Kaziranga National Park declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985 for its unique natural environment. Situated at the edge of the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot, the park has both a high degree of species diversity as well as visibility. The history of Kaziranga as a protected area can be traced back to 1904. It was in this year that Mary Curzon, the wife of the Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon, visited the region and was unable to spot any rhinoceroses. It was due to her efforts that the Kaziranga Proposed Reserve Forest was created on June 1, 1905, covering an area of 232 sq km.