Located in the Himalayan foothills, Manas National Park or Manas Wildlife Sanctuary is a project tiger reserve, an elephant reserve and a Biosphere Reserve in Assam, India. The park is known for its rare and endangered wildlife such as the one horned Indian rhinoceros, Assam Roofed Turtle, Golden Langur and Pygmy Hog. It is also known for its population of the wild water buffalo.
Manas was declared a sanctuary on October 1, 1928. Manas Tiger Reserve came into effect from April 1973. Manas was upgraded to national park status in September 1990.
A UNESCO world heritage site, the park was named after the Manas River, which in turn is named after the serpent goddess Manasa. A major tributary of Brahmaputra River, Manas river passes through the heart of the national park.
The sanctuary has recorded 380 species of birds, 50 of reptiles, 55 species of mammals and 3 species of amphibians. The sanctuary’s fauna includes Indian rhinos, Asian Elephants, Leopards, Clouded Leopards, Asian golden cat, Indian Tigers, Barasingha and Asian Water Buffaloes. The park is well known for its rare and endangered wildlife like the Assam Roofed Turtle, Hispid Hare, Golden Langur and Pygmy Hog, which is not found anywhere else in the world.
Manas houses more than 450 species of birds and has the largest population of endangered Bengal Florican.
In the last decades two issues have become critical and have been successfully solved: the reintroduction of endangered species like the Rhino or the Bengal Florican, and the involvement of local communities to restrict and overcome poaching.
‘Resurgent Manas’ presents a dual narrative: on the one hand it provides samples of the various species that are present in the Park, while on the other it explains how the success of the Park has been possible through important initiatives. The result is a documentary that underlines the importance of a symbiotic relationship between all living species.
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