{"id":111333,"date":"2026-07-04T16:44:38","date_gmt":"2026-07-04T11:14:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=111333"},"modified":"2026-07-04T16:44:38","modified_gmt":"2026-07-04T11:14:38","slug":"nokrek-national-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/nokrek-national-park\/","title":{"rendered":"Nokrek National Park, Location, Physical Features, Biodiversity"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>Nokrek National Park<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a beautiful and peaceful <\/span><b>wildlife area<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> located in the state of <\/span><b>Meghalaya, India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Surrounded by <\/span><b>lush green forests<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>hills<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, it is known for its <\/span><b>rich biodiversity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>natural beauty<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The park is home to many <\/span><b>rare plants and animals<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, including the famous <\/span><b>red panda<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the unique <\/span><b>citrus fruit species<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> found only in this region. It is also an important part of the <\/span><b>Nokrek Biosphere Reserve<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, helping to protect <\/span><b>nature<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and maintain <\/span><b>ecological balance<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Nokrek National Park Location and Establishment<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nokrek National Park is situated in the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/garo-hills\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Garo Hills<\/b><\/a><b> region of Meghalaya<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and it spreads across the districts of <\/span><b>East Garo Hills, West Garo Hills, and South Garo Hills<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, making it an important protected area in northeastern India.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The park was officially declared a <\/span><b>National Park in 1986<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, while the final legal notification was issued later in <\/span><b>1997<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, ensuring stronger protection and conservation measures.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although the park itself is relatively small in size, it forms the <\/span><b>core area of the <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/nokrek-biosphere-reserve\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Nokrek Biosphere Reserve<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which covers a much larger landscape of about <\/span><b>82,000 hectares<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An important feature of this park is that the land was <\/span><b>acquired by the Government of Meghalaya through purchase from local communities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, reflecting cooperation between authorities and indigenous people.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Nokrek National Park Physical Features and Landscape<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The terrain of Nokrek National Park is <\/span><b>completely hilly and rugged<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with variations in slope and elevation that give the area a distinct natural character.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>northern slopes are comparatively gentle<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, making them less steep, while the <\/span><b>southern side consists of moderate to very steep slopes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, creating a more challenging and uneven landscape.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The region is marked by <\/span><b>dense clusters of low hills<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and a prominent ridge known as the <\/span><b>Tura Ridge<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> runs through the park from the northwest to the northeast direction.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Tura Ridge acts as the backbone of the Garo Hills<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and is located at the western edge of the Meghalaya Plateau, playing a key role in shaping the region\u2019s geography.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The average elevation of the park is around <\/span><b>1,200 meters above sea level<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and the terrain is often <\/span><b>rocky with very little topsoil in certain areas<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which affects vegetation growth.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Nokrek National Park Rivers and Climate<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nokrek is the source region for several important <\/span><b>rivers and streams<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which originate in the hills and flow through <\/span><b>narrow, rocky channels<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> before joining larger river systems.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These rivers eventually drain into major river basins like the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/brahmaputra-river-system\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Brahmaputra<\/b><\/a><b> and Meghna<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, highlighting the park\u2019s hydrological importance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Key rivers originating from this region include the <\/span><b>Simsang River (the longest in the Garo Hills)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> along with <\/span><b>Ganol, Dareng, Nitai, and Bhugi rivers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The climate of the park is <\/span><b>tropical in nature<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, characterized by <\/span><b>high temperatures, heavy rainfall, and high humidity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, especially during the <\/span><b>monsoon season.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Nokrek National Park Vegetation and Forest Types<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The forests in Nokrek National Park are mainly classified as <\/span><b>Tropical Semi-evergreen forests<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, according to the classification by Champion and Seth (1968).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At higher elevations, the forests often turn into <\/span><b>cloud forests<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, where the area remains covered with clouds for long periods, especially during the monsoon season.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>southern slopes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have limited vegetation, mainly consisting of <\/span><b>patches of moist deciduous forests<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> along with areas of <\/span><b>secondary scrub vegetation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In contrast, the <\/span><b>northern slopes have very little vegetation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, mostly restricted to narrow stretches of <\/span><b>evergreen forests and semi-evergreen forests along the ridge<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The park is especially significant for its population of <\/span><b>Citrus indica<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a rare and primitive wild citrus species believed to be one of the earliest relatives of cultivated citrus fruits.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Nokrek National Park Biodiversity Importance (KBA Status)<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nokrek National Park is recognized as a <\/span><b>Key Biodiversity Area (KBA)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of international significance, which means it is crucial for the conservation of global biodiversity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The site meets important conservation criteria, including those used to identify <\/span><b>Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) sites<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Its classification is based on globally accepted standards such as the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/iucn-red-list\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>IUCN Red List<\/b><\/a><b> (2002)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, emphasizing the presence of threatened and unique species.