Tiger Reserve:

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE ENTIRE PROJECT TIGER AREA CORE/ BUFFER AREA DESCRIPTION
NAME AND SITUATION: Project Tiger, Manas created during the year 1974 comprise of parts of Kokrajhar, Barpeta, Nalbari, Bongaigaon and Darrang of State of Assam and extends from Sankosh river in the west to the Dhansiri river in the east.

CORE/ BUFFER AREA DESCRIPTION, ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL:
When Project Tiger was launched during 1974, an area consisting of 391.00 Sq. Km. was designated as the core area (Sanctum Sanctorum) which consisted of Manas Wildlife Sanctuary. The constituent Reserved Forests were as follows:

The core area was enlarged to 519.77 sq. Km. and status of Manas Wildlife Sanctuary was declared as Manas National Park vide Assam Gazette Notification dated 5th December, 1990. The different Reserved Forests now constituting core area:

The buffer zone of Manas Tiger Reserve encompasses 19 forest reserves administratered by different Territorial Divisions and one Wildlife Division. These five divisions are as follows:

These 19 Reserved Forests are spread over Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Bareta, Nalbari and Darrang Districts. The Tiger Reserve is also flamed by contiguous and extensive forests on both sides of the Indo- Bhutan International Border as well as towards its east and west. But the southern side comprises of a densely populated area and the majority of population belongs to the plains tribal community known as Bodos.

CONFIGURATION OF THE GROUND: The configuration of the area varies from more or less flat ground to moderate slopes.

The general configuration of the ground along the Northern edge i.e. international borders with the Kingdom of Bhutan, is hilly, the hills being the outer portions of Himalayas. The attitude of these hills varies from 150 to 500 meters, the highest point (720 meters) being located at the Northern extreme of Khalingduar Reserved Forests.

The Northern hilly tract slopes down to alluvial plateau along the southern extremity till finally it merges with paddy fields. The alluvial plateau forms the watershed area of various rivers originating from reverian accretion and abandoned courses.

GEOLOGY ROCK & SOIL: the Eastern Himalayan mountain chains are thought to be arisen out of the bed of a sea resulting from the movement of tectonic plates forming the earth crust.

The RFs located on the plateau formation are covered byalluvial deposits of a varied character pebbles sand, clay and very commonly a mixture of sand and clay and often with much decomposed material. The major potion of this area, except for a very small fringe on the southern extreme (e.g. Panbari RF) represent typical 'Bhabar formation'.

Some Tarai formations are also represented in some of the RFs along the southern extremity.

THE CLIMATE: The climate of the area is in general moderate. Because of high humidity the area is neither too hot nor too cold.

The seasonal variations of the area can be distinctly divided into three categories namely the winter season from the middle of October to the end of February, the summer season from March to the middle of May & lastly the rainy season commencing from the middle of May to the middle of October.

fortunately the data on temperature, rainfall, humidity etc. are not available for stations inside the RFs. However, attempts have been made to collect data from neighboring areas of the RFs. The data on temperature, rainfall & relative humidity collected from different stations adjoining the RFs of NK Division are furnished in Appendix I.

From the data collected on temperature, the average mean maximum temperatures have been calculated and are reproduced below.

From the data it is seen that mean Max. temperature & Mean Min. temperature varies from the range 27.00 to 31.60⁰

C and from 12.30⁰ C and from 12.30⁰ C to 24.21⁰ C respectively and the highest temperature being 38.9 C⁰ at Mazbat during April 1989.

From the data on rainfall collected from various places under the division, it is seen that normal variation in rainfall lies in the range 980 mm to 2518.40 mm during the year.

From the rainfall data following conclusion can also be drawn.

1. Highest rainfall in on the foothills along the northern boundary of the forests.

2. Maximum rainfall is received during the months May, June, July and August.

3. Average no. of rainy days in a year vary in the range 34 to 128 days.

4. Max. no. of rainy days in a month of highest rainfall of the year vary in the range 15 to 25 days.
    

From the rainfall data it is seen that the months December and January are generally very dry months.

Violent storms blow during the pre- monsoon showers. Stormy conditions prevail during the month April, May and cause damage to forest crop.

Hail storms are occasional in occurrence. Forests are unknown in the Division.

WATER SUPPLY: A good network f river system works throughout the Division. All the rivers, streams, Nalas forming the drainage of the valley confluence with the river Brahmaputra, flowing at a distance of about 0-70 Km to the South from the southern boundaries of RF's. The river Brahmaputra flows all along the South East boundary of Korua RF. The flow of river Brahmaputra is from East to West. All the streams, Nalas and rivers in the forest flow from North to South. In 'Bhabay' areas most of the rivers, streams, nalas excepting a few perenial rivers (e.g. Manas, Hakua, Beki, Pagladia, Matunga, Bomodi, Nunoi) dry up during cold weather period & dry month. The same river, however been some water in hilly areas in the North and a regular flow in the 'Tarai' portion along southern extreme.

STATE OF Boundaries: The northern boundary of all RFs excepting Marapagladia, Baman and Korua is the common international boundary with Bhutan which is relayed by survey parties of survey of India at regular time intervals. If the Forest continues the present arrangement clearing the boundary at regular intervals, the northern boundary can be easily located in future.

The southern boundary of RFs running along the cultivated fields is partly clear in some areas whereas partly not clear in rest of the areas because of rampart encroachment (e.g. Bamadi RF). The Eastern and Western boundaries formed mostly of rivers or nalas their location of the ground becomes confusing mostly due to change of water course of river or streams. The situation is more aggravated when the river course forms the boundary between cultivate land and RFs (e.g. Baman RF)

LEGAL POSITION: The RFs under N.K. Division have been constituted under relevant provision of Assam Forest Regulation 1891. The notification nos. of various RFs of N.K. Division are furnished in Table 2.

Table:II

Statement of Govt. notification nos. of RFs of N.K. Division.

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