Guwahati: Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, globally renowned as the safest sanctuary for the greater one-horned rhinoceros, has added a fresh chapter to its rich ecological legacy at least 70 species of orchids now officially documented within its lush expanse.
In a recent rapid survey across the 1,302 sq. km UNESCO World Heritage Site, experts identified 79 orchid species from 36 genera, offering new insights into the park’s vibrant plant diversity. Of these, 46 species are epiphytes plants that grow on other plants without drawing nutrients from them and 24 are terrestrial.
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“The findings mark a significant step in our ongoing efforts to systematically document Kaziranga’s floral and faunal wealth,” said Sonali Ghosh, Director of the Tiger Reserve. “The survey has also revealed new records, particularly from the grasslands and woodlands.”
The Panbari Reserve Forest, a part of the broader Kaziranga ecosystem, emerged as a hotspot, with 39 of the documented species found there alone.
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Among the terrestrial orchids, Eulophia dabia, Zeuxine lindleyana, and Nervilia juliana were located along riverside grasslands. Meanwhile, shade-loving species like Acanthephippium striatum and Hetaeria affinis were observed thriving in the forest understory.
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Several of the orchids are endemic to India, such as Biermannia bimaculata, Eulophia kamarupa, and Zeuxine lindleyana, while others including Bulbophyllum ornatissimum, Erythrodes blumei, and Zeuxine membranacea are considered rare in Assam.
The survey was led by orchid conservationist Khyanjeet Gogoi, in collaboration with Bibit Dihingia of the Bagori Range and Bibhuti Ranjan Gogoi of the Kohora Range.
Prior to the survey, a conservation outreach initiative was launched, engaging local schoolchildren in exploring the region’s orchid and butterfly diversity. During the event, three educational brochures on the birds of Panbari and the butterflies and orchids of Kaziranga were released to deepen public understanding of the park’s biodiversity.
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Assam’s Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary lauded the discovery. “This adds a new dimension to Kaziranga’s global wildlife reputation,” he said.
Kaziranga’s ‘Big Five’ continue to anchor its ecological identity, with recent censuses (2022–2024) estimating populations of 2,613 greater one-horned rhinoceroses, 104 tigers, 1,228 Asian elephants, 2,565 wild water buffaloes, and 1,129 eastern swamp deer.
With this new orchid revelation, Kaziranga continues to reaffirm its place as one of the richest and most dynamic natural landscapes in the world.