Kaibul Lamjao-The floating sanctuary

Keibul Lamjao is probably the world's only 'floating' sanctuary Located in Manipur that comprises 40 sq. km. of wetland overgrown with 1.5 m. deep floating vegetation (called phumdi). The park has several distinguishing features. Apart from the vegetation and terrain, an important highlight of the park is the Loktak lake (6, 475 ha.), the largest freshwater lake in India; a large portion of which falls within the park. The fauna in the park is also rare and unique. The area is home to the endangered brow-antlered deer or sangai. But even this rare and inaccessible preserve, which is one of the only notified protected areas in Manipur, is threatened today by activities like the construction of a barrage by the National Hydro Electricity Power Corporation.The entire Loktak Lake was protected and declared a sanctuary in October 1953, mainly to save the sangai deer, which was threatened by extinction. Following the re-discovery of the deer, in July 1954, hunting was once again permitted in Loktak, except for a small portion at the southern tip, the main habitat of the deer, which continued to be protected. This area was officially notified as a sanctuary in 1966 and a decade later, on March 28, 1977, the Keibul Lamjao National Park was created. Obviously, by then no hunting was allowed at all.The Imphal Valley in Manipur is a highland plateau that includes an area of about 124,250 ha. The open plateau is pockmarked by innumerable small hillocks.

Keibul Lamjao consists of the unique 'phumdi' or floating marshes. Eighty per cent of the flora is submerged and the vegetation forms a 90-120 cm. thick cover on the water surface. About half a century ago, the predominant plants used to be tou (45 per cent), singut (25 per cent) and khoimom (15 per cent). But the composition of the vegetation has undergone rapid changes and the plant cover, at present, is estimated to comprise of equal proportions of hoop Leersia hexandra and sing kambong Zizania latifolia, a protein-rich plant, often used as food (about 24 per cent). Tou Phragmites karka now comprises only about 14 per cent and wana manbi Cepithipedium spp. constitutes another 13.3 per cent. Khoimom Saccharum munja and singut Narenga porphyrochroms are found in even lower proportions of 5.6 per cent and 3.6 per cent respectively. A particular variety of wild rice grows in the area and some other endemic plants are present. Scanty growth of some species like hunding Carex spp., yawachaning Coix lecryma-jobi and lilhar Polygonum perfoliatum are also observed.

Some very rare animals may be encountered in and around this wilderness. The star attraction, of course, is the brow-antlered deer Cervus eldi eldi, called sangai in the local Meitei dialect. This particular subspecies of the Thamin deer is also fondly called Manipur's dancing deer because of its delicate gait as it negotiates its way along the floating wetlands. The other two subspecies are found in Mynmar and China. It was believed to be extinct in 1951 but was 're-discovered' a year later. It is still an endangered animal, and Keibul Lamjao is its last refuge.Other species of deer seen here include the hog deer, sambar and muntjac. The hog deer has also vanished from the rest of the Manipur valley and isolated populations occur only in the park.Tigers, leopards, panthers, which once roamed these forests are now so scarce as to be considered absent. Similarly, the fox and jackal populations have reduced drastically and the wild dog is not seen in these parts anymore.