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Flora of Nokrek National Park<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nokrek National Park, part of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/united-nations-educational-scientific-and-cultural-organization-unesco\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>UNESCO<\/b><\/a><b>-recognized Nokrek Biosphere Reserve<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Meghalaya, is dominated by <\/span><b>dense <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/tropical-evergreen-forests\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>tropical evergreen<\/b><\/a><b> and semi-evergreen forests<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, covering nearly 90% of the area.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This rich vegetation supports a wide variety of plant species adapted to humid subtropical conditions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the most important features of the park is the presence of <\/span><b>Citrus indica<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, locally known as <\/span><b><i>Memang Narang<\/i><\/b><b> or the \u201corange of the spirits.\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It is considered the <\/span><b>primitive ancestor of modern citrus fruits<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which led to the establishment of a <\/span><b>National Citrus Gene Sanctuary<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> within the biosphere reserve.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The forest canopy is formed by <\/span><b>tall and well-developed trees<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, including species such as <\/span><b>silk cotton tree (Bombax ceiba)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>hairy sterculia (Sterculia villosa)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><b>golden shower tree (Cassia fistula)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Other common trees like <\/span><b>champak and white meranti<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> further add to the dense forest cover.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The park also contains <\/span><b>extensive bamboo vegetation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, especially in the lower hills and valleys. Species such as <\/span><b>Bambusa tulda<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Dendrocalamus strictus<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> grow in thick clusters and play an important ecological role.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nokrek is known for its rich diversity of <\/span><b>orchids and ferns<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, both epiphytic (growing on trees) and terrestrial. Beautiful species like <\/span><b>Cymbidium elegans<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>Dendrobium densiflorum<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><b>Eria reticulata<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are commonly found, adding color and variety to the forest.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The moist and humid environment supports a wide range of <\/span><b>medicinal plants and herbs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which are traditionally used by local communities. Important species include <\/span><b>Swertia chirata<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>Dioscorea bulbifera<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><b>wild lemongrass<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, highlighting the park\u2019s ecological and medicinal importance.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Nokrek National Park Bird Diversity (Avifauna)<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Around <\/span><b>150 species of birds<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have been recorded in the park, making it an important site for bird conservation and study.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The park includes <\/span><b>restricted-range species<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as well as several species that are specific to particular ecological regions or biomes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Due to its elevation range (600-1400 m), Nokrek falls under two major biomes: the <\/span><b>Indo-Chinese Tropical Moist Forest<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the <\/span><b>Sino-Himalayan Subtropical Forest<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Species such as the <\/span><b>Oriental White-backed Vulture<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Slender-billed Vulture<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have been observed here, indicating the ecological importance of the park.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although local communities report the presence of the <\/span><b>Rufous-necked Hornbill<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, more scientific surveys are needed to confirm its status.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because of its rich bird diversity and presence of threatened species, the park has been identified as an <\/span><b>Important Bird Area (IBA)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The park is known for its diversity of wild cats, including <\/span><b>Tiger, Leopard, <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/clouded-leopard\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Clouded Leopard<\/b><\/a><b>, Golden Cat, and Leopard Cat<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which play a key role in maintaining ecological balance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other carnivores found here include the <\/span><b>Golden Jackal, Wild Dog (Dhole), and <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/himalayan-black-bear\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Himalayan Black Bear<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which are important predators in the ecosystem.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The park is home to several primate species such as the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/hollongapar-gibbon-sanctuary\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Hoolock Gibbon<\/b><\/a><b>, Capped Langur, Rhesus Macaque, and Stump-tailed Macaque<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, highlighting its rich biodiversity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Common herbivores include <\/span><b>Wild Boar, Sambar, Barking Deer, Serow, and Gaur<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which form an essential part of the food chain.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Smaller carnivores like <\/span><b>civets and the Binturong<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are also found here, along with a significant population of the <\/span><b>Indian Elephant<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which uses this region as part of its natural habitat.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Nokrek National Park Significance<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nokrek National Park is an important <\/span><b>biodiversity hotspot<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and forms part of a <\/span><b>UNESCO-recognized biosphere reserve<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, making it globally significant.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is known for rare and endangered species such as the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/red-panda\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>red panda<\/b><\/a><b>, clouded leopard, and Asian elephant<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which attract conservation attention.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The presence of <\/span><b>ancient citrus species<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> adds to its scientific and ecological importance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overall, the park plays a crucial role in <\/span><b>protecting wildlife, maintaining <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/ecological-balance\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>ecological balance<\/b><\/a><b>, and preserving the natural heritage<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the region.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nokrek National Park is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Meghalaya known for rich biodiversity, Citrus indica, clouded leopards, elephants, rare birds, and scenic forests.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":111230,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[786],"tags":[4993,5106,8503],"class_list":{"0":"post-111333","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-general-studies","8":"tag-environment","9":"tag-environment-notes","10":"tag-nokrek-national-park","11":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111333","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=111333"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111333\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":111353,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111333\/revisions\/111353"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/111230"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=111333"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=111333"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=111333"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}