֍The Keibul Lamjao National Park is a national park in the state of Manipur.

֍It is the only floating park in the world.

֍It is an integral part of Loktak Lake.

֍The park is a swamp with floating mass of vegetation created by accrual of organic garbage (decomposed plant materials) and biomass with soil particles that has been thickened into a solid form called phumdis, at the south–eastern side of the Loktak Lake, which has been declared a Ramsar site.

֍Two thirds to three fourths of the total park area is formed by phumdis.

֍The distinctive nature of the park is that it is “too deep to be marsh, too shallow to be a lake”.

֍To preserve the natural refuge of the endangered Manipur Eld’s deer or brow-antlered deer (Cervus eldi eldi), or sangai also called the dancing deer, listed as an endangered species by IUCN, the park which was initially declared to be a sanctuary in 1966, was subsequently declared to be a national park in 1977.

֍The park is primarily composed of moist semi–evergreen forests.

֍Keibul Lamjao National Park is also home to three hills – Pabot, Toya and Chingjao.

Challenges to Keibul Lamjao National Park

This very unique park comes with its own set of challenges. The most glaring one being, permanent flooding due to the Ithai Barrage under the Loktak Multi-Purpose Project that affects the water level. The natural cycle of floating and sinking of the phumdis were the main reasons behind the formation of these floating yet sturdy landmasses. But with projects now requiring an all-year-round high level of water, it has become impossible for nature to do its work.

The vegetation can no longer grow in these floating phumdis, resulting in the decrease in the thickness of the phumdis.

With the disturbances in the natural process of phumdi formation, there is also the threat of insufficient sources of food and nutrients for the Sangai deers.

Not to forget the danger of prolonged contamination of the lake water due to so many projects in the periphery.

PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUES . Which of the following National Parks is unique in being a swamp with floating vegetation that supports a rich biodiversity? UPSC 2015

(a) Bhitarkanika National Park

(b) Keibul Lamjao National Park

(c) Keoladeo Ghana National park

(d) Sultanpur National park

Ans (b)

QUES . With reference to Loktak lake, consider the following statements : IES 2016

1 . Loktak is a freshwater lake in northeastern India.

2 . Loktak lake carries floating islands that are made up of decaying masses of vegetation, soil and organic matter.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans (c)