BharatNotes
India has 107 national parks (as of April 2025) covering approximately 44,402 sq km (~1.35% of India's geographical area). National parks carry the highest protection level under the Wildlife Protection Act — no human activity is permitted inside the core. UPSC tests park locations, flagship species, UNESCO designations, and frequently confuses parks across neighbouring states. Pay special attention to parks in Northeast India where state boundaries are tricky.
UPSC trap to remember: National parks have the highest protection (no human activity permitted); Wildlife Sanctuaries allow some human activity; Tiger Reserves have core and buffer zones.
Himalayan Region
| National Park | State | Area (km²) | Ecosystem / Notable Species | UPSC Trap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Corbett NP | Uttarakhand | 520.82 | Sal forest, Himalayan foothills; Bengal Tiger, Asian Elephant, Gharial | India's first NP (1936); originally Hailey NP; Project Tiger started here (1973) |
| Rajaji NP | Uttarakhand | 820 | Sal and mixed forests; Elephant, Tiger, Leopard | Formerly three sanctuaries merged; Elephant Reserve |
| Valley of Flowers NP | Uttarakhand | 87.5 | Sub-alpine meadows; Himalayan Monal, Snow Leopard | UNESCO World Heritage Site (with Nanda Devi) |
| Nanda Devi NP | Uttarakhand | 630 | Alpine; Snow Leopard, Himalayan Tahr, Bharal | UNESCO World Heritage Site; Nanda Devi biosphere reserve |
| Gangotri NP | Uttarakhand | 2,390 | Glacial; Musk Deer, Snow Leopard, Himalayan Brown Bear | Gangotri Glacier (origin of Ganga/Bhagirathi) within it |
| Govind Pashu Vihar NP | Uttarakhand | 472 | Alpine/sub-alpine; Musk Deer, Snow Leopard | Border with Himachal Pradesh |
| Great Himalayan NP | Himachal Pradesh | 754 | Temperate forests, alpine; Snow Leopard, Western Tragopan | UNESCO World Heritage Site (2014) |
| Pin Valley NP | Himachal Pradesh (Spiti) | 675 | Cold desert; Snow Leopard, Siberian Ibex | Spiti Valley; adjoins Rupi Bhaba WLS |
| Hemis NP | Ladakh | 4,400 | Cold desert; largest NP in India; Snow Leopard, Tibetan Wild Ass | Largest NP by area in India; one of Asia's largest |
| Dachigam NP | J&K | 141 | Temperate forests; Hangul (Kashmir Stag/Red Deer) | Only habitat of Hangul (Cervus hanglu hanglu); critically endangered |
| Salim Ali NP | J&K (Srinagar) | 9.07 | Wetlands/riparian; migratory birds | Named after ornithologist Salim Ali; one of smallest NPs |
| Kishtwar NP | J&K | 400 | Temperate; Snow Leopard, Brown Bear | Remote; bordering HP |
| Manas NP | Assam | 500 | Tropical wet evergreen; Golden Langur, Tiger, Elephant, One-horned Rhino, Gangetic Dolphin | UNESCO World Heritage Site + Tiger Reserve + Biosphere Reserve; Project Tiger |
Northeast India
| National Park | State | Area (km²) | Ecosystem / Notable Species | UPSC Trap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaziranga NP | Assam | 858.98 | Floodplains; Two-thirds of world's One-horned Rhino; Tiger, Elephant, Wild Buffalo | UNESCO World Heritage Site; highest tiger density in world; Project Tiger |
| Orang NP | Assam | 78.81 | Floodplains; One-horned Rhino, Tiger, Elephant | "Mini Kaziranga"; north bank of Brahmaputra |
| Nameri NP | Assam | 200 | Tropical wet evergreen; Tiger, Elephant, White-winged Wood Duck | Adjacent to Pakke Tiger Reserve (AP) |
| Dibru-Saikhowa NP | Assam | 340 | Semi-evergreen; Feral Horses, Gangetic Dolphin, Tiger | Rare feral horse population; flood-prone |
| Raimona NP | Assam | 422 | Tropical; Golden Langur (endemic to Assam-Bhutan border region) | 6th NP of Assam; declared 2021; part of Manas landscape |
