Manas Tiger Reserve is located in the foothills of the Bhutan Himalayas in four districts
viz. Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri district of Bodoland Territorial Council,
Assam, India. Out of 2837.10 Sq. km., 526.22 Sq. Sq. is Core area and 2310.88 Sq. is buffer area. The geographical boundary of Manas Tiger Reserve ranges from the Sankosh River adjacent to Indo-Bhutan International Boundary,
eastwards to the point where the tri radiate pillar indicates the Assam, Bhutan and the Arunachal Boundaries and from that point eastward and then westwards along the southern boundaries. The Manas National Park (MNP) is a core area with 500 sq. km is one of the most
stunning and pristine wildlife habitats in the world . The Park is situated in foothills gently sloping southward from 250 m down to 50 m above sea level. Almost half the Park consists of alluvial grasslands; the remainder is a mix of semi-evergreen and moist and dry deciduous forest (Jain and Hajra, 1975). The northern belt contains extensive grassland areas and is flat and well-drained. The area along the southern boundary receives water from streams that drain across the park from north to south and is often waterlogged during the monsoon rains. The Manas-Beki River system is one of the largest north-bank tributaries of river
Brahmaputra, flowing through the Manas National Park by providing perennial water to the park and forming crucial habitat for freshwater fish, aquatic migratory birds, and wild
buffalos. MNP is famous for its rich floral and faunal biodiversity, including species such as tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), pygmy hog (Sus salvanius), golden langur (Trachypithecusgeei), hispid hare (Caprolagus hispidus), Bengal florican (Houbarogsis bangalensis), and white-winged wood duck (Cairina scutulata). Administratively, the MNP falls within the districts of Chirang and Baksa of Assam
on the international boundary between India and Bhutan. It comprises three range areas,
namely, from west to east: Panbari, Bansbari, and Bhuyanpara, each with its own range office where the staff is based. The MNP is bounded to the north by Royal Manas National Park of Bhutan and the east and west by buffer zones of the Manas Tiger Reserve. The southern boundary of the MNP is contiguous with densely populated agricultural areas and there are 61 villages located within 2 km of the southern boundary of the park. Rice paddy cultivation is the principal economic activity.
