Guwahati: Despite remarkable progress in curbing poaching and boosting wildlife populations, Assam’s Manas National Park is facing a growing ecological crisis as its iconic grasslands, the foundation of the park’s rich biodiversity, continue to shrink rapidly.
The alarming contradiction has been highlighted by the World Heritage Committee (WHC) in a draft report prepared ahead of its 48th session, which will take place in Busan, South Korea, from July 19 to 29.
According to the Committee, invasive plant species have now overtaken nearly half of the grasslands within Manas National Park and the adjoining Manas Tiger Reserve, threatening the ecological integrity of the UNESCO World Heritage Site and the many species that rely on these habitats.
“It is of significant concern that the grassland-woodland ecosystem of the property, and hence the species that depend on it, continues to be impacted by invasive species,” the Committee said in its draft decision.
India’s State of Conservation Report submitted to UNESCO states that invasive vegetation has spread across extensive stretches of Manas’ grasslands, degrading habitats that support several endangered species.
The report stressed that long-term habitat restoration will require sustained management efforts backed by adequate financial support.
The WHC observed that the situation has worsened considerably since an earlier assessment conducted between 2014 and 2018, which found that around 20 per cent of the park’s grasslands had been severely invaded. The latest estimate indicates that the affected area has more than doubled in less than a decade.
Expressing concern over the deteriorating condition of the grassland ecosystem, the Committee urged India to complete the ongoing pilot projects on invasive species management and use their findings to formulate and implement a comprehensive action plan without delay.
“The finalisation and implementation of the new Action Plan should be expedited as a matter of priority and adequately resourced,” the Committee said, while noting that India could seek financial assistance from the World Heritage Fund through UNESCO’s International Assistance mechanism.
Even as it flagged the grassland crisis, UNESCO commended the park authorities for strengthening conservation measures to combat poaching. The Committee acknowledged the expansion of weekly patrols, improved monitoring technologies, the establishment of anti-poaching camps and the recruitment of 182 additional frontline personnel. It also noted that institutional reforms are underway to improve park management and protection.
The report highlighted encouraging trends in wildlife conservation, with long-term monitoring showing stable populations of the greater one-horned rhinoceros, increasing tiger numbers, signs of recovery in the endangered pygmy hog, and healthy populations of wild buffalo, Asian elephants and hog deer.
UNESCO also welcomed the absence of any new agricultural encroachment within the World Heritage property. However, it noted that longstanding encroachments remain unresolved because of socio-political sensitivities involving Indigenous communities.
The Committee emphasised that any future action to address encroachments should fully respect the social, economic and cultural rights of local communities.
On the transboundary conservation front, UNESCO praised the continued cooperation between India and Bhutan in safeguarding the wider Manas landscape and encouraged both countries to continue discussions on extending the World Heritage Site across the international border.
The Committee also requested updated information from both governments on the potential environmental impacts of hydropower projects in Bhutan, particularly the Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project.