Adventure & Wildlife Magazine - Vol 1|Issue 5-6| Nov 16 - Jan 17 Vol 2 | Issue 1 | Mar - May 2017 | Page 62

ADVENTURE & WILDLIFE
recent origin on the bank of the Brahmaputra river and
the other is the upper terrace to the north, separated by a
high bank running through the park. The whole park is
encircled by inhabited villages thus subjecting it to biotic
pressure. It has fox holes built by the villagers on its west. The great Indian one-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros
unicornis) even though well conserved now in many
national parks and in captivity, is still in the endangered
list of IUCN and its population is estimated at 68, as per
census carried out by the forest department, in 2006.
Fauna
Orang park contains significant breeding populations
of several mammalian species. Apart from the great
Indian one-horned rhinoceros (68 at the last count),
which is the dominant species of the national park,
the other key species sharing the habitat are the royal
Bengal tiger (Pantheratigris), Asiatic elephant, pygmy
hog, hog deer and wild boar. Some important species of
the critically endangered and endangered category are
the following. Fishes
More than 50 species of fish have been recorded in the
river and channels flowing through the park.
The pygmy hog, a small wild pig, is critically
endangered, C2a(ii) ver 3.1 as per IUCN listing, and
is limited to about 75 animals in captivity, confined
to a very few locations in and around north-western
Assam, including the Orang National Park where it
has been introduced. Other mammals reported are
the blind Gangetic dolphin, Indian pangolin, hog deer
(Axis
porcinus),
rhesus
macaque,
Bengal
porcupine, Indian fox, small Indian civet, otter, leopard cat
(Prionailurusbengalensis), fishing cat (Felisviverrina)
and jungle cat (Felischaus).
The royal Bengal tiger (Pantheratigristigris), categorized
as endangered on the IUCN Red List (IUCN, 2008),
has an estimated population of about 19 (data source:-
Forest Department of Assam; census year 2000, based
on pug marks) in the park.
62
Avian Fauna
The park is home to a variety of migratory birds,
water birds, predators, scavengers and game birds.
47 families of Anatidae, Accipitridae, Addenda and
Ardeiae are found in the park with maximum
number of species. 222 species of birds have so far been
recorded, some of which are: spot-billed pelican
(Pelicanusphilippensis),
great
white
pelican,
black-necked
stork
(Ephippiorhynchusasiaticus),
greater adjutant stork (Leptoptilosdubius), lesser
adjutant stork (Leptoptilosjavanicus), ruddy shelduck
(Tadornaferruginea),
gadwall
(Anasstrepera),
brahminy duck, mallard (Anasplatyrhynchos), pintail
(Anasacuta),
hornbills,
Pallas’s
fish
eagle
(Haliaeetusleucoryphus),
king
fisher
and
woodpecker, in addition to forest and grassland birds. But
Bengal florican (Houbaropsisbengalensis), which is
in the threatened list of IUCN is one of the flagship
species in the park with a population 30-40 (recorded
second highest concentration as per Bombay Natural
History Society (BNHS)) and is in the threatened list
of IUCN. Migratory birds as far as from America such
as the milky American white pelicans have also been
reported in the park.
Vol 2|Issue 1|Mar - May 2017