Royal Manas National Park is Bhutan

Bhutan

Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...

's oldest national park

National park

A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...

, and the Royal government considers it the "conservation showpiece of the Kingdom" and a "genetic depository" for valuable plants. It has an area of 1057 square kilometres (408.1 sq mi) and covers eastern Sarpang District

Sarpang District

Sarpang District is one of the 20 dzongkhags comprising Bhutan.-Languages:...

, the western half of Zhemgang District, and western Pemagatshel District. It is connected via "biological corridors" to Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary

Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary

The Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary is the second-smallest national park in Bhutan, covering in western Sarpang District and southeastern Dagana District along the border with West Bengal. It is connected to Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park and Royal Manas National Park via a "biological corridor"...

, Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park

Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park

Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park covers an area of in central Bhutan. The Park occupies most of Trongsa District, as well as parts of Sarpang, Tsirang, Wangdue Phodrang, and Zhemgang Districts. Jigme Singye abuts Royal Manas National Park to the southeast...

, Thrumshingla National Park

Thrumshingla National Park

Thrumshingla National Park in central Bhutan covers just over across four districts, but primarily in Mongar. It is bisected by the Lateral Road, and contains the Thrumshing La pass.-Flora and fauna:...

, and Khaling Wildlife Sanctuary

Khaling Wildlife Sanctuary

Khaling Wildlife Sanctuary is the smallest protected area of Bhutan covering in Samdrup Jongkhar District along the southern border with Assam. Its elevations range between and . Khaling Wildlife Sanctuary is, despite its small acreage, an important habitat for elephants, gaur , and other...

. Royal Manas also directly abuts the World Heritage Site

World Heritage Site

A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...

 Manas National Park

Manas National Park

Manas National Park or Manas Wildlife Sanctuary is a Wildlife Sanctuary, UNESCO Natural World Heritage site, a Project Tiger Reserve, an Elephant Reserve and a Biosphere Reserve in Assam, India. Located in the Himalayan foothills, it is contiguous with the Royal Manas National park in Bhutan...

 in Assam

Assam

Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...

, India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

, to the south.

History

Royal Manas was one of the earliest focuses of the Bhutan Trust Fund in the early 1990s, receiving infrastructure development and baseline biological and socio-economic assessments. Bhutan's first park management plan was prepared for Royal Manas, and guided management of other parks.

Flora and fauna

The Park's biomes range from lowland tropical forests to permanent ice fields. It is inhabited by bengal tiger

Bengal Tiger

The Bengal tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent that in 2010 has been classified as endangered by IUCN...

s, elephant

Elephant

Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...

s, gaur

Gaur

The gaur , also called Indian bison, is a large bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986 as the population decline in parts of the species' range is likely to be well over 70% over the last three generations...

 (Bos gaurus), as well as rarer golden langur (Presbytis geei), pygmy hog

Pygmy Hog

Pygmy hog is an endangered species of small wild pig, previously spread across India, Nepal, and Bhutan but now only found in Assam. The current world population is about 150 individuals or fewer...

 (Sus salvanius), hispid hare

Hispid Hare

The Hispid hare Caprolagus hispidus, also called Assam rabbit is a leporid native to South Asia, whose historic range extended along the southern foothills of the Himalayas. Today, the habitat of hispid hares is highly fragmented with an area of occupancy of less than extending over an estimated...

 (Caprolagus hispidus), and Ganges River Dolphin (Platanista). It is also the only Bhutanese park inhabited by the one-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) and Wild water buffalo (Bubalus arnee). Hundreds of species of birds — including four species of Hornbill

Hornbill

Hornbills are a family of bird found in tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Melanesia. They are characterized by a long, down-curved bill which is frequently brightly-colored and sometimes has a casque on the upper mandible. Both the common English and the scientific name of the family...

s – Rufous-necked, Wreathed, Pied and Great Indian — also live in the vast park. The Manas River

Manas River

The Manas River is a transboundary river in the Himalayan foothills between southern Bhutan and India.It is named after Manasa, the serpent god in Hindu mythology.It is the largest river system of Bhutan, among its four major river systems; the other three are Amo Chu or Torsa, Wong Chu or Raidak,...

 and its tributaries are home to three species of rare migratory game fish called mahseer

Mahseer

Mahseer is the common name used for the genera Tor, Neolissochilus, and Naziritor in the family Cyprinidae . The name Mahseer is however more often restricted to members of the genus Tor...

: the deep-bodied mahseer (Tor tor), golden mahseer (Tor putitora), and Chocolate mahseer or Katle (Acrossocheilus hexangonolepis). Royal Manas also produces several plant species used in food, commerce, medicine, and religious rituals. About 5,000 people live in remote, isolated villages within the park.