National Parks
There are a great number of National Parks in Nepal
which are definitely worth a visit. The country has an abundance of
wildlife which will appeal to all – snow leopards, Indian rhinoceros,
barking deer, bears and tigers – and that's not all! Many a Nepali
legend has incorporated these stunning creatures, and life in Nepal
would not be quite the same without them. The best way to view animals
is by visiting Nepal's National Parks where all kinds of animals are protected in their natural habitat.
The Shey-Phoksundo National Park
Established in 1984, this national park is situated in the
mountainous regions of Western Nepal. It is the largest national park in
the country and features luxuriant forests, snow leopard and blue
sheep. Besides having a wide variety of trees and plant life, the park
has a great variety of animals. Himalayan tahr, toral, serow, leopard,
wolf, jackal, black bear, weasel, mouse hare, rhesus monkey, langur and
yellow-throated marten. It also has a great many birds. Because of the
number of potentially dangerous animals, strict attention should be
given to the guides in charge of the safety of visitors to the Shey-Phoksundo National Park.
Khaptad National Park
Also established in 1984, this park is situated in the mid-mountain region of Nepal's far-western region.
The park features a unique mid-mountain ecosystem and is situated at
roughly 300 m above sea level. Noted geographically for it's beautiful
rolling forests and plateaus, the park has a great variety of
vegetation. If you're an animal lover, you will find leopard,
yellow-throated marten, tahr, Impeyan pheasant, chkor partridge, monal,
griffin, red and yellow-billed blue magpie and kalij pheasant. The park
also has a number of butterfiles and moths. At the center of the park
you will find the beautiful Ashram of Khaptad Swami. Because the park
has religious significance, drinking, smoking and violence in the park
are prohibited.
Bardiya National Park
This park was first established in 1976 and as such is not only one
of the older parks but also one of the most undisturbed. It is situated
in the mid-Far Western Terai, near the Karnali River. Roughly 70% of the
park is covered with sal forest. The rest enjoys a mixture of
grassland, savanna and riverine forest. There are no people living in
the valley and all farming that once occurred here has ceased. As a
result, there is a lot of regeneration of vegetation which means the
habitat is excellent for wildlife. The park features a number of
endangered animals such as the wild elephant, the rhinoceros,
tiger, black buck, swamp deer, gharial crocodile, marsh mugger
crocodile and Gangetic dolphin. It also features a number of endangered
birds. There are more than 30 types of mammals, 200 bird species and a variety of reptiles and fish in the park.
Rara National Park
Located in North-West Nepal, most of the park lies in the Mugu
District. It is the country's smallest park but contains the country's
biggest lake. The majority of the park is coniferous forest but
deciduous trees like Indian hours-chestnut, walnut and Himalayan popula
are also found. Musk deer, black bear, gorla, tahr, leopard and wild
boar are common. Snow trout is the only recorded fish species in the
lake. The extensive variety of birds found in the park include a large
number of waterfowl.
Sagarmatha National Park
This park is located to the North-East of Kathmandu in the Kumbu
region. It includes the legendary Mt Everest as well as several other
well-known mountains. The park has been a World Heritage Site since 1979
and features a stunning variety of glacial valleys, deep gorges and
heavy forestation. You are most likely to spot tahr, goral, musk deer
and serow. The park also has snow leopard
and black bear but these are seldom seen. You might also be fortunate
enough to spot weasel, maren, mouse hare (pika), langur monkey and
jackal. The Sagarmatha National Park is also home to a population of roughly 3000 Sherpa who trade livestock and herd animals.
Parsa Wildlife Reserve
The park extends over parts of the Chitwan, Parsa, Bara and
Makawanpur districts in the center of the country. It features
sub-tropical-type forests and Churiya hills. The flora is varied and
home to a good number of wild elephant, tiger, sloth bear, leopard,
gaur, wild dog and blue bull, to name just a few. There are also a great
number of birds and snakes, including the king cobra, which enjoy the
hot tropical climate.
Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve
The Koshi Tappu is situated on the flood plains of the Sapta-Koshi in
the Saptari and Sunsari districts of eastern Nepal. The reserves
boundaries are defined by the river and the reserve area is subject to
flood during the monsoon season. The river often changes it's course
from one season to another. The reserve is mainly filled with grassland
and scrub forest but also has some riverine forest. It serves as an
important habitat for wildlife – most notably the wild buffalo. There
are only about 100 buffalo living in the areas and this is purported to
be the last surviving population of these creatures in the wild. The
reserve is also home to a great many fish, birds and other wildlife.
Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve
Situated in the southern part of Far-Western Nepal, the reserve falls
mainly in the Kanchanpupr District. The reserves most outstanding
feature is it's large population of swamp deer of which there is an
estimated 2000 to 2500 members of the species in the area. Besides a
variety of wildlife and birds, the reserve is also home to the rare
Bengal florican. You may also spot Marsh muggers, Indian python, monitor
lizards, cobras, rat snakes and kraits but these are seldom seen.
Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve
For those who love testing their hunting skills and increasing the
trophies on their wall, this is the only hunting reserve in the country.
It serves both Nepalese and foreign sports hunters with a variety of
game animals and it is carefully managed. This is the only place in
Nepal where hunting is allowed and permits and permission must be
obtained before attempting to participate in the sport. The reserve is
home to a great number of blue sheep which are considered to be a highly
coveted trophy. You may also find leopard, goral, serow, tahr, black
bear, barking deer, langur, mouse hare, wild boar and rhesus macaque as
well as a number of bird species, deer and wolf.
As with other national parks around the globe, the flora and fauna in
Nepal's wildlife reserves are protected by law. Littering, hunting and
the general damaging of the environment is prohibited and may even carry
a fine. We strongly recommend that you follow the advice of your guide
when viewing animals and that you refrain from damaging the environment
in anyway. If you only leave footprints and shoot pictures, the legacy
of Nepal's National Parks will hopefully survive long into the future.
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