List of Important National Parks in India
Protected areas of India
- These are defined according to the guidelines prescribed by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature).
- There are mainly four types of protected areas which are:
(a) National Park
(b) Wildlife Sanctuaries
(c) Conservation reserves
(d) Community reserves
(a) National ParksÂ
- There are 103 national parks in India.
- First national park in India- Jim Corbett National Park (previously known as Hailey National Park)
- No human activity/ rights allowed except for the ones permitted by the Chief Wildlife Warden of the state.
- It covered 1.23 percent geographical area of India
(b) Wildlife Sanctuaries
- There are 543 wildlife sanctuaries in India.
- It covered 3.62 percent geographical area of India
(c) Conservation reserves
- These categories added in Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act of 2002.
- Buffer zones between established national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserved and protected forests of India.
- Uninhabited and completely owned by the Government.
- It covered 0.08 percent geographical area of India.
(d) Community reserves
- These categories added in Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act of 2002.
- Buffer zones between established national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserved and protected forests of India.
- Used for subsistence by communities and community areas because part of the land is privately owned.
- It covered 0.002 percent geographical area of India.
Acts related to wildlife
- Wildlife Protection Act 1972
- It is applicable to whole India except Jammu and Kashmir which have their own law for wildlife protection.
Projects related to wildlife
(a) National ParksÂ
- There are 103 national parks in India.
- First national park in India- Jim Corbett National Park (previously known as Hailey National Park)
- No human activity/ rights allowed except for the ones permitted by the Chief Wildlife Warden of the state.
- It covered 1.23 percent geographical area of India
(b) Wildlife Sanctuaries
- There are 543 wildlife sanctuaries in India.
- It covered 3.62 percent geographical area of India
(c) Conservation reserves
- These categories added in Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act of 2002.
- Buffer zones between established national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserved and protected forests of India.
- Uninhabited and completely owned by the Government.
- It covered 0.08 percent geographical area of India.
(d) Community reserves
- These categories added in Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act of 2002.
- Buffer zones between established national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserved and protected forests of India.
- Used for subsistence by communities and community areas because part of the land is privately owned.
- It covered 0.002 percent geographical area of India.
Acts related to wildlife
- Wildlife Protection Act 1972
- It is applicable to whole India except Jammu and Kashmir which have their own law for wildlife protection.
Projects related to wildlife
- Project Tiger 1973
- Operation Crocodile 1975
- Project Rhinoceros 1987
- Project Elephant 1992
- Project Snow Leopard 2009
List of Important National Parks in India State Wise
| States | National park | Remarks |
| Andhra Pradesh | Sri Venkateswara National Park | – |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Mouling National Park | – |
| Namdapha National Park | Flying squirrel | |
| Assam | Kaziranga National Park | One-Horned Rhinoceros, UNESCO World Heritage Site |
| Dibru-Saikhowa National Park | Feral horse,Golden Langur | |
| Manas National Park | Golden Langur, Red Panda, UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
| Nameri National Park | – | |
| Orang National Park | – | |
| Bihar | Valmiki National Park | – |
| Chhattisgarh | Indravati National Park | – |
| Kanger Valley National Park | – | |
| Guru Ghasi Das (Sanjay) National Park | – | |
| Goa | Mollem National Park | – |
| Gujarat | Gir Forest National Park | Asiatic lion |
| Blackbuck National Park | Black Buck | |
| Marine National Park, Gulf of Kutch | – | |
| Haryana | Kalesar National Park | – |
| Sultanpur National Park | – | |
| Himachal Pradesh | Pin Valley National Park | – |
| Great Himalayan National Park | UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
| Inderkilla National Park | – | |
| Khirganga National Park | – | |
| Simbalbara National Park | – | |
| Jammu & Kashmir | Dachigam National Park | Kashmir stag |
| Hemis National Park | Largest National Park in India | |
| Kishtwar National Park | – | |
| Salim Ali National Park | – | |
| Jharkhand | Betla National Park | Forest owlets, Sloth bear, Bison |
| Karnataka | Dandeli National Park | – |
| Nagarhole National Park (Rajiv Gandhi National Park) | – | |
| Bandipur National Park | – | |
| Bannerghatta National Park | Sloth Bear | |
| Kerala | Pambadum Shola National Park | – |
| Eravikulam National Park | Nilgiri Tahr (found in western ghats) | |
| Mathikettan Shola National Park | – | |
| Silent Valley National Park | Lion-tailed macaque (found in western ghats) | |
| Anamudi Shola National Park | – | |
| Periyar National Park | – | |
| Madhya Pradesh | Bandhavgarh National Park | – |
| Pench National Park | – | |
| Kanha National Park | – | |
| Panna National Park | ||
| Pench National Park | – | |
| Sanjay National Park | – | |
| Satpura National Park | – | |
| Maharastra | Sanjay Gandhi National Park | – |
| Chandoli National Park | – | |
| Navegaon National Park | – | |
| Tadoba National Park | – | |
| Manipur | Keibul Lamjao National Park | Sangai or Dancing Deers, Only floating park in the world |
| Sirohi National Park | – | |
| Meghalaya | Balphakram National Park | Red Panda |
| Nokrek National Park | Red Panda, UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve | |
| Mizoram | Murlen National Park | – |
| Phawngpui Blue National Park | – | |
| Nagaland | Ntangki National Park | – |
| Odisha | Similipal National Park | – |
| Bhitarkanika National Park | Mangroves, Saltwater crocodile | |
| Rajasthan | Keoladeo National Park | UNESCO World Heritage Site |
| Sariska National Park | – | |
| Ranthambore National Park | – | |
| Mukundra Hills (Darrah) National Park | – | |
| Desert National Park | Great Indian bustard | |
| Sikkim | Khangchendzonga National Park | UNESCO World Heritage Site, Musk Deer |
| Tamil Nadu | Mudumalai National Park | – |
| Mukurthi National Park | Nilgiri tahr | |
| Indira Gandhi (Annamalai) National Park | – | |
| Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park | – | |
| Telangana | Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park | – |
| Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park | – | |
| Tripura | Bison(Rajbari) National Park | – |
| Clouded Leopard National Park | – | |
| Uttarakhand | Rajaji National Park | – |
| Jim Corbett National Park | First National Park of India. (previously known as Hailey National Park) | |
| Gangotri National Park | – | |
| Valley of Flowers National Park | – | |
| Nanda Devi National Park | UNESCO World Heritage Site, UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, Snow Leopard (Himalayan region) | |
| Uttar Pradesh | Dudhwa National Park | – |
| West Bengal | Sunderbans Wildlife Sanctuary | UNESCO World Heritage Site, Royal Bengal Tigers |
| Jaldapara National Park | Indian rhinoceros | |
| Buxa National Park | – | |
| Neora Valley NationalPark | – | |
| Gorumara National Park | – | |
| Andaman and Nicobar | Mahatama Gandhi Marine (Wandoor) National Park | – |
| Mount Harriett National Park | – | |
| Rani Jhansi Marine National Park | – | |
| Saddle Peak National Park | – | |
| Campbell Bay National Park | – |