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The theme of World Wildlife Day, March 3, 2017, is ‘Listen to the young voices.’ It aims to empower and engage the youth in conservation issues. The involvement of youth in wildlife conservation is high on the agenda of the United Nations. At present India has a network of 700 Protected Areas (103 National Parks, 528 Wildlife Sanctuaries, 65 Conservation Reserves and 4 Community Reserves).
There are 103 existing national parks in India covering an area of 40,500 square km, which is 1.23 per cent of the geographical area of the country (National Wildlife Database, April 2015). Below is a list of 10 of the largest national parks in the country, in descending order, and the endangered species that they house.
Snow leopard, CORBIS
Hemis National Park
Covers an area of 3350 sq km
Designated as a national park in 1981
Located in Leh District of Jammu and Kashmir
Endangered species include snow leopard, bahral, Asiatic ibex and mountain weasel.
Great Indian Bustard
Desert National Park
Covers an area of 3162 sq km
Designated as a national park in 1992
Located in Barmer and Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan
Endangered species include great Indian bustard, Bengal fox and blackbuck
Great Himalayan Barbet
Gangotri National Park
Covers and area of 2390 sq km
Designated as a national park in 1989
Located in Uttarkarshi district of Uttarakhand
Endangered species include snow leopard, Himalyan barbet, Asiatic ibex and musk deer
White winged wood duck
Namdapha National Park
Covers an area of 1807 sq km
Designated as a national park in 1983
Located in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh
Endangered species include the tiger, clouded leopard, snow leopard and white winged wood ducks.
Red Panda
Khangchendzonga National Park
Covers an area of 1784 sq km
Designated as a national park in 1977
Located in North Sikkim district of Sikkim
Endangered species include Himalayan tahr and black bear, snow leopard and red panda.
Civet
Guru Ghasidas (Sanjay) National Park
Covers an area of 1440.71sqkm
Designated as a national park in 1981
Located in Surguja and Koria districts of Chattisgarh
Endangered species include tiger, sambar deer, spotted deer and civet.
Royal Bengal Tiger
Sundarban National Park
Covers an area of 1330.10 sq km
Designated as a national park in 1984
Located in North & South Paraganas of West Bengal
Endangered species include the tiger, estuarine crocodiles and river terrapin
Wild Buffalo
Indravati National Park
Covers an area of 1258.37 sq km
Designated as a national park in 1982
Located in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh
Endangered species include wild buffalo, hill mynas, Indian bison and tigers
Sloth Bear
Papikonda National Park
Covers an area of 1012.86 sq km
Designated as a national park in 2008
Located in East and West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh
Endangered species include tiger, sloth bear, wild dog and leopards.
Bengal Fox
Kanha National Park
Covers an area of 940 sq km
Designated as a national park in 1955
Located in Mandla, Balaghat and Dindori districts of Madhya Pradesh
Endangered species include blackbuck, chital, dhole and Bengal fox