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Index :
About | Fauna
| How To Get There
Description
Royal Bardia
National Park is the largest park in the lowland Terai
covering an area of 968 sq. km. The park situated in
Nepal’s Western Terai was established to protect
representative ecosystems and conserve tiger and its prey
species. Initially, a small area was gazetted as the Royal
Karnali Wildlife Reserve in 1976. When this area was
protected, approximately 1500 people of the Babai valley
were resettled outside the park allowing the vegetation
and wildlife to flourish. In 1982, it was renamed as Royal
Bardia Wildlife Reserve, and in 1984 it was extended to
its current size. The reserve was given the status of a
National Park in 1988. Greater One-horned Rhinoceros were
translocated from Royal Chitwan National Park in 1986,
1991, and 1999.
Fauna in Bardia
National Park
What makes a
visit to Nepal's Royal Bardia National Park particularly
special is not just its large and intact habitat area and
its isolated location, but also the presence here of one
of the last known herds of wild Elephants in South Asia.
The herd, numbering less than two dozen, roams these
remote jungles in western Nepal.
Bardia also boasts the greatest number of deer species in
Nepal. The six deer species found in the park are: Chital
or spotted Deer with its ubiquitous white spots on a brown
coat; Hog Deer; similar to but smaller than Chital;
Sambhar, the largest Deer on Indian subcontinent with a
shaggy coat and thick antlers; Swamp Deer; Barasingha; and
reddish-colored Barking Deer, the park's smallest Deer.
Other large mammals are: Gaur, the largest wild oxen in
world; wild Boar, an omnivorous black-coated creature with
large tusks; the agile sloth Bear, a shaggy black bear
with a distinctive white "V" on its chest; Blue Bull or
Nilgai, the largest Antelope on the Indian subcontinent;
and Himalayan Tahr. Serow and Goral, two goat-Antelope
members, are also found. Small mammals include: Langur
Monkey, Rhesus Macaque, Jackal, three species of cats
(jungle, leopard, and fishing); yellow-throated Marten;
Mongoose; and Indian Otter.
Two species of crocodiles swim in the Karnali, Girwa, and
Babai Rivers - the blunt-snouted Marsh Mugger and the
fish-eating gharial with its long thin snout. These
creatures share the water with the fresh-water Gangetic
Dolphin. The Karnali also supports the great mahseer,
which weigh up to 90 lbs, an angler's prize catch.
Birds are the park's most conspicuous fauna with over 300
resident and migratory species. Avid bird-watchers will
want to visit the park in November or from February to
April when migrants arrive, depart or pass through.
How to Get there
Air & Road:
To reach Bardia, take the daily air flight or public bus
from Kathmandu to napalgunj, from where it is a five hour
drive to the park office at Thakurdwara. This nature
sanctuary is best visit from October to April.
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