Kaziranga National Park and invasive species

The Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) is faced with a major threat from around 18 invasive plant species that are threatening to destroy the habitats of one-horned rhinos and other animals who reside in the park.

  • KNPTR Director has submitted the list to the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) to begin experimental culling, cutting, slashing, uprooting, and girdling of the invasive plant species.
  • However the list did not contain the “usual culprits” of many protected areas in India –Parthenium and lantana which threaten more than 40% of India’s tiger reserves.
  • Parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus) is believed to have come to India as contaminants in a consignment of wheat imported from the U.S. in the 1950s.
  • Lantana (Lantana camara) was brought by the British as ornamental plants from South America two centuries ago.
  • A Vitamin D3-rich weed and a shrub with roots that wild boars love to gorge on are among the 18 invasive plants.
  • KNP is best-known address of the greater one-horned rhinoceros on the Earth.
  • The list did mention ipomoea (Ipomoea carnea) and mimosa (Mimosa himalaica) but marked them as largely controlled and not much of a worry now.
  • Some of India’s most notorious invasives include lantana, parthenium, Siam weed, Mexican devil (Ageratina adenophora) and mesquite (Prosopis juliflora).
  • The water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) has invaded many inland water bodies, while alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides) invades both aquatic and terrestrial habitats in India.

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