Orang National Park

Orang National Park, located on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra River in the Darrang and Sonitpur districts of Assam, covers about 79 square kilometers. Established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1985 and declared a national park in 1999, it is often called the "mini Kaziranga" due to its similar landscape of marshes, streams, and grasslands.

The park is famous for being the only stronghold of the Great Indian one-horned rhinoceros on the north bank of the Brahmaputra and also supports Bengal tigers, Asiatic elephants, wild water buffalo, and the critically endangered pygmy hog. It features diverse habitats including wetlands, savannah grasslands, deciduous forests, and numerous water bodies formed by rivers like Pachnoi, Belsiri, and Dhansiri. With over 220 bird species recorded, including rare migratory birds such as spot-billed pelicans and greater adjutant storks, Orang is a critical area for wildlife conservation.

It faces challenges from flooding during the monsoon due to its alluvial floodplain geography, but efforts continue to preserve this unique ecosystem and its diverse flora and fauna. The best time to visit is from November to April.