kheri and Bahraich districts. Many tributaries of the Ghaghara River flow through it. It is the only place in UP where both Rhinos and Tigers are found together. | Recently, the elephant safari was banned due to the shortage and aggressive nature of elephants. |
Types of National Parks in India
There are two types of national parks in India. They are
- Terrestrial National Parks: Terrestrial National Park means an area that is protected under the guidance and care of the government. This protected area is mostly spread over an area of at least 1000 hectares that protects the wildlife and preserves it on land.
- Marine National Parks: The Marine National Parks, as the name implies, are parks designed beside bodies of water, primarily the sea and lakes, to achieve ecological sustainability and promote recreational activities that benefit coastal communities.
National Parks in India Map
Candidates can also refer to the map below to locate all national parks in India easily.
National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries in India
Know the difference between national parks and wildlife sanctuaries to better understand the role of each establishment towards safeguarding the environment.
National Parks | Wildlife Sanctuaries |
A national park is a protected area that the government takes care of to preserve wildlife. | Wildlife sanctuaries are somewhat similar to National parks but are governed by administrative bodies and private institutions. |
National parks are established to save vulnerable species of flora and fauna. | Wildlife sanctuaries mostly focus on preserving birds, animals, and small insects, including reptiles. |
The national parks are highly protected, and commoners' entry is strictly restricted. | Tourists can visit the wildlife sanctuaries without any restrictions. |
If anyone wants to visit a national park, special permission is required. | There is no concept of official permission required to enter the wildlife sanctuaries. |
The national parks are always bounded, and the government and administration officials set these boundaries. | There are no boundaries fixed for the wildlife sanctuaries. |
No harmful human activity is allowed in national parks. | Although human activity is permitted still with restrictions and to specific limits. |
Importance of National Parks in India
National Parks are the protected boundaries by the government to preserve nature’s wilderness area. National parks play a very important role in the environment as
- National Parks act as the in-situ environment for wildlife.
- The government protects National Parks to preserve the natural environment, wildlife, flora, and fauna.
- National Parks also promote education in the field of environmental studies.
- Establishing national parks not only aids in conserving wildlife and other living things but also promotes outdoor recreational activities.
- It is important to have national parks as they preserve biodiversity, which, if somehow disturbed, may affect the ecosystem of a particular area on a large scale.
National Parks in India UPSC
National parks in India UPSC topic is widely covered in the subject of the environment as well as Geography UPSC syllabus. Each year at least 1 to 2 questions in the UPSC Prelims exam are fixed from this portion hence it is important to learn about national parks in India. You can refer to the UPSC Geography Books from here, to study for UPSC Prelims.
If preparing for the upcoming UPSC Exam, aspirants must be well versed with the latest list of National Parks in India 2022. Also, download the UPSC Previous Year Question Papers to practice questions from the topic.
National Parks in India UPSC Question
Question: Which among the following is the ‘Mixed World heritage Site’?
- Kaziranga National Park
- Gir National Park
- Khanchendzonga National Park
- Periyar National Park
Choose the correct option from the following-
A) 1 only
B) 3 only
C) 2 and 3
D) None of the above
Correct Answer - Option B
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