National Parks in India are the protected areas at a site to protect the local wildlife, flora, fauna, and natural environment. State Government notifies a sanctuary to be a National park to preserve the area for its faunal, floral, ecological, geomorphological, or zoological association of importance.

Latest National Park in India 2024

As per the database, Raimona National Park is the latest addition to National Parks in India. Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary is also under consideration for 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.

Types of National Parks in India

There are two types of national parks in India. A brief explanation of both is shared hereunder:

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 adjacent to bodies of water, primarily the sea and lakes. To achieve ecological sustainability and promote recreational activities that benefit coastal communities.

Declaration of the Protected Area by the State government:

• Initial notification: The State government may, by notification, declare its intention to constitute any area within or outside any reserve forest as a sanctuary/national park if it considers that such area is of adequate ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, natural, or zoological significance, for the purpose of protecting, propagating or developing wildlife or its environment.
• Final notification: After the initial notification has been issued and the period for preferring claims has elapsed. The State government may issue a notification specifying the limits of the area. Which can be comprises within the sanctuary and declare the said area shall be a sanctuary/national park from such date as may be specified in the notification.

Declared by the Central government:

1. The Central Government may declare an area to be a sanctuary/national park if it is satisfied that the area is of adequate ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, natural, or zoological significance, for the purpose of protecting, propagating or developing wildlife or its environment.

• Largest National Park of India: Hemis National Park, Ladakh
• Smallest National Park: South Button Island National Park, Andaman, and Nicobar Island
• First Marine National Park: Gulf of Kutchh National Park
• Floating National Park: Keibul Lamjao National Park, Manipur

Importance of National Parks in India

National Parks are the protected boundaries by the government to preserve nature’s wilderness area. They play a very important role in the environment because of the following reasons:

• They act as the in-situ environment for wildlife.
• The government protects National Parks to preserve the natural environment, wildlife, flora, and fauna.
• They also promote education in the field of environmental studies.
• Establishing them 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.

Top ten Largest National Parks