| Sikhna Jwhwlao NP | Assam | 316.29 | Bodo Territorial Region (Chirang-Kokrajhar); Golden Langur, Tiger, Elephant, One-horned Rhino | 8th NP of Assam; 3rd in BTR landscape; officially notified March 5, 2025; part of Manas Biosphere Reserve |
| Mouling NP | Arunachal Pradesh | 483 | Mixed tropical; Tiger, Snow Leopard, Red Panda | Uppermost catchment of Siang River |
| Namdapha NP | Arunachal Pradesh | 1,985.23 | Tropical to alpine; 4 big cats (Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Clouded Leopard); Red Panda, Hoolock Gibbon | Largest NP in Northeast India; only park in world with 4 big cat species |
| Pakke (Pakhui) NP | Arunachal Pradesh | 861.95 | Tropical; Tiger, Elephant, Great Indian Hornbill | Pakke Tiger Reserve; hornbill nesting project |
| Keibul Lamjao NP | Manipur | 40 | Floating phumdi grassland on Loktak Lake; Sangai (Brow-antlered Deer/Eld's Deer) | Only floating national park in world; Sangai is state animal of Manipur |
| Nokrek NP | Meghalaya | 47.48 | Tropical moist forest; Red Panda, Hoolock Gibbon, Asian Elephant | Part of Nokrek Biosphere Reserve; centre of citrus fruit diversity |
| Balphakram NP | Meghalaya | 220 | Tropical forest; Tiger, Elephant, Red Panda | Land of spirits in Garo mythology |
| Murlen NP | Mizoram | 100 | Tropical forest; Hoolocks, Serow | Remote; Pawi-Lakher Regional Council area |
| Phawngpui NP | Mizoram | 50 | High-altitude grassland; Blue Poppy, Serow, Leopard | "Blue Mountain" — highest peak in Mizoram (2,157 m) |
| Ntangki NP | Nagaland | 202.02 | Tropical; Tiger, Elephant, Hoolock Gibbon | — |
| Singalila NP | West Bengal | 78.60 | Temperate; Red Panda, Leopard, Himalayan Black Bear | Darjeeling district; Sandakphu is highest peak (3,636 m) |
| Buxa NP | West Bengal | 117.10 | Sal forest; Tiger, Elephant, Pygmy Hog | Bengal-Bhutan border; Buxa Fort |
| Gorumara NP | West Bengal | 79.45 | Floodplains; One-horned Rhino, Elephant | Smaller rhino habitat; Jalpaiguri district |
| Jaldapara NP | West Bengal | 216.51 | Floodplains; One-horned Rhino (largest population in WB), Elephant | Alipurduar district; Torlsa River |
| Sundarbans NP | West Bengal | 1,330.12 | Mangrove delta; Bengal Tiger (mangrove tiger), Irrawaddy Dolphin, Estuarine Crocodile | UNESCO World Heritage Site + Ramsar Site + Tiger Reserve + Biosphere Reserve; largest mangrove forest in world |
Central India (Deccan Plateau)
| National Park | State | Area (km²) | Ecosystem / Notable Species | UPSC Trap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kanha NP | Madhya Pradesh | 940 | Dry deciduous forest; Tiger, Barasingha (Swamp Deer — saved from extinction here), Leopard | Inspired Kipling's The Jungle Book; Project Tiger; hard-ground Barasingha (Rucervus duvaucelii branderi) is endemic here |
| Bandhavgarh NP | Madhya Pradesh | 448.85 | Mixed forest; Highest Tiger density of any small park; White Tiger (historic) | First White Tiger was from Rewa (near this region); core tiger habitat |
| Pench NP | MP/Maharashtra | 292.85 (MP core) | Dry deciduous; Tiger, Leopard, Wild Dog (Dhole) | Spans MP-Maharashtra border; Pench Tiger Reserve |
| Satpura NP | Madhya Pradesh | 524.37 | Teak forest, plateaux; Tiger, Sloth Bear, Indian Giant Squirrel | Only park in India with walks, jeep and boat safaris; Pachmarhi on its edge |
| Sanjay NP | Madhya Pradesh | 466.88 | Dry forest; Tiger, Leopard | Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserve |
| Van Vihar NP | Madhya Pradesh | 4.45 | Urban park; houses rescued animals | Within Bhopal city; not a wilderness park |
