Two new National Parks have been declared by the government of Assam, India, one through the upgrading of an existing protected area. The 111 km2 Dihing-Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary in eastern Assam, established in 2004, was upgraded to a National Park on 15 June 2021, with a new total area of 234 km2. In western Assam, a part of Ripu Reserved Forest was declared as Raimona National Park on 8 June 2021, covering a total of 422 km2. Raimona is contiguous with Bhutan's Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary and West Bengal's Buxa Tiger Reserve, thus forming a large transboundary protected wilderness of 1,459 km2. Raimona is also part of the buffer zone of Manas Tiger Reserve.
Dihing-Patkai is dominated by lofty hollong Dipterocarpus macrocarpus trees, and Raimona by tall sal Shorea robusta trees. Primates common to both new National Parks include the slow loris Nycticebus bengalensis and Assamese macaque Macaca assamensis. Raimona is home to the golden langur Trachypithecus geei, and Dihing-Patkai to the stump-tailed Macaca arctoides and pig-tailed Macaca leonina macaques, capped langur Trachypithecus pileatus and hoolock gibbon Hoolock hoolock. Other notable mammals occurring in both areas are the elephant Elephas maximus, black bear Ursus thibetanus, tiger Panthera tigris, clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa, marbled cat Pardofelis marmorata, dhole Cuon alpinus and gaur Bos gaurus.
Some notable birds in both new National Parks are the lesser adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus, and wreathed Rhyticeros undulatus, rufous-necked Aceros nipaensis and great pied Buceros bicornis hornbills. Austen's brown hornbill Anorrhinus austeni and the pale-capped pigeon Columba punicea occur in Dihing-Patkai.
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