Udalguri, Assam: Manas National Park, a UN World Heritage Site, plagued by militancy for over a decade, got a fresh lease of life as the local tribal government effectively trebled the area under it, calling it Greater Manas.

Located in India’s north-eastern Assam state, Manas is considered one of world’s richest bio-diversity hotspots, contiguous with the forests of Bhutan. Home to tigers and elephants it is also a designated Project Tiger reserve.

Unveiling the Bodoland Territorial Council’s (BTC) plans at an event to mark this declaration, Kampa Borgoyari, deputy chief of the BTC said, “This move is extraordinary considering the size of land that is being added to the protected area.”

Manas NP, which is currently approximately 300 square kilometres, will now be joined by the adjacent forest, also called Manas, and the Ripu-Chirang forest, increasing its effective spread to app 950 sq kms.

The BTC’s declaration followed a study conducted by the Wildlife Trust of India and its partner, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, supported by the British government, which strongly recommended its creation.

“The BTC is proud to add this piece of forest to Manas. It is well aware of its responsibilities for the conservation of forests and wildlife and other natural resources of the region so that our people can enjoy the benefits for much longer. We are striving hard to strike that balance and I am confident that our officers with support of non-governmental organisations will make this happen,” Borgoyari added.

“The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and the government of Assam are working very hard to

protect and rehabilitate wildlife,” said AJ Cady, Director of Animals in Crisis and Distress for IFAW. “Today is another important milestone in the incremental progress we are making toward restoring Manas as ever more viable for wildlife. The fact that the government is enlarging Manas National Park to protect even more valuable habitat is a very encouraging sign,” he added.

“By this one action, the size of Greater Manas has been tripled. To out it into international context, an area two and a half times Amboseli National Park has been added to a World Heritage Site. This is nothing short of monumental in the current context of Indian Conservation,” said Vivek Menon, Executive Director, Wildlife Trust of India said.

Manas is home to one of the largest remaining populations of the rare Golden langur and is home to critically endangered species like the pigmy hog, wild buffaloes and five species of hornbills.

Manas was declared a World Heritage site by the UNESCO in 1985.

Ethnic political and civil unrest in the area led to unchecked arson, poaching and looting in Manas for almost two decades. This caused widespread degradation and loss of as much as 50 per cent forest cover in many parts, plus inevitably, the loss of animal species.

On ground conservation action has commenced at Manas after the signing of an agreement between the Bodo people and the Government of India in 2003 and the subsequent formation of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC). The responsibility for management of the park now rests with the BTC and specifically with an Executive Member of the BTC. The BTC has stated that Manas is an asset and should be managed to protect wildlife.