NEWS
28 JANUARY 2025
Daily Current Affairs based on ‘The Hindu’ newspaper as per the syllabus of UPSC Civil Services Examination (Prelims and Mains) Compiled by Mrs. Bilquees Khatri.
GS III: ENVIRONMENT
Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve
Location & Geography:
- Situated in Changlang district, Arunachal Pradesh, near the India-Myanmar-China tri-junction.
- Part of the eastern Himalayas and the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot.
- Covers 1,985 sq. km, making it India’s third-largest national park.
- Altitude ranges from 200m to 4,571m, supporting diverse ecosystems.
- Noa Dihing River flows through the park.
Biodiversity:
- Only park hosting four big cat species – tiger, leopard, snow leopard, and clouded leopard.
- Home to Asiatic black bear, red panda, hoolock gibbons, capped langur, and hornbills.
- Namdapha flying squirrel (critically endangered) is endemic to the park.
- Rich flora includes orchids, ferns, bamboos, and medicinal plants.
Tiger Reserve Status:
- Declared a Tiger Reserve in 1983 under Project Tiger.
- Dense forests and rugged terrain make tiger population estimation difficult.
Tribal Communities & Conservation:
- Indigenous tribes: Lisu, Singpho, Tangsa.
- Traditionally dependent on forests but now involved in conservation.
- Elephant migration was obstructed due to encroachment since 1996.