History of Kaziranga National Park

The history of Kaziranga National Park in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of the state of Assam, India, can be traced back to the beginning of the twentieth century, in 1904.

Major John Butler of Bengal Native Infantry wrote in 1855 that it was not uncommon for three soldiers "to shoot thirty buffalos, twenty deer, a dozen hogs, besides one or two tigers and rhinoceroses.

It is rumored that the noted Assamese animal tracker, Balaram Hazarika, showed Baroness Curzon around Kaziranga and impressed upon her the urgent need for conservation of the wildlife.

Thus the Kaziranga Proposed Reserve Forest was created on 57,273.6 acres (231.778 km2) of land, on 1 June 1905 by notification of the Chief Commissioner of the area.

Local people objected to this as their rights regarding such things as grazing, fishing, collection of cane, thatch, and firewood would be in danger.

The European community of tea planters also objected to the proposal, mainly on the grounds that the area available for big game hunts would be greatly reduced.

At last with the interventions of the forest settlement officer and deputy commissioner, Sibsagar District Major A. Playfair, an area of 13,506 acres (54.66 km2) was added to the Kaziranga reserve vide notification No.295 R dated 28 January 1913.

[5] Additional lands have been incorporated into the park, and a proposal to add some 454.50 square kilometres has been put forward to include the adjoining section of the Brahmaputra River to the north and part of the Karbi Anglong to the south, to provide a protected refuge where animals may take shelter during floods.

[5] Before 1950 the tourist facilities were limited and the accommodations consisted mainly of a Public Works Department inspection bungalow at Kaziranga and a Forest rest house at Baguri.

[8] During that time WWF-India provided material assistance and the Indian army constructed ten islands on high ground for wildlife.