| Madhav NP | Madhya Pradesh | 375 | Dry deciduous; Tiger (reintroduced 2023), Cheetah area nearby | India's 58th Tiger Reserve (March 2025); Shivpuri district |
| Fossil NP | Madhya Pradesh (Dindori) | 0.27 | Plant fossils (Gondwana era) | Smallest NP in India by area; fossilised plant specimens |
| Tadoba-Andhari NP | Maharashtra | 625.40 | Dry deciduous; Tiger, Gaur (Indian Bison), Sloth Bear | Oldest NP in Maharashtra; Tadoba Tiger Reserve |
| Gugamal NP | Maharashtra | 361.28 | Dry forest; Tiger, Leopard, Bison | Part of Melghat Tiger Reserve landscape |
| Navegaon NP | Maharashtra | 133.88 | Dry forest; Tiger, Gaur, Sloth Bear | Linked to Pench landscape |
| Chandoli NP | Maharashtra | 317.67 | Moist deciduous; Leopard, Gaur, King Cobra | Part of Sahyadri Tiger Reserve |
| Sanjay Gandhi NP | Maharashtra (Mumbai) | 86.96 | Teak, Kanheri Caves; Leopard (urban) | Only NP in India within a megacity; leopard-human interface issues |
| Panna NP | Madhya Pradesh | 542.67 | Dry deciduous; Tiger (reintroduced 2009), Ken Crocodile Sanctuary | Ken River flows through it; Ken-Betwa Link project controversy |
| Ranthambore NP | Rajasthan | 392 | Dry deciduous; Tiger, Marsh Crocodile, Sloth Bear | Jogi Mahal; former hunting grounds of Jaipur Maharajas; Project Tiger since 1973 |
| Sariska NP | Rajasthan | 273.80 | Dry deciduous; Tiger (reintroduced from Ranthambore) | First park where tigers went locally extinct (2005); reintroduction success story |
| Keoladeo (Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary) NP | Rajasthan | 28.73 | Wetland/grassland; Siberian Crane (wintered here), Sarus Crane, 364+ bird species | UNESCO World Heritage Site; man-made wetland; Siberian Cranes no longer visiting since ~2002 |
| Desert NP | Rajasthan (Jaisalmer, Barmer) | 3,162 | Thar Desert; Great Indian Bustard (GIB), Blackbuck, Chinkara | Largest NP in Rajasthan; home to critically endangered GIB; fossil site (Akal Wood Fossil Park nearby) |
| Mukundra Hills NP | Rajasthan (Kota) | 200.54 | Dry deciduous; Tiger (translocated), Sloth Bear | Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve; Rajasthan's 3rd Tiger Reserve |
South India and Western Ghats
| National Park | State | Area (km²) | Ecosystem / Notable Species | UPSC Trap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Periyar NP | Kerala | 350 | Tropical evergreen/moist deciduous; Tiger, Elephant, Gaur | Periyar Tiger Reserve; Mullaperiyar Dam controversy; Thekkady is the tourism hub |
| Silent Valley NP | Kerala | 89.52 | Tropical wet evergreen; Lion-tailed Macaque, Nilgiri Langur | Saved from Kunthipuzha River hydroelectric project (1980s); biodiversity hotspot; Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve |
| Eravikulam NP | Kerala | 97 | Shola grassland; Nilgiri Tahr (endangered), Nilgiri Marten | Highest population of Nilgiri Tahr; Anamudi peak (2,695 m — highest point in South India) is here |
| Pampadum Shola NP | Kerala | 1.32 | Shola forests; Elephant, Gaur | One of smallest NPs |
| Anamudi Shola NP | Kerala | 7.50 | Shola grassland; Lion-tailed Macaque | Near Eravikulam |
| Mathikettan Shola NP | Kerala | 12.82 | Shola forests | Periyar River tributaries |
| Bandipur NP | Karnataka | 874.20 | Dry/moist deciduous; Tiger, Elephant, Gaur, Wild Dog (Dhole) | Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve; Project Tiger; border with TN (Mudumalai) and Kerala (Wayanad) |
| Nagarhole (Rajiv Gandhi) NP | Karnataka | 643.39 | Moist deciduous; Tiger, Leopard, Elephant, Gaur | Kabini Reservoir within it; Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve |
