First Addition to Manas National Park: Extension Potentiality of Manas World Heritage Site in Assam, India

A new study reveals the extension potential of Manas World Heritage Site (WHS) in Assam, India, by assessing the abundance and occupancy of top predators and their prey species in its first addition. The research found a tiger density of 2.29 individuals per 100 sq. km with an occupancy (Psi) of 0.3412, while leopard and dhole had lower occupancies at 0.1647 and 0.1765, respectively. Prey species showed varying relative abundance indices (RAI), with sambar being the most abundant (RAI=21.26). The study suggests that wildlife population recovery, improved enforcement, community engagement, and transboundary cooperation could enhance the extension potential of Manas WHS, maintaining landscape integrity with Bhutan's Royal Manas National Park.

Islam, N., Barman, R., Deka, S., Kr. Sinha, S., & Kaul, R. (2024). First Addition to Manas National Park: Extension Potentiality of Manas World Heritage Site in Assam, India. Ecology, Environment and Conservation, 30(SUPPL), S154–S162. https://doi.org/10.53550/eec.2024.v30i03s.028