What is the Difference Between Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park?

The main difference between a wildlife sanctuary and a national park lies in their purpose, size, and human activities allowed within the area. Here are the key differences:

1. Purpose: A wildlife sanctuary is specifically designated to protect animals and their habitats, while a national park is designed to protect both plants and animals, as well as historical and geographic objects of significance.
2. Size: National parks are typically larger than wildlife sanctuaries.
3. Human Activities: Human activities are allowed to a limited extent in wildlife sanctuaries, such as agriculture, extracting timber, or collecting honey, fruits, and berries. However, in national parks, no human activities are allowed, except for restricted tourism and research purposes.
4. Boundaries: Wildlife sanctuaries usually do not have fixed boundaries, while national parks have fixed and defined boundaries.
5. Accessibility: Wildlife sanctuaries are open to the general public, while national parks are not usually open to the public and require special permissions for entry.
6. Upgrading and Downgrading: A wildlife sanctuary can be upgraded to a national park, but a national park cannot be downgraded to a sanctuary.

In summary, wildlife sanctuaries focus on protecting animals and their habitats, while national parks aim to preserve entire ecosystems, including plants, animals, and historical objects. National parks are larger and more restricted than wildlife sanctuaries, with limited human activities allowed.

Comparative Table: Wildlife Sanctuary vs National Park

Here is a table highlighting the differences between wildlife sanctuaries and national parks:

Wildlife sanctuaries are designed to protect specific wildlife species and their habitats, with regulations focused on preserving these species and their environments. National parks, on the other hand, are created to preserve the environment as a whole, including flora, fauna, landscape, and other aspects of the natural ecosystem. They also serve to protect historical structures and the cultures of indigenous people living within the park.