Assam: Dispur Cancels 9th Addition to Kaziranga National Park

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: In a development of considerable significance, the Assam government has officially cancelled the preliminary notification regarding the 9th addition to the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve. The area in question, measuring 2,570 hectares and falling under the Tezpur Revenue Circle in Sonitpur District, had been previously notified on September 2, 2020.

According to a fresh notification issued by the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department, the cancellation has been made under the ambit of the powers conferred by Section 35 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

The notification, issued a few days back, refers to the cancellation of the Preliminary Notification of the 9th addition to Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve falling under Tezpur Revenue Circle, Sonitpur District, notified vide a government notification dated September 2, 2020, with an area of 2,570 hectares, with immediate effect.

The move comes as part of an ongoing review of land use and conservation strategies concerning one of India’s most renowned wildlife reserves. However, no official reason for the cancellation has been stated in the notification.

Kaziranga National Park (KNP), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to the world’s largest population of one-horned rhinoceros and is a critical habitat for tigers, elephants, and other wildlife species.

It may be mentioned here that the additions to KNP were made as follows: the 1st addition of 43.79 sq. km on May 28, 1977; the 2nd addition of 6.47 sq. km on July 10, 1985; the 3rd addition of 0.69 sq. km on May 31, 1985; the 4th addition of 0.89 sq. km on August 3, 1988; the 5th addition of 1.15 sq. km on June 13, 1985; and the 6th addition of 376.50 sq. km on August 7, 1999. The 7th, 8th, and 9th additions were notified on September 2, 2020. The most recent announcement includes the reference to an expansion to the 6th addition, approved by the cabinet.

The Assam Cabinet recently approved a substantial expansion of Kaziranga National Park, adding an impressive 47,306.33 hectares to its area. The decision, announced on June 4, 2025, marks the park’s 6th extension and aims to reinforce the park’s status as a global conservation success story. The approval was made during a state cabinet meeting held earlier in Guwahati on May 21, 2025. According to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), the expansion is geared towards strengthening biodiversity efforts and promoting sustainable tourism within the boundaries of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Spread across 1,302 sq. km before the proposed expansion, the park is globally famous for harbouring the largest population of the endangered one-horned rhinoceros, with a current estimated count of 2,613. In addition, the park supports a healthy population of tigers, estimated at 32.64 per 100 sq. km, making it one of India’s most significant tiger conservation areas. The park is also known for its high density of elephants, wild water buffalo, and swamp deer.

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