National Parks :
They are the locations that the government has designated for the preservation of the environment.
Comparatively speaking, a national park has more restrictions than a wildlife sanctuary.
Their limits are set and clearly defined.
A national park’s primary goals are to conserve biodiversity and the local natural environment.
What is allowed and what is not allowed inside National Parks:
No human activity is permitted here.
Private tenancy rights and livestock grazing are prohibited in this area.
It is prohibited to hunt or capture any of the species listed in the Schedules of the Wildlife Act.
Nobody is allowed to harm, remove, or exploit any wildlife from a national park, as well as harm or remove any wild animal’s habitat from within a national park.
They cannot be reduced to the category of “sanctuary.”
Declaration of National Parks:
State and national governments can both proclaim areas as national parks. A resolution passed by the State Legislature is required before a national park’s limits can be changed.
Important information on India’s National Parks
There are 106 national parks
The total area was 41,157 sq. km.
P. (9), Andaman & Nikobar (9), and Maximum National Park state (9)
First National Park Jim Corbett National Park
Largest National Park Hemis National Park
Smallest National Park South Button National Park
In India, there are currently 106 national parks that occupy 43,716 km2, or 1.33% of the nation’s total land area.
| S.No. | State (number of NPs) | Name of State/ Protected Area | Year | Area (km2) |
| 1 | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | Galathea Bay NP | 1992 | 110 |
| 2 | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | Campbell Bay NP | 1992 | 426.23 |
| 3 | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | Mahatama Gandhi Marine (Wandoor) NP | 1983 | 281.5 |
| 4 | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | Middle Button Island NP | 1987 | 0.44 |
| 5 | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | Mount Harriett NP | 1987 | 46.62 |
| 6 | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | North Button Island NP | 1987 | 0.44 |
| 7 | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | Rani Jhansi Marine NP | 1996 | 256.14 |
| 8 | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | Saddle Peak NP | 1987 | 32.54 |
| 9 | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | South Button Island NP | 1987 | 0.03 |
| 10 | Andhra Pradesh | Papikonda NP | 2008 | 1013 |
| 11 | Andhra Pradesh | Rajiv Gandhi (Rameswaram) NP | 2005 | 2.4 |
| 12 | Andhra Pradesh | Sri Venkateswara NP | 1989 | 353.6 |
| 13 | Arunachal Pradesh | NatioMouling NP | 1986 | 483 |
| 14 | Arunachal Pradesh | Namdapha NP | 1983 | 1808 |
| 15 | Assam | Dibru-Saikhowa NP | 1999 | 340 |
| 16 | Assam | Kaziranga NP | 1974 | 859 |
| 17 | Assam | Manas NP | 1990 | 500 |
| 18 | Assam | Nameri NP | 1998 | 200 |
| 19 | Assam | Rajiv Gandhi Orang NP | 1999 | 78.81 |
| 20 | Assam | Raimona NP | 2021 | 422 |
| 21 | Assam | Dihing Patkai NP | 2021 | 234 |
| 22 | Bihar | Valmiki NP | 1989 | 335.65 |
| 23 | Chhattisgarh | Guru Ghasidas (Sanjay) NP | 1981 | 1440.7 |
| 24 | Chhattisgarh | Indravati (Kutru) NP | 1982 | 1258.4 |
| 25 | Chhattisgarh | Kanger Valley NP | 1982 | 200 |
| 26 | Goa | Mollem NP | 1992 | 107 |
| 27 | Gujarat | Vansda NP | 1979 | 23.99 |
| 28 | Gujarat | Blackbuck (Velavadar) NP | 1976 | 34.53 |
| 29 | Gujarat | Gir NP | 1975 | 258.71 |
| 30 | Gujarat | Marine (Gulf of Kachchh) NP | 1982 | 162.89 |
| 31 | Haryana | Kalesar NP | 2003 | 46.82 |
| 32 | Haryana | Sultanpur NP | 1989 | 1.43 |
| 33 | Himachal Pradesh | Great Himalayan NP | 1984 | 754.4 |
| 34 | Himachal Pradesh | Inderkilla NP | 2010 | 104 |
| 35 | Himachal Pradesh | Khirganga NP | 2010 | 710 |
| 36 | Himachal Pradesh | Pin Valley NP | 1987 | 675 |
| 37 | Himachal Pradesh | Simbalbara NP | 2010 | 27.88 |
| 38 | UT of Ladakh | Hemis NP (Ladakh) | 1981 | 3350 |
| 39 | UT of Jammu & Kashmir | City Forest (Salim Ali) NP (J&K) | 1992 | 9 |
| 40 | UT of Jammu & Kashmir | Dachigam NP (J&K) | 1981 | 141 |
| 41 | UT of Jammu & Kashmir | Kishtwar NP (J&K) | 1981 | 425 |
| 42 | Jharkhand | Betla NP | 1986 | 226.33 |
| 43 | Karnataka | Anshi NP | 1987 | 417.34 |
