Nepal
Nepal
Summary Info on Nepal's Biodiversity
Nepal is home to an extraordinary range of Asia's rarest wildlife. Ten percent of the world's birds and 300 mammalian species dwell in Nepal. Fiercely protected in Nepal, is the Royal Bengal Tiger, the Great One-Horned Rhinoceros, and the Snow Leopard; they rank as among the most threatened of earth's endangered species. Eight national parks and five wildlife reserves are dedicated to wildlife preservation in Nepal.
Source: Dept. of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, HMG Nepal
Sagarmatha National Park
Formed in 1976, this park, covering an area of 480 sq.miles (1,243 sq. km) including the Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest), is a World Heritage Site. Biodiversity in Sagarmatha is rich, including Himalayan tahr, red panda, black bear, wolves, marmots and snow leopard.
Click here for an area map of Sagarmatha National Park
Royal Chitwan National Park
Once the private hunting ground of royalty and their guests, Chitwan became a national park in 1973 and is also designated by Unesco as a World Heritage Site. The Royal Chitwan National Park covers an area of 360 sq. miles (930 sq. km) of magnificent first-growth trees - the tall hardwood sal, the kapok "silk-cotton" tree and the flame-of-the-forest, with their spectacular crimson February flowers-ferns, bamboo, huge vines that choke trees to death lika a python. And there are real pythons too. White-ruffed langur monkeys leap and swing in the treetops, sending flights of green parakeets screeching. In open glades, peacocks preen, and the shy, tiny barking deer, no taller than the peacocks, race away at an intruder's approach. Deer are an unmistakable sight in Chitwan Park. Five types of deers inhabit the park. The deer can be seen in their characteristic agility, scampering and frolicking all around. Among the fiercely protected species are the Great One-Horned Rhinoceros and the gharial crocodiles.
Shey Phoksundo National Park
Shey Phoksundo National Park, established in 1984, is one of the many treasures of the Western Himalayas, particularly Dolpa. It is Nepal's largest park, 3,555 sq. kilometers in size and a sanctuary for blue sheep, musk deer, ghoral, tahr, and the elusive snow leopard.
Within the Park the turquoise waters of Phoksundo Lake glimmer with unearthly beauty. Silver birch edge the radiant blue lake, which is ringed by rocky cliffs rising 2,000 meters. Snellgrove called the view "one of the most blissful things I have known."
Royal Bardia Wildlife Reserve
This park, with a total area of 968 sq. km, lies along the Karnali and Babai rivers in the Terai of southwestern Nepal, and is famous for Gharial crocodiles and Gangetic dolphins. It is a habitat for the tiger, swamp deer, black buck, wild elephant, marsh mugger crocodiles and wild boar, plus more than 250 species of birds including Bengal florican, lesserflorican, saus crane andsilver-eared mesia.
Langtang National Park
This park is famous for its Himalayan flora and fauna in a 1,710 sq. km area. The soaring mountain peaks such as Langtang Lirung and Himalchuli and snow-fed Sunkoshi and Trishuli rivers have added to the attractions of the park. About 25 percent of the park area is covered by forests. During late February, the whole of the rhododendron hills bloom in crimson. As one ascends higher, awe-inspiring beauty of green pastures, snowfields and snow-clad summits unfold in their scenic grandeur. The snow leopard, Langur and rhesus monkeys, deer, colorful birds, panda and polar bears are the park's main wildlife.
The crystal-clear water of the Gosaikunda lake at an altitude of 4,281m is stunning.
Khaptad National Park
Spread over the extended mid-hills over 225 sq. km, Khaptad National Park represents mid-hill climate, wildlife and vegetation. Thick shrubs, forests and green grass fields make a unique combination of natural endowments in this area. The wildlife and birds found in the park are include the deer, leopard,wild dog, wild cat, red monkey and danphe and a number of other colorful birds.
This park too has religious significance and is relatively less known to wanderlusts.
Royal Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve
In a total area of 155 sq. km, the extensive flood plains. swamp and wetlands have given this reserve a diverse variety of wildlife and begetation species. This park has protected the extinct-prone spotted deer (chital) and other wild animals. The Rani and other small lakes in the reserve have different crocodile species and as many as 200 species of resident and migratory birds.
Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve
This reserve lies on the alluvial plain of the Sapta Koshi River. Rectangular in shape, and some 100 sq. km in area, this reserve characteristic dense sal forests and patches of grassland form the ideal habitat for the tropical wildlife like the wild buffalo or Urna, hog deer, wild boar and blue bull. About 280 different species of duck, two species of ibises, storks, egrets, herons, endangered swamp patridge and Bengal florican make up the rich collection. Besides this all, the reserve preserves a great variety of aquatic creatures in the Sapta Koshi River. Koshi Tappu also boasts of having Asia's few facilities of elephant breeding, called Hattisar.
Parsa Wildlife Reserve
This reserve extends over an area of 499 sq. km, much of which was an extended part of the Royal Chitwan National Park. The reserve, which remained a hunting reserve till some decades ago, now protects the wild elephant, tiger, leopard, reindeer and wild board. As a tropical forest, the flora and fauna found in this reserve are the same as those found in Chitwan National Park.
Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve
This 1,325 sq. km area reserve includes mountain bear, Naur and other herbivorous animals. Hunting inside the reserve requires a hungitn permit fromthe reserve authority. A well-managed hunting system inside the reserve is aimed at earning foreign currencies as well as preserving the reserve's wildlife at the same time.
Shivapuri Wildlife Reserve
This reserve on the Shivapuri hill of the valley rim, north of Kathmandu, towers almost all the landmass in the south. This is a scenic hill resort with rich orchid and rhododendron trees. A panoramic Himalayan vista can also be observed from here.
Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP)
The wide area of this conservation project includes the Annapurna massif with middle hills, subalpine and trans-Himalayan terrains. Preservation of snow-leopards is also carried out here.
Here's Frank Kroger's account of ACAP's efforts in the preservation of snow leopards.
India
Corbett National Park, Uttar Pradesh
Tibet (China)
Quomolongma Nature Preserve (planned design)
Pakistan
Lake Phoksundo
Lake Goshaikunda
Nanda Devi National Park
Kaziranga National Park
Keoladeo National Park
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
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© Rajesh B. Shrestha (rajs@aleph0.clarku.edu)
