What's the first thing to cross your mind when someone makes a mention of Assam Most probably it's Kaziranga and Brahmaputra. Well, it's time we move over from the "usual" even though Assam is surprisingly one of the least explored places in India.

At present, Assam has five national parks&mdashKaziranga National Park, Manas National Park, Nameri National Park, Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and Orang National Park. Dima Hasao district will soon get its first and the state's sixth national park. Dima Hasao is one of the least explored pockets of Assam even though it is home to the state's one and only hill station Haflong and is the greenest district in the entire state. Over 80 per cent of the district has forest cover but surprisingly it is without a single protected forest. As a significant move towards wildlife conservation and the protection of the forest, the proposed national park&mdashSimleng River Impenetrable National Park&mdashwill cover over 100 sq km area forming a contiguous belt with Borail Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam and Nampuh Wildlife Sanctuary in Meghalaya.

The forest of Dima Hasao is rich in wildlife, though they are waiting for proper documentation. As of now the district has three forest reserves&mdashLangtingmupa Reserve Forest, Khrungming Reserve Forest and Borail Reserve Forest. The addition of the national park is expected to bring about developments in terms of stringent conservation rules. The forest consist of animals like deer, sambar, serow, clouded leopard, hoolock gibbon, elephant, Himalayan black bear, to name a few. The region is rich is bird species too.