National Parks in India

A National Park is a relatively large area of scenic beauty protected and maintained by the Government to preserve flora and fauna, landscape, historic objects of the area and places of scientific interest. National park provide human recreation and enjoyment.

National Park is an area of countryside, or occasionally sea or freshwater, protected by the state for the enjoyment of the general public or the preservation of wildlife.

Some national parks focus on conserving a particular species. For Example, the Jawai leopard sanctuary is in Rajasthan.

There are a total of 55 rock shelters in Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve which also feature rock paintings depicting figures of men fighting with animals, hunting scenes, dancing, and playing musical instruments. Many tribal are still living in the area.

There are 104 national parks in India. The top 10 of these national parks include:

  • Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand
  • Kaziranga National Park, Assam
  • Gir Forest National Park, Gujarat
  • Sundarban National Park, West Bengal
  • Satpura National Park, Madhya Pradesh
  • Eravikulam National Park, Kerala
  • Pench National Park, Madhya Pradesh
  • Sariska National Park, Rajasthan
  • Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh
  • Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan

Why do animals become extinct?

Disturbances in the natural habitat of animals make it difficult for them to survive and hence become extinct. For Example, dinosaurs became extinct thousands of years ago.

Why do we need to conserve Animals?

Animals, such as lizards, snakes, owls, and bats, play a particular role in an ecosystem and help in maintaining its balance. They form part of food chains and food webs. We need to conserve different life forms to make sure that the natural balance does not get disturbed.

What do we mean by an Ecosystem?

An ecosystem refers to the living organisms and non-living components of a place, including plants, animals, microorganisms, climate, soil, river deltas etc.