There are 104 National operational parks in India. They cover 43,716 square kilometers. In addition, there are 75 National Parks with an area of 16,608 square kilometers that are yet to be developed.
India is blessed with Natural resources, including Forests, Mountains, vegetation, and Wildlife.
India is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, and the country has established numerous national parks and wildlife sanctuaries to protect and conserve its biodiversity.
Top 10 famous national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in India:
- Jim Corbett National Park – Located in Uttarakhand, this is India’s oldest national park and is famous for its population of Bengal tigers.
- Kaziranga National Park – Located in Assam, this park is home to the largest population of the one-horned rhinoceros in the world.
- Ranthambore National Park – Located in Rajasthan, this park is known for its population of Bengal tigers and is one of the best places in India to spot these majestic predators.
- Kanha National Park – Located in Madhya Pradesh, this park is the inspiration behind Rudyard Kipling’s “The Jungle Book.” It is home to various wildlife, including tigers, leopards, and Indian bison.
- Gir National Park – Located in Gujarat, this is the only place in the world where the Asiatic lion is found in the wild.
- Sunderbans National Park – Located in West Bengal, this park is home to the Royal Bengal tiger and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Bandhavgarh National Park – Located in Madhya Pradesh, this park is known for its high density of tigers and is considered one of the best places in India to spot these big cats.
- Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary – Located in Kerala, this sanctuary is home to elephants, tigers, and numerous other wildlife species.
- Sariska National Park – Located in Rajasthan, this park is known for its population of Bengal tigers and is also home to leopards and wild dogs.
- Pench National Park – Located in Madhya Pradesh, this park is known for its population of tigers and is also home to a variety of other wildlife, including leopards, wild dogs, and Indian bison.
Complete list of national parks in the country :
Names | State | Year formed | Area sq. km | Famous for |
---|---|---|---|---|
Anamudi Shola National Park | Kerala | 2003 | 8 | |
Anshi National Park | Karnataka | 1987 | 417 | Great hornbill, tiger, leopard, black panther, bear, elephant. |
Balphakram National Park | Meghalaya | 1986 | 220 | Wild water buffalo, red panda, elephant, and eight cat species, including the tiger and marbled cat |
Bandhavgarh National Park | Madhya Pradesh | 1982 | 446 | 1336 species of endemic plants |
Kuno National Park | Madhya Pradesh | 2018 | 345 | |
Omkareshwar National Park | Madhya Pradesh | 2004 | 651 | |
Bandipur National Park | Karnataka | 1974 | 874 | Chital, Bengal tiger, gray langurs, Indian giant squirrel, gaur, leopard, sambar deer, Indian elephants, honey buzzard, red-headed vulture |
Bannerghatta National Park | Karnataka | 1986 | 104 | Tiger, sloth bear, peacock, elephant, sambar deer, mouse deer |
Betla National Park | Jharkhand | 1999 | 1135 | Tiger, Indian bison, elephant, hyenas, monkey, leopard |
Bhitarkanika National Park | Odisha | 1988 | 145 | Blackbuck Lodge, the endangered Indian grey wolf, the nocturnal striped hyena, the Indian fox, the golden jackal, the jungle cat, and many small mammals like a hare, gerbil, field mice, mongoose, and hedgehog. |
Bison (Rajbari) National Park | Tripura | 2007 | 32 | |
Blackbuck National Park, Velavadar | Gujarat | 1976 | 34 | Blackbuck Lodge, the endangered Indian grey wolf, the nocturnal striped hyena, Indian fox, the golden jackal, the jungle cat, and many small mammals like a hare, gerbil, field mice, mongoose, and hedgehog. |
Buxa Tiger Reserve | West Bengal | 1992 | 760 | |
Campbell Bay National Park | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 1992 | 426 | |
Chandoli National Park | Maharashtra | 2004 | 318 | |
Clouded Leopard National Park | Tripura | 2003 | 5 | |
