Protected Areas in India - National Parks

A protected area strictly reserved for the conservation of wildlife, where activities like grazing, forestry, hunting, and cultivation are prohibited.

A national park is an area strictly reserved for the betterment and protection of wildlife, where human activities such as forestry, grazing, or cultivation are completely prohibited.

Indian Statistics: India has 110 national parks covering an area of over 40,501 sq km, which constitutes approximately 1.23% of the country's total geographical area.

Historical Milestones:

• World's First: Yellowstone National Park (USA).
• India's First: Jim Corbett National Park (Nainital, Uttarakhand).

Tiger Reserves in India:

• Largest: Nagarjuna Sagar Srisailam Sanctuary (Andhra Pradesh).
• Smallest: Ranthambore National Park (Rajasthan).

Specific Fauna: Nandan Kanan Zoo (Odisha) is distinctly recognised for the conservation of white tigers.

Key Legislation: The Biodiversity Act of India was officially passed by the Indian Parliament in the year 2002.