Manas Wildlife Sanctuary

a) Bodo insurgency 1988-2003;

b) Forced evacuation of Park staff;

c) Destruction of Park infrastructure;

d) Poaching and logging;

e) Illegal cultivation.

Bodo insurgency resulting in destruction of Park infrastructure and depletion of forest habitat and wildlife populations.

Benchmarks for corrective measures were identified by the joint 2005 UNESCO/IUCN mission and adopted by the Committee at its 29th session (Durban, 2005) (29 COM 7A.9):

a) Accelerate efforts to re-build Park infrastructure;

b) Take prompt measures to fill vacant positions within the Park;

c) Ensure timely release of funds to the Park, in compliance with the recent Supreme Court ruling; and

d) Undertake a comprehensive wildlife survey in the Park, which could act as a future baseline for monitoring recovery of the property.

The State Party submitted a report on the state of conservation of the property on 31 March 2006. Key points of the report with regard to the four benchmarks set by the Committee at its 29th session (Durban, 2005) include:

a) Park infrastructure: All possible measures have been taken to re-build Park infrastructure and, in addition, new Park infrastructure has been built including roads, bridges, buildings and a wireless system. Three range offices and two beat offices have been manned and armed;

b) Staffing: The State Government has approved the proposal to fill the vacant positions within the Park. The existing staff vacancies are expected to be filled within the next 2-3 months;

c) Funding: On 27 September 2005, the State Government has released a first instalment of Rs. 8 million to Manas National Park, out of a budget of Rs. 19.8 million approved by Project Tiger for the Park for the current year;

d) Wildlife: The Manas tiger population numbered 65 animals in 2000 compared to 81 animals in 1993. Results from the February 2006 tiger census were not available as of April 2006. The elephant population numbered 658 animals in 2005 in the greater Chirag Ripu Elephant Reserve, of which Manas National Park constitutes the main elephant habitat, compared to 567 animals in 2002 for Manas National Park only.

In contrast to previous reports indicating that all rhinos had been wiped out during the insurgency, recent press reports indicate there might still be a fragmented population of half-a-dozen rhinos in the Park.

The State Party reports that the Assam State Government has initiated, in collaboration with the International Rhino Foundation (IRF) WWF-India, US Fish and Wildlife Service and other partners, the Indian Rhino Vision (IRV) 2020, a major population and range expansion programme for rhinos in Assam. One of the objectives is to relocate rhinos into areas from which they disappeared, and Manas National Park has been identified as the top target area for receiving rhinos from Kaziranga National Park and Pabitora Wildlife Sanctuary.

During the centenary celebrations for Manas National Park in December 2005, local Bodo communities and the Bodo Territorial Council endorsed the IRV 2020 and committed their full support to its implementation. In November 2005, the taskforce of the IRV 2020 met to review the report of its Security Expert Group which assessed improvements required in targeted protected areas to enable them to receive rhinos. Subsequently, the IRF intimated the release of USD 50,000 to WWF-India for further improvements of the infrastructure in Manas National Park to enable the rhinos to be translocated.

The security situation in Manas National Park, which once had a population of at least 100 rhinos, is now permitting the reintroduction of rhinos, initially on an experimental basis. As the first step, a 44-month-old female rhino was translocated from Kaziranga National Park to Manas National Park in February 2006. The rhino was released into a fenced one-square-kilometre enclosure, is fitted with a radio collar and will be closely monitored.

It is noted that tourists – domestic as well as from abroad – are increasingly visiting Manas Wildlife Sanctuary and that the site has high potential for ecotourism. The increased involvement of local people and NGOs in the conservation and management efforts at Manas is welcomed.