Dachigam National Park | Jammu and Kashmir | 1981 | 141 | The only area where Kashmir stag is found |
Desert National Park | Rajasthan | 1980 | 3162 | Great Indian Bustard |
Dibru-Saikhowa National Park | Assam | 1999 | 340 | Feral horse |
Dehing Patkai National Park | Assam | 2020 | 232 | |
Raimona National Park | Assam | 2021 | 422 | |
Dudhwa National Park | Uttar Pradesh | 1977 | 490 | Tiger, Sambar deer, hog deer |
Eravikulam National Park | Kerala | 1978 | 97 | Nilgiri tahr, Strobilanthes kunthiana |
Galathea National Park | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 1992 | 110 | Wild Asian buffalo, tiger reserve, hill Mynas |
Gangotri National Park | Uttarakhand | 1989 | 2390 | Gaumukh Glacier |
Gir Forest National Park | Gujarat | 1975 | 1412 | Asiatic lion |
Gorumara National Park | West Bengal | 1994 | 79 | The park is rich in large herbivores, including Indian rhinoceros, gaur, Asian elephant, sloth bear, chital, and sambar deer. |
Govind Pashu Vihar National Park | Uttarakhand | 1955 | 472 | |
Great Himalayan National Park | Himachal Pradesh | 1984 | 754 | UNESCO World Heritage Site |
Gugamal National Park | Maharashtra | 1987 | 361 | |
Guindy National Park | Tamil Nadu | 1976 | 3 | Has more than 2000 chitals, 493 blackbucks, and 84 jackals. |
Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park | Tamil Nadu | 1980 | 6 | has 8 species of whales and 21 small coral islands |
Guru Ghasidas National Park | Chhattisgarh | 1981 | 1441 | Largest national park of Chhattisgarh |
Hemis National Park | Ladakh | 1981 | 4400 | Largest National park in India |
Indravati National Park | Chhattisgarh | 1981 | 1258 | On the bank of Yamuna River |
Jaldapara National Park | West Bengal | 2012 | 216 | Indian Rhinoceros |
Jim Corbett National Park | Uttarakhand | 1936 | 1319 | Tiger, the easternmost National Park |
Kalesar National Park | Haryana | 2003 | 101 | On the bank of Yamuna river |
Kanha National Park | Madhya Pradesh | 1955 | 940 | Barasingha or swamp deer |
Kanger Ghati National Park | Chhattisgarh | 1982 | 200 | |
Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park | Telangana | 1994 | 1 | |
Kaziranga National Park | Assam | 1974 | 859 | Indian rhinoceros, UNESCO World Heritage Site |
Keibul Lamjao National Park | Manipur | 1977 | 40 | Only floating park in the world |
Keoladeo National Park | Rajasthan | 1981 | 29 | UNESCO World Heritage Site |
Khangchendzonga National Park | Sikkim | 1977 | 1784 | UNESCO World Heritage Site |
Khirganga National Park | Himachal Pradesh | 2010 | 710 | |
Kishtwar National Park | Jammu and Kashmir | 1981 | 400 | |
Kudremukh National Park | Karnataka | 1987 | 600 | |
Kuno National Park | Madhya Pradesh | 2018 | 749 | Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project |
Madhav National Park | Madhya Pradesh | 1959 | 375 | |
Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 1983 | 282 | |
Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park | Telangana | 1994 | 15 | |
Manas National Park | Assam | 1990 | 950 | UNESCO World Heritage Site, contiguous with Royal Manas National Park, Bhutan |
Mandla Plant Fossils National Park | Madhya Pradesh | 1983 | 0 | |
Marine National Park, Gulf of Kutch | Gujarat | 1980 | 163 | |
Mathikettan Shola National Park | Kerala | 2003 | 13 | Elephants |
Middle Button Island National Park | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 1987 | 0 | |
Mollem National Park | Goa | 1978 | 107 | |
Mouling National Park | Arunachal Pradesh | 1986 | 483 | |
Mount Harriet National Park | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 1987 | 47 | Important bird area as attributed by BirdLife International |
Mrugavani National Park | Telangana | 1994 | 4 | |
Mudumalai National Park | Tamil Nadu | 1940 | 322 | Second oldest National Park in India. Has 103 tigers. |
Mukundra Hills National Park | Rajasthan | 2006 | 201 | |
Mukurthi National Park | Tamil Nadu | 2001 | 78 | Nilgiri tahr |
Murlen National Park | Mizoram | 1991 | 100 | |
Nagarhole National Park | Karnataka | 1988 | 643 | aka Rajiv Gandhi National Park (Nagarhole) |
