Orang National Park - Geography

Geography

The Orang National Park, encompassing an area of 78.81 square kilometres (30.43 sq mi), lies on the north bank of the Brahmaputra river, delimited between 26°28′59″N 92°15′58″E / 26.483°N 92.266°E / 26.483; 92.266 and 26°39′58″N 92°27′00″E / 26.666°N 92.45°E / 26.666; 92.45 within the districts of Darrang and Sonitpur. Pachnoi river, Belsiri river and Dhansiri River border the park and join the Brahmaputra river. During the monsoon season, the park becomes a veritable flood plain with the many streams overlapping each other. These flood plains constitute twelve wetlands in the park, apart from the 26 man made water bodies.

The park is thus formed of alluvial flood plains of the many rivers and is an integral part of the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot. The total area of the park has been categorized into: Eastern Himalayan Moist Deciduous Forest-15.85 square kilometres (6.12 sq mi); Eastern Seasonal Swamp Forest - 3.28 square kilometres (1.27 sq mi), Eastern Wet Alluvial Grassland- 8.33 square kilometres (3.22 sq mi), Savannah Grassland- 18.17 square kilometres (7.02 sq mi), Degraded Grassland- 10.36 square kilometres (4.00 sq mi), Water body- 6.13 square kilometres (2.37 sq mi), Moist Sandy area-2.66 square kilometres (1.03 sq mi) and Dry Sandy area -4.02 square kilometres (1.55 sq mi). It has a fairly flat terrain tending north to south with a gentle slope. The elevation in the park varies from 45 metres (148 ft) to 70 metres (230 ft). It is bounded on its south and east by islands and spill channels of the river. But the flat alluvial land is seen distinctly as two terraces; the lower terrace is of recent origin on the bank of the Brahmaputra river and the other is the upper terrace to the north, separated by a high bank running through the park. The whole park is encircled by inhabited villages thus subjecting it to biotic pressure. It has fox holes built by the villagers on its west.