Namdhapa National Park

The park is located in Changlang district of the Northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, near its border with Myanmar. It spans an area of 1985 km2 with 177 km2 in buffer zone and 1808 km2 in the core area. The park is located between the Dapha bum range of the Mishmi Hills and the Patkai range with a wide altitudinal range between 200 m asl and 4571 m asl. The area falls under both the Palearctic and Indo Malayan biogeographic areas resulting in a diverse species assemblage. The habitat changes with increasing altitude from tropical moist forests to Montane forests, temperate forests and at the higher elevations, to Alpine meadows and perennial snow. The park has extensive bamboo forests and secondary forests in addition to the primary forests.

Namdapha National Park is the largest protected area in the Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot and is located in Arunachal Pradesh in Northeast India. It is also the third largest national park in India in terms of area. It is located in the Eastern Himalayan sub-region and is recognized as one of the richest areas in biodiversity in India. The park harbours the northernmost lowland evergreen rainforests in the world at 27°N latitude. The area is also known for extensive Dipterocarp forests.

Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve at the eastern tip of India is the last true wilderness you will find anywhere in the old world. Thick, impenetrable tropical rain forest growth covering an area of 1985.23 square kilometers forms the core of this natural paradise. Namdapha lies along the turbulent Noa-Dihing River at the international border between India and Myanmar within Changlang District in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in the northeast India. It was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1983.


The areas vegetation may be broadly classified into tropical, temperate and alpine vegetation stretching from monsoon forests right up to the snows. The valley is covered with a mix of Assam valley Tropical Rain forest and North Indian Tropical Moist Deciduous forest. The avifauna is a unique mix of Himalayan, Sino- Tibetan and Indo-Burmese forms. The mountainous terrain, criss-crossed by innumerable streams supports a subtropical humid climate sustaining some of the best mamallian fauna in the sub-continent. More than 60% of the land mammals genera found in India is represented in Namdapha and it is the only place in the world where you can find 4 big cats in one area.

Namdapha is justly a birding paradise with more than 400 species represented with some only found in this area in India. From Ibisbills and White-bellied Herons on the Noa-Dihing, to Blyth’s Tragopans, Blue-naped Pittas, Snowy-throated babblers, Cochoas, Ward’s Trogons, Beautiful Nuthatches, Rufous-necked Hornbills ~ Namdapha is the last word in exotics and the rare. 

Flora and Fauna

The beautiful forests possess great biodiversity of Flora and Fauna. A details study of its species and genetic variation has not yet been thoroughly done. Namdapha is Botanist's dream and it may take as long as 50 years to complete a conprehensive survey of its botanical resources. There are more than 150 timber species. The Pinus merkusi and Abies delavavi are not found elsewhere in India. One of the rarest and endangered orchids, the Blue Vanda found here. The most famous local madicinal plant Mishimi Teeta (Copti teeta), which is used by the local tribal for all kinds of diseases is available here but its export has been banned. 

The diverse vegetations and habitats of Namdapha grooms diverse species of animals and birds. It is only park in the World to have the four Feline species of big cat namely the Tiger (Panthera Tigris), Leopard (Panthera Pardus), Snow Leopard (Panthera Uncia) and Clouded Leopard (Neofelis Nebulosa) and numbers of Lesser cats. A number of primate species are seen in the park, such as Assamese macaque, pig-tailed macaque, stump-tailed macaque and number of the distictive Hoolock Gibbons (Hylobates Hoolock), highly endangered and only 'ape' species found in India dwells in this impenetrable virgin forest. Of the many other important animals are the elephants, black bear, Indian Bison, several species of deers, reptiles and a variety of arboreal animals.

Among the bird species, most notable are the White winged Wood Ducks, a rare and endangered species, the great Indian hornbills, jungle fowls and pheasants flop their noisy way through the jungle, and which harbours other colourful bird and animal species. The inaccessibility of greater part of the park has helped to keep the forests in their pristine and virgin state in its natural form. Moreover, the park possesses great bio diversity of flora and fauna. The lush green under growths are thick and intertwined like cobwebs of canes, bamboos, wild bananas and variety of vegetations The grandeur of the wet tropical rain forest is breeding ground for varieties of animals and birds which is remarkable and worth seeing.