Namdapha National Park | Arunachal Pradesh | 1974 | 1985 | Tiger, easternmost National Park |
Nameri National Park | Assam | 1978 | 137 | |
Nanda Devi National Park | Uttarakhand | 1982 | 630 | UNESCO World Heritage Site, UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve |
Navegaon National Park | Maharashtra | 1975 | 134 | |
Neora Valley National Park | West Bengal | 1986 | 88 | |
Nokrek National Park | Meghalaya | 1986 | 47 | UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve |
North Button Island National Park | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 1979 | 0 | |
Ntangki National Park | Nagaland | 1993 | 202 | |
Orang National Park | Assam | 1999 | 79 | aka Rajiv Gandhi National Park (Orang) |
Pambadum Shola National Park | Kerala | 2003 | 1 | Nilgiri marten, Nilgiri wood pigeon, Nilgiri langur, Nilgiri flycatcher, Blue rock-thrush |
Panna National Park | Madhya Pradesh | 1981 | 543 | |
Papikonda National Park | Andhra Pradesh | 2008 | 1013 | Royal Bengal Tiger, Leopards, rusty-spotted cat, King CobraIt is an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area and home to some endangered species of flora and fauna. |
Pench National Park | Madhya Pradesh | 1977 | 758 | Rudyard Kipling’s ‘Jungle Book’ was set in this NP. |
Periyar National Park | Kerala | 1982 | 305 | Malabar parakeet, Malabar grey hornbill, Nilgiri laughing thrush, Nilgiri blue robin, great hornbill, Malabar pied hornbill, lion-tailed macaque, hairy-winged bat |
Phawngpui Blue Mountain National Park | Mizoram | 1992 | 50 | |
Pin Valley National Park | Himachal Pradesh | 1987 | 807 | |
Rajaji National Park | Uttarakhand | 1983 | 820 | Mainly known for elephants, tigers, leopards, and several birds, reptiles, and mammals. |
Rajiv Gandhi National Park (Rameswaram) | Andhra Pradesh | 2005 | 2 | |
Rani Jhansi Marine National Park | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 1996 | 256 | |
Ranthambore National Park | Rajasthan | 1981 | 392 | Tiger Reserve. |
Saddle Peak National Park | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 1979 | 33 | |
Salim Ali National Park | Jammu and Kashmir | 1992 | 9 | |
Sanjay National Park[6] | Madhya Pradesh | 1981 | 467 | |
Sanjay Gandhi National Park | Maharashtra | 1983 | 87 | Indian Leopard, Rhesus Macaque, Bonnet Macaque, Spotted Deer, Hanuman Langur, Indian Flying Fox, Indian Hare, Barking Deer, Porcupine, Palm Civet, Mouse Deer |
Sariska Tiger Reserve | Rajasthan | 1955 | 866 | |
Satpura National Park | Madhya Pradesh | 1981 | 524 | |
Silent Valley National Park | Kerala | 1980 | 237 | Indian bison, Travancore flying squirrel, Salim Ali’s fruit bat, Stripe-necked mongoose, Blue-winged parakeet, Crimson-backed sunbird |
Simbalbara National Park | Himachal Pradesh | 2010 | 28 | |
Sirohi National Park | Manipur | 1982 | 41 | |
Simlipal National Park | Odisha | 1980 | 2750 | Tiger, leopard, Asian elephant, sambar, barking deer, gaur, jungle cat, wild boar |
Singalila National Park | West Bengal | 1986 | 79 | |
South Button Island National Park | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 1987 | 0 | Dugong, dolphin, water monitor lizard, the blue whale, and smallest National park in India |
Sri Venkateswara National Park | Andhra Pradesh | 1989 | 353 | |
Sultanpur National Park | Haryana | 1989 | 1 | |
Sundarbans National Park | West Bengal | 1984 | 1330 | UNESCO World Heritage Site |
Tadoba National Park | Maharashtra | 1955 | 625 | Tiger |
Valley of Flowers National Park | Uttarakhand | 1982 | 88 | UNESCO World Heritage Site, the most beautiful national park in the world |
Valmiki National Park | Bihar | 1976 | 898 | tigers |
Vansda National Park | Gujarat | 1979 | 24 | Leopard, Dhole, Rhesus Macaque, Common Palm Civet, Hanuman Langur, Small Indian Civet, Four-Horned Antelope, Wild Boar, Indian Porcupine, Barking Deer, Striped Hyena, Jungle Cat, Flying Squirrel, Pangolin and Indian Giant Squirrel. |
Van Vihar National Park | Madhya Pradesh | 1983 | 4 |
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_parks_of_India
Also Read: Sariska Tiger Reserve, Alwar