Context-

• It is located in the state of Assam, covering 42,996 hectares, declared a National Park in 1974.
• It is the single largest undisturbed and representative area in Brahmaputra valley.
• It is considered a tiger reserve since 2007, with an area of 1,030 sq km.
• KNP is declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1985 and recognized as an Important Bird Area.
• It is home to one-horned rhinoceros, elephants, Asiatic water buffalo, royal Bengal Tiger, tall elephant grass, Kumbhi, Indian Gooseberry, Ficus rumphii etc.
• According to the 2018 census, 2,413 rhinoceros and approximately 1100 elephants are present in KNP.
• Kaziranga occupies third place in tiger population with 103, preceded by Bandipur National Park-120, and Jim Corbett National Park-215 respectively.
• KNP is also home to 9-14 species of primates.
• Besides the Dilphu River, there are 250 seasonal water bodies in this park.

• Kaziranga has dealt with encroachment, poaching, and annual floods for decades.
• None of these was as damaging to the health of the 1300 sq. km tiger reserve, as the green invaders.
• 18 invasive plants are taking over the landscape at the cost of indigenous grasses, shrubs, and trees the herbivores of the park sustain.
• The list submitted to the Wildlife Institute of India(WII) did not contain Parthenium and lantana which threaten more than 40% of India's tiger reserves.
• Ipomea carnea, and Mimosa Himalaya are mentioned as controlled weeds.

• A permission was granted for experimental culling, cutting, slashing, burning, uprooting and girdling of invasive plants under the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
• The WII advised to weed out the invasive plants for indigenous Kaziranga flora to breathe easier.
• The NTCA undertook the management of invasive plants in other tiger reserves but this is the first time that such species were identified with threats.

• Species like Bombax ceiba, Largestroemia speciosa need immediate attention to save the grasslands vital for the survival of rhinoceros and other herbivores.
• Invasive plants are fast clogging paths and grasslands.
• Herbivores usually avoid the invasive plants which spread at an alarming speed and threaten the indigenous flora.
• Some invasive species have toxic impact on the landscape after remaining underwater for 2 months every monsoon.

• Some weeds have herbal properties, but their toxicity outweighs their utility.
• Wild Boars love to gorge on the succulent rootlets of the Leea macrophylla or "kukura thengai" that is fast clogging the patrolling paths.
• Cestrum diurnum-a day blooming jasmine of West Indies origin, is coming up gregariously on the Brahmaputra sandbars. This plant is a good source of Vitamin D3.    USES-
• This weed can  turn into a commercial crop for the people in the vicinity of the Kaziranga.
• Pharmaceutical companies need tonnes of dry leaves of this plant periodically.