Difference Between National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary

●  Wildlife sanctuaries are formed for the conservation of a single species or some specific species. National parks are formed for the protection of a special type of refuge.     

●  No habitation and human activity is allowed in the national park, even grazing animals or collecting wild products while human activities are allowed in wildlife sanctuaries!     

●  Hunting in a wildlife sanctuary is prohibited without permission, although grazing and movement of cattle are allowed! While hunting and grazing in a national park are completely prohibited.     

●  A wildlife sanctuary can be converted into a national park whereas a national park cannot be declared a sanctuary.     

●  The State Government can declare both Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Park only by order, while the Strong legislation has to be enacted to state the boundaries .     

●  India currently has 105 national parks while the number of sanctuaries is 531.   

Important facts about National Park

• The largest national park in India is the Hemis National Park, which is located in the Union Territory Ladakh.
• The smallest national park of India is South Button National Park, which is located in the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Asiatic lions are found in Gir National Park, Gujarat.
• The Royal Bengal Tiger’s natural habitat is Sundarbans National Park.
• The first national park in India is Jim Corbett National Park, which was established in 1936 and is located in the state of Uttarakhand.
• Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of tigers in India, followed by Karnataka.
• Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of national parks in India, there are a total of 11 national parks in Madhya Pradesh.
• Two new national parks in Assam have been officially notified, namely
  • Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Raimona Reserve Forest

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Uttar Pradesh

● Dudhwa National Park     

● Chandraprabha Wildlife Vihar     

Rajasthan

● Kevala Devi National Park (a migratory bird shelter called Siberian Crane)     

● Ranthambore National Park     

● Sariska National Park     

● Keoladeo Ghana National Park     

● Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary

Madhya Pradesh

● Kanha National Park    

● Pench National Park     

● Panna National Park (included in UNESCO World Heritage List)     

● Satpura National Park     

● Van Vihar National Park     

● Bandhavgarh National Park (famous for white tigers)     

● Sanjay National Park     

● Madhav National Park     

● Palpur Kuno National Park     

● Mandla Fossil National Park

● Ratapani Sanctuary     

● National Chambal Sanctuary     

● Note – Most of the national park are in Madhya Pradesh !     

Gujarat

● ** Gir National Park     

● Marine (Gulf of Kutch) National Park     

● Blackbuck National Park     

● Vansda National Park     

● Wild Ass Sanctuary     

Uttarakhand

● ** Jim Corbett National Park (India’s first national park in 1936, its former name was Hailey National Park)     

● Valley of Flowers National Park     

● Nanda Devi National Park     

● Rajaji National Park     

● Gangotri National Park     

Kerala

● Silent Valley National Park     

● Periyar National Park (famous for wild elephants)     

● Annamalai National Park     

● Ernakulam National Park     

● Parambikulam sanctuary     

● Idukki sanctuary     

Karnataka

● Bandipur National Park     

● Nagarhole (Rajiv Gandhi) National Park     

● Ansi National Park     

● Bannerghatta National Park     

● Kudremukh National Park     

● Tungabhadra National Park     

Goa

● Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary     

● Bhagwan Mahaveer (Mollem) National Park     

Note –

● Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is in Goa while Salim Ali National Park is located in Jammu Kashmir!     

● Indian ornithologist and naturalist Salim Ali is called Birdman of India!     

**Bihar

● Valmiki National Park     

● Vikramasila Ganga Dolphin Reserve 

● Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary    

● Gautam Buddha Sanctuary     

Meghalaya

● Nokrek National Park     

Andaman and Nicobar

● Saddle Peak National Park     

● Mahatma Gandhi Marine (Vandur) National Park     

● Campbell National Park     

● Mount Harriet National Park     

● Rani Jhansi Marine National Park     

● South Button National Park (India’s smallest National Park)     

Note – Andaman-Nicobar has the highest number of wildlife sanctuaries!

Assam

● Manas National Park (famous for one-horned rhinoceros)     

● Kaziranga National Park (famous for one horned rhinoceros)     

● Nameri National Park     

● Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park     

● Dibrugarh Saikhowa National Park

● Dihang Patkai National Sanctuary 

● Raymona National Park

Andhra Pradesh

● Indira Gandhi Zoological Park     

● Rajiv Gandhi (Rameswaram) National Park     

● Papikonda National Park     

● Sri Venkateswara National Park     

● Nagarjuna Sagar – Srisailam National Park (This is India’s largest Project Tiger)     

● Pulicat Lake Sanctuary      

© 2023, www.mindplan.in

© 2023, www.mindplan.in