Flora Of AssamAssam is remarkably rich in Orchid species and the Foxtail orchid is the state flower of Assam.[66] The recently established Kaziranga National Orchid and Biodiversity Park boasts more than 500 of the estimated 1,314 orchid species found in India.

Assam is gifted with varieties of flora and fauna including world famous the Great Indian One Horned Rhino, Pigmy Hog, Royal Bengal Tiger, Elephant, Swamp Deer, Gangetic Dolphin, Wild Buffalo, Golden Langur, Hoolock Gibbon, Stump-tailed Macaque and Pig-tailed Macaque, Hispid Hare etc. The birds found in Assam includes Greater Adjutant Stork, White winged wood duck, Bengal Florican, Spotbilled Pelican, Lesser Adjutant Stork, King Vulture, Great Hornbills, Long-billed and Spotted Wren-babblers, Large and Coral-billed Scimitar Babblers, Laughingthrush etc.

WILD LIFE OF ASSAM also highly recommended, as it offers the added benefit of covering a vast expanse in a relatively short span of time.

With five national parks, two of which are designated World Natural Heritage Sites by UNESCO, and several wildlfe

and bird sanctuaries, Assam is a blessed land for wildlife enthusiasts. At the heart of it's mind boggling biodiveristy is

the rich topography of Assam with it's lush hills and valleys dissected by the majestic Brahmaputra and it's many

tributaries.

Assam is home to over 180 species of mammals, including rare and endangered species like the great Indian one-

horned rhinoceros, the royal Bengal tiger, the golden langur and hoolock gibbon, and a spectacular range of avifauna.

Assam's most famous parks are Kaziranga and Manas. Both were conferred World Heritage Status in 1985.

Kaziranga National Park

Kaziranga National Park is spread over 858 sq.kms and is located in the floodplains on both sides of the Brahmaputra

river. Patches of mixed deciduous forests are interspersed with vast stretches of savannah grasslands, wetlands and

chars of river islands formed by the shifting course of the Brahmaputra.

The park is divided into five ranges - Central (entry point at Kohora), Western (entry point at Bagori), Eastern (at

Agratoli), Western-most Burha Pahar (at Ghorakati) and Northern. The first four lie on the southern side of the river

while the last is on the northern bank.

A memorable way of exploring Kaziranga is on eleplant-back as these gentle creatures tread through the tall grass.

The park's prized possessions, the rhinos, are usually found in good numbers grazing with deer and buffaloes.

Another option is to see the park is to take the jeep safari which is

Manas National ParkLocated in the Himalayan foothills in western Assam, Manas was

originally a game reserve since 1928 and became a Tiger Reserve

in 1974, a World Heritage Site in 1985, a Biosphere Reserve in

1989. Then declared as a National Park in 1990. The park is

contiguous with the Buxa Tiger Reserve in West Bengal and in

2003, it was declared part of Chirang-Ripu Elephant Reserve

which serves as the international corrdior for elephant migration

between Indian and Bhutan. Spread over an area of 500 sq. kms.,

the park has extensive grasslands and is famous for its unique

scenic beauty. The park harbours more than 20 endangered species.

Pobitora National ParkPabitora’s area is just 38.81 sq km, but it has the world’s

highest concentration of rhinos (93 as per the 2012 census). It

is a microcosm of Kaziranga, so much so that it is often

referred to as national park’s showroom ideal for visitors with

little time to spare. One can choose to travel to and from

Guwahati and explore the sanctuary on elephant back in less

than a day or stay overnight at the forest and tourist bungalows.

Distance from Guwahati: 35 km (east)

1. Kaziranga National Park, AssamKaziranga National ParkKaziranga National Park located in Assam is UNESCO declared World Heritage and popular across the globe for one-horned Rhinoceros. It lies in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of the Assam. The park hosts two-thirds of the world’s great one-horned rhinos. As per the census conducted in March 2018 which was jointly held by the Forest Department of Assam and some noted wildlife NGOs; which reveals the rhino population in Kaziranga National Park is 2,413. Kaziranga is one of the popular wildlife tourism spot in north India. It was declared as national park in the year of 2006 as it has the highest densityof tigers living in protected area in the world. The park also houses huge breeding populations of elephants, swamp deer and wild water buffalo. Kaziranga is also known as a prominent birdlife area by Birdlife International for conserving varied species of Birdlife.2.ManasNationalPark,Assam

It also called as Manas Wildlife Sanctuary is a popular national park, World Heritage Site, a Project Tiger Reserve, Protected area for Elephants and most importantly a biosphere reserve, located in Indian state of Assam. Engulfed in the Himalayan foothills, it is in proximity of the Manas National Park in Bhutan. Manas is only tiger reserve in Assam known for its rare and endangered endemic wildlife species such as the Assam roofed turtle, hispid hare, golden langur and pygmy hog. Manas is also famous for its sound population of the wild water buffalo.

Biosphere ReserveThe Protected Areas Network in AssamThe Protected Area Network in Assam occupies 3925-sq. km. area and constitute about 5 % of the State’s

geographical area. The PAN includes 5 National Parks and 17 Wildlife sanctuaries as well as 3 proposed Wildlife

Sanctuaries, 4 Tiger Reserves, 5 Elephant Reserves, 2 Biosphere Reserves and 2 World Natural Heritage Sites and

they play very important role in in-situ conservation of biodiversity. Kaziranga National Park needs no introduction and

is virtually home to great Indian one horned rhinoceros. Besides, wild buffaloes, swamp deer, hog deer, sambar,

elephant, tiger and leopard are also found in KNP. The faunal population of KNP has 35 species of mammals, 42

species of fishes, and 254 species of birds including Bengal florican. Kaziranga National Park in also a

“Worldheritage

Manas National Park is also a Biosphere Reserve and forms a contiguous linear belt along the foot of Himalayas. The

floral diversity includes 543 plant species. The faunal diversity is represented by 60 mammalian species, 42 species

of reptiles, 7 species of amphibians, 5 fish species, 103 invertebrate species and 327 species of birds. Translcation of

rhinos from Pobitora and Manas is being undertaken in stages to reintroduce rhinos in Manas.

Dibru-Saikhowa Biosphere Reserve includes Dibru- Saikhowa wild life Sanctuary and biogeographically exhibits the

properties of both the Indian and Malayan sub-regions. It consists of a number of “ecotones” between floral

communities of riparian and grassland habitats as well as deciduous forest and wet evergreen forest types. This

biosphere reserve is home to many important faunal species including white wing wood duck, hoolock gibbon, wild

buffalo, several species of turtles, Gangetic dolphin, golden mahaseer etc. The documented animal population

includes 3 species of amphibians, 22 species of reptiles, 25 species of birds, 25 species of mammals, 62 species of

fishes etc. This biosphere reserve is also home to a number of feral horses.