Keibul Lamjao National Park

Keibul Lamjao National Park

It is the only floating National park in the whole world and is 53 kms. from Imphal. This is the last natural habitat of the marsh-dwelling brow-antlered deer of Manipur called "Sangai". Many waterfowl and migratory birds visit the Lake during November and March.

The National Park is on an island inside the lake. The lake has colourful water plants and provides facilities for boating and fishing.

Eld’s deer, Thamin deer, Brow-antlered deer, Sangai Dancing deer… A whole lot of names for a single species, but that’s how it is for this unusual deer, a graceful animal found only in Manipur-India. A highly endangered species, the brow-antlered deer is found exclusively in a small area, which stretches across the extreme northeastern corner of India; Myanmar and part of Thailand. In India, this beautiful creature is found at the Keibul Lamjao National Park.
Keibul Lamjao’s other claim to fame is the fact that this is one of the very few `floating’ protected areas in the world. Keibul Lamjao lies on an island on the fringes of the Loktak Lake.
Gazetted a sanctuary in 1969, Keibul Lamjao officially became a national park in 1977and today stretches over an area of about 40 sq km, surrounded by marshes, hillocks, and the lake itself. A number of streams too crisscross this which, combined with extensive marshes, make the park a typical wetland.

The most prominent spotted `sangai' deer had been reported extinct in 1951, but after being re-discovered, has finally become Keibul Lamjao's prime attraction. Other animals in the park include otter, civet, wild boar and hog deer, besides a number of small reed-dwelling birds.