- Most of the over 100 natural World Heritage sites that are being severely damaged by expanding human infrastructure and land use are in Asia, a new study has warned.
- India’s Manas Wildlife Sanctuary and Nepal’s Chitwan National Park are among the most impacted Natural World Heritage Sites (NWHS), the study, published in the journal Biological Conservation, identified.
- Natural World Heritage Sites (NWHS), via the formal process run by UNESCO(United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation), are globally recognised as containing some of the Earth’s most valuable natural assets.
About Manas Wildlife Sanctuary:
- Manas National Park or Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (Pron:ˈmʌnəs) (Assamese: মানস ৰাষ্ট্ৰীয় উদ্যান, Manôx Rastriyô Udyan) is a national park, 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.
- The park is known for its rare and endangered endemic wildlife such as the Assam roofed turtle, hispid hare, golden langur and pygmy hog.
- Manas is famous for its population of the wild water buffalo.
- The name of the park is originated from the Manas River, which is named after the serpent goddess Manasa.
- The Manas river is a major tributary of Brahmaputra River, which passes through the heart of the national park.