Guwahati: The Manas National Park will remain closed to tourist from 25th June, the park authorities have announced. The annual closure has been imposed in view of heavy rainfall, rising water levels in the Beki River, and the need to ensure unrestricted movement of wildlife during the monsoon season.
The Forest Officials had already suspended elephant safari and river rafting activities in the national park from 1st June as a precautionary measure. The park will remain closed for three months as part of its regular summer and monsoon management programme aimed at maintaining ecological balance and protecting wildlife habitats.
Renowned for its natural beauty and rich biodiversity, Manas National Park attracts thousands of visitors from India and abroad every year. As per park authorities to park authorities, around 70,000 domestic and international tourists visited the park during the current tourism season before its closure.
Manas is famous for its diverse wildlife, including the one-horned rhinoceros, Asian elephant, wild buffalo, deer, bison, hornbills, peacocks, and the Royal Bengal Tiger. In recent months, sightings of a black panther and its two cubs in and around the park, including the bordering Fatemabad Tea Estate, have generated significant excitement among visitors.
Bansbari Range Officer Pranjal Talukdar stated that a one-hectare grassland nursery has been established this year under the CAMPA programme. The nursery will be used to cultivate native grass species, which will support grassland restoration and improve habitats for wildlife within the park. Talukdar also revealed that the Forest Department is planning to introduce a premium safari experience for visitors from next year.