Guwahati, June 29 -- Despite remarkable progress in curbing poaching and boosting wildlife populations, Assam's Manas National Park is facing a growing ecological crisis as its iconic grasslands, the foundation of the park's rich biodiversity, continue to shrink rapidly.

The alarming contradiction has been highlighted by the World Heritage Committee (WHC) in a draft report prepared ahead of its 48th session, which will take place in Busan, South Korea, from July 19 to 29.

According to the Committee, invasive plant species have now overtaken nearly half of the grasslands within Manas National Park and the adjoining Manas Tiger Reserve, threatening the ecological integrity of the UNESCO World Heritage Site and the many species that rely o...