| 44 | Karnataka | Bandipur NP | 1974 | 874.2 |
| 45 | Karnataka | Bannerghatta NP | 1974 | 260.51 |
| 46 | Karnataka | Kudremukh NP | 1987 | 600.32 |
| 47 | Karnataka | Nagarahole (Rajiv Gandhi) NP | 1988 | 643.39 |
| 48 | Kerala | Anamudi Shola NP | 2003 | 7.5 |
| 49 | Kerala | Eravikulam NP | 1978 | 97 |
| 50 | Kerala | Mathikettan Shola NP | 2003 | 12.82 |
| 51 | Kerala | Pambadum Shola NP | 2003 | 1.318 |
| 52 | Kerala | Periyar NP | 1982 | 350 |
| 53 | Kerala | Silent Valley NP | 1984 | 89.52 |
| 54 | Madhya Pradesh | Bandhavgarh NP | 1968 | 448.85 |
| 55 | Madhya Pradesh | Dinosaur Fossils NP | 2011 | 0.8974 |
| 56 | Madhya Pradesh | Fossil NP | 1983 | 0.27 |
| 57 | Madhya Pradesh | Indira Priyadarshini Pench NP | 1975 | 292.85 |
| 58 | Madhya Pradesh | Kanha NP | 1955 | 940 |
| 59 | Madhya Pradesh | Madhav NP | 1959 | 375.22 |
| 60 | Madhya Pradesh | Panna NP | 1981 | 542.67 |
| 61 | Madhya Pradesh | Sanjay NP | 1981 | 466.88 |
| 62 | Madhya Pradesh | Satpura NP | 1981 | 585.17 |
| 63 | Madhya Pradesh | Van Vihar NP | 1979 | 4.45 |
| 64 | Maharashtra | Chandoli NP | 2004 | 317.67 |
| 65 | Maharashtra | Gugamal NP | 1975 | 361.28 |
| 66 | Maharashtra | Nawegaon NP | 1975 | 133.88 |
| 67 | Maharashtra | Pench (Jawaharlal Nehru) NP | 1975 | 257.26 |
| 68 | Maharashtra | Sanjay Gandhi (Borivilli) NP | 1983 | 86.96 |
| 69 | Maharashtra | Tadoba NP | 1955 | 116.55 |
| 70 | Manipur | Keibul-Lamjao NP (in Loktak Lake) | 1977 | 40 |
| 71 | Meghalaya | Balphakram NP | 1985 | 220 |
| 72 | Meghalaya | Nokrek Ridge NP | 1986 | 47.48 |
| 73 | Mizoram | Murlen NP | 1991 | 100 |
| 74 | Mizoram | Phawngpui Blue Mountain NP | 1992 | 50 |
| 75 | Nagaland | Intanki NP | 1993 | 202.02 |
| 76 | Odisha | Bhitarkanika NP | 1988 | 145 |
| 77 | Odisha | Simlipal NP | 1980 | 845.7 |
| 78 | Rajasthan | Desert NP | 1992 | 3162 |
| 79 | Rajasthan | Keoladeo Ghana NP | 1981 | 28.73 |
| 80 | Rajasthan | Mukundra Hills NP | 2006 | 200.54 |
| 81 | Rajasthan | Ranthambhore NP | 1980 | 282 |
| 82 | Rajasthan | Sariska NP | 1992 | 273.8 |
| 83 | Sikkim | Khangchendzonga NP | 1977 | 1784 |
| 84 | Tamil Nadu | Guindy NP | 1976 | 2.82 |
| 85 | Tamil Nadu | Gulf of Mannar Marine NP | 1980 | 6.23 |
| 86 | Tamil Nadu | Indira Gandhi (Annamalai) NP | 1989 | 117.1 |
| 87 | Tamil Nadu | Mudumalai NP | 1990 | 103.23 |
| 88 | Tamil Nadu | Mukurthi NP | 1990 | 78.46 |
| 89 | Telangana | Kasu Brahmananda Reddy NP | 1994 | 1.43 |
| 90 | Telangana | Mahaveer Harina Vanasthali NP | 1994 | 14.59 |
| 91 | Telangana | Mrugavani NP | 1994 | 3.6 |
| 92 | Tripura | Clouded Leopard NP | 2007 | 5.08 |
| 93 | Tripura | Bison (Rajbari) NP | 2007 | 31.63 |
| 94 | Uttar Pradesh | Dudhwa NP | 1977 | 490 |
| 95 | Uttarakhand | Corbett NP | 1936 | 520.82 |
| 96 | Uttarakhand | Gangotri NP | 1989 | 2390.02 |
| 97 | Uttarakhand | Govind NP | 1990 | 472.08 |
| 98 | Uttarakhand | Nanda Devi NP | 1982 | 624.6 |
| 99 | Uttarakhand | Rajaji NP | 1983 | 820 |
| 100 | Uttarakhand | Valley of Flowers NP | 1982 | 87.5 |
| 101 | West Bengal | Buxa NP | 1992 | 117.1 |
| 102 | West Bengal | Gorumara NP | 1992 | 79.45 |
| 103 | West Bengal | Jaldapara NP | 2014 | 216.51 |
| 104 | West Bengal | Neora Valley NP | 1986 | 159.89 |
| 105 | West Bengal | Singalila NP | 1986 | 78.6 |
| 106 | West Bengal | Sunderban NP | 1984 | 1330.1 |
Biodiversity
India’s national parks are not only important for preserving the country’s biodiversity, but they also provide a boost to the local economy through tourism. Numerous activities, including as jeep safaris, walking, bird watching, and camping, are available to visitors.
Numerous national parks have lodging options on-site, such as tent campsites or forest hotels. Additionally, the money collected from park fees and tourism-related revenue supports the local economy by generating jobs and improving the quality of life for residents.
National parks in India may assist the local communities as well as the environment by boosting sustainable tourism, which would also benefit the ecosystem. Overall, India’s national parks are a great asset to the nation and give tourists a chance to enjoy the country’s natural beauty while also helping to save these important ecosystems.