| Kudremukh NP | Karnataka | 600.57 | Shola/wet evergreen; Lion-tailed Macaque, Gaur, Malabar Giant Squirrel | Kudremukh means "horse face" (hill shape); Western Ghats UNESCO site |
| Anshi (Anshi-Dandeli) NP | Karnataka | 417.34 | Moist deciduous; Black Panther (melanistic leopard), Tiger | Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve; Kali Tiger Reserve |
| Mudumalai NP | Tamil Nadu | 321.55 | Dry/moist deciduous; Tiger, Elephant, Gaur, Sloth Bear | Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve; Sigur Plateau; elephant corridor |
| Anamalai (Indira Gandhi) NP | Tamil Nadu | 958.59 | Tropical wet evergreen; Tiger, Elephant, Lion-tailed Macaque | Topslip tourism area; part of Anamalai Tiger Reserve |
| Mukurthi NP | Tamil Nadu | 78.46 | Shola grassland; Nilgiri Tahr | Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve; Mukurthi peak area |
| Gulf of Mannar NP | Tamil Nadu | 560 | Marine NP; Dugong, Sea Turtles, Coral Reefs | First marine biosphere reserve in South/Southeast Asia; Mandapam base |
| Guindy NP | Tamil Nadu (Chennai) | 2.70 | Dry thorny forest; Blackbuck, Spotted Deer, Indian Fox | Within Chennai city; one of smallest NPs; adjoins Raj Bhavan |
| Sri Venkateswara NP | Andhra Pradesh | 353 | Eastern Ghats; Tiger, Sloth Bear, Golden Gecko | Nallamala Hills; Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve adjoins |
| Papikonda NP | Andhra Pradesh | 1,012.86 | Tropical; Tiger, Sloth Bear | Godavari gorge area; important riparian habitat |
| Mrugavani NP | Telangana (Hyderabad) | 3.72 | Dry forest; Spotted Deer, Jackal | Near Hyderabad city |
| Velavadar NP | Gujarat | 34.08 | Grassland; Blackbuck, Wolf, Lesser Florican | Highest Blackbuck density in world; Bhal grassland |
| Gir NP | Gujarat | 258.71 | Dry deciduous; Asiatic Lion (only wild population), Marsh Crocodile, Hyena | Only place in the world where Asiatic Lions exist in the wild; Gir Somnath district |
| Marine NP (Gulf of Kutch) | Gujarat | 162.89 | Marine; Flamingo, Dugong, Coral reefs | First marine NP in India (1982); Jamnagar district |
| Vansda NP | Gujarat | 23.99 | Moist deciduous | Navsari district; small forested area |
Coastal and Island Parks
| National Park | State/UT | Area (km²) | Ecosystem / Notable Species | UPSC Trap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mahatma Gandhi Marine NP | Andaman & Nicobar | 281.50 | Marine; Coral, Sea Turtles, Dugong | Wandoor, South Andaman; most visited marine NP in India |
| Campbell Bay NP | Andaman & Nicobar | 426.23 | Rainforest; Saltwater Crocodile, Leatherback Sea Turtle | Great Nicobar; near tri-junction of Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea, Indian Ocean |
| Galathea Bay NP | Andaman & Nicobar | 110 | Marine/forest; Leatherback Sea Turtle nesting site | Great Nicobar; India's largest Leatherback Sea Turtle nesting site |
| Mount Harriet NP | Andaman & Nicobar | 46.62 | Tropical rainforest; Andaman Wood Pigeon | South Andaman island |
| Saddle Peak NP | Andaman & Nicobar | 32.54 | Tropical; highest peak in A&N (732 m) | North Andaman |
| Rani Jhansi Marine NP | Andaman & Nicobar | 256.14 | Marine; Coral, Rays | Ritchie's Archipelago, North Andaman |
| Similipal NP | Odisha | 845.70 | Sal forest; Tiger, Elephant, Gaur, rare Melanistic Tigers | India's 107th NP (officially notified April 24, 2025); Odisha's 2nd NP after Bhitarkanika; Similipal Tiger Reserve + Biosphere Reserve; only known habitat of melanistic tigers in India |
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