National Parks and Wildlife Reserve of Nepal.

*************************************************************************************

Royal Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve

This wildlife reserve is situated in the extreme south-west of Nepal. The name of the park is derived from the largest of these grasslands which is known as Sukla Phanta. The park area is 155 sq. kms. and would be 305 sq. kms after the completion of its extension. Sukla Phanta's grassland is one of the last remaining habitat for such threatened animals as the hispid hare and the pygmy hog. Besides these, Sukla Phanta is the stronghold for another endangered animal, the barasingha, or swamp deer.

Other wildlife of the park included spotted deer, also seen in large numbers, hog deer, nilgai, wild dog, jackal, purcupine and other. The park and the adjoining for-est is the territory of small number of tigers which because of open terrain, are not uncommon to sight on the prowl. Wild elephants have also been sighted in the park.

A stop of the Rani Tal is a must. This small lake attracts birds and animals alike. Herons, ducks, storks, kingfishers, and egrets vie for food and swamp deer wallow at the edges. From a nearby machan one can watch while thousands of water fowl mingle on the lake surface while it is not uncommon to see hundreds of swamp deer grazing at the water-edge in the evening light. The experience is unique.

**********************************************************************************************

Khatpad National Park

Khaptad, Nepal's newest park area, is in the middle hills of the Far-West of the country. The 225 sq.kms. area of the park is situated where the districts of Bajhang, Bajura, Doti and Achham meet. Khaptad is plateau of grassland and forest cover at an elevation of about 3,000 meters. The mixed conifer and broad-leaf forests are an excellent example of the vegetation that once covered much of west Nepal's middle hills. The forest consists of a mixture of tall fir, yew, rhododendron, oak, dense strands of bamboo and smaller shrubs. This habitat provides good cover for bear, leopard, barking and musk deer, as well as birds like the lmpeyan, koklas and kalij pheasants. This park is special because it represents one of the few remaining mid-mountain ecosystems in Nepal Himalaya. At the north-eastern corner of the park, a small serene lake and swampy area called khaptad Daha is religious site where Hindu pilgrims come to worship Shiva on the full moon of July-August each year. Here lived the ascetic, the Khaptad Baba, who was known and revered throughout Nepal.

**********************************************************************************************

Rara National Park

Situated about 370 km. north-west of Kathmandu, Rara is Nepal's smallest and most scenic national park covers 106 sq.km. Much of the park is at an altitude of about 3,000 meters forested by conifers. The park was established in 1976 and protects some of the most beautiful alpine and sub-alpine ecosystems of the Himalaya. the centerpiece is the pristine Lake Rara, also known as Mahendra Tal, the biggest lake in Nepal. The lake is surrounded by richly forested hills, Chuchemara Danda at 4,087 meters is the best vantage point to get stunning views of the lake and the thickly forested hillsides and the snow-capped peaks around it. Other summits in the park area are Ruma kand(3,371 m) and Malika kand (3,444m), situated to the north of the lake. Rara comes within the catchments area of the Karnali River, one of the three main river systems of Nepal. The habitat supports animals like the red panda, black bear, yellow-throated martin, ghoral, serow and musk deer. There have also been reported sightings of leopard and wolf. The lake attracts migrant wildfowl like teals, pochards and mallards. Resident birds include the Impeyan, Kalij and blood pheasant as well as others like the chukkor partridge.

**********************************************************************************************

Royal Bardia National Park

The Royal Bardia National Park is situated on the easter banks of the Karnali river, about 400 kms. west of Kathmandu. The park is 968 sq kms. in area and extends from the Churia hills southward to the gentle slopes of the "Bhabhar". The higher grounds of the Churia have dry deciduous forest of mostly hardwood sal. The porous slopes of the Bhabha support large open grasslands known locally as "Phantas". These are some of the last remaining grasslands that once covered much of the Gangetic plains.

The western and of the Bardia is bounded by numerous water-ways of the Karnali which have created many large and small gravel islands. These islands and much of the lower ground area covered by a mosaic of grassland and riverside forest of acacia, sisam and the large buttressed silk cotton trees. In spring, the silk cotton blooms and the forest comes alive with scarlet flowers.

Bardia is the home of a wide variety of animals, many of which live in and around the Phantas. These open grasslands such as Baghora and Lamkoili are the best places to view animals. The most conspicuous of which is the spotted deer. Other ungulates include black buck, hog deer, samber deer, wild boar and barasingha or swamp deer. Two species of monkeys, the langur and the rhesus macaque are also present. The park is famous for its small herds of wild elephants which are rarely seen. The park also boasts a small population of the rare gharial, the marsh mugger crocodile and the Gangetic dolphin. The island of the Karnali river harbours the sub-continent's largest antelope species, the nilgai or blue bull. The Karnali and Babai rivers attract a large number of wintering waterfowl along with resident species such as herons, kingfishers and wall creepers. More than 350 bird species have been recorded in Bardia, truly a bird watcher's paradise.

**********************************************************************************************

Shey Phoksundo National Park

Shey Phoksundo is Nepal's largest national park and covers 3,555 sq. km. Sitting astride the Dolpa and Mugu districts of western Nepal, the park was established to protect the trans-Himalayan ecosystem found only in few areas of the kingdom. The unique park includes the Kanjiroba Himal, with many peaks of over 6,000 meters, as well as the famous Shey Monastery, the Phoksundo Lake and the Langu Gorge.

The flora of the area include pine, walnut, willow, oak, poplar and cypress in the lower southern parts. In the higher reaches, pine, spruce, juniper and birch pre-dominate. The alpine areas are vegetated by barberries, wild rose and caragana. The trans-Himalayan mountains and grassy alpine meadows to the north are almost devoid of trees but have caragana and dwarf juniper.

The wildlife of Shey Phoksundo include a good population of blue sheep and ghoral, musk deer, leopard, wild dog, wolf, marmot, weasel, mouse hare, rhesus and langur monkeys. The higher reaches and the haunt of the elusive snow leopard. The adjoining Tibetan region is home to such rare animals as the great Tibetan sheep, Tibetan wild ass, Tibetan gazelle and antelope, and wild yak. Bird species of the park include the impeyan and cheer pheasant, chough, raven, Tibetan snow cock, Tibetan twit, brown dipper, Himalayan griffon and lammergeyer. The park is inhabited by people of Tibetan descent who follow the pre-Buddhist Bon religion and some of the main villages are Ringmo, Pugmo, Salclang, Kugun, and Tatgaun. On the august full moon all Dolpa villagers converge on the Shey Mountain in a festival to walk around the holy peak three times in as many days.

***********************************************************************************************