Bardia National Park Bardia National Park, the largest and most undisturbed park in the lowland region of Terai, is known for abundance of wilderness. Initially a royal hunting reserve, it was later granted the status of a national park.. The purpose was to preserve the ecosystem of the region including all wild species. The park encompasses approximate 300 sq km of sal forests and riverine grasslands. High elephant grass and dense forests provide home to plenty of animals. Becoming of the Park Bardia National Park was once an open area of wilderness. Rana rulers of Nepal earmarked it as their royal hunting reserve from 1846 to 1950. In 1976 the region was gazetted as Royal Karnali Wildlife Reserve with an area of 368 sq. km. In 1982, it was rechristened as Royal Bardia Wildlife Reserve including the Babai river valley. It was designated a national park in 1988. Fast Facts Location Western Lowland Terai , Nepal Importance Largest park in the lowland Terai Area Covered 968 sq. km. Endangered Species Gharial crocodile, marsh mugger and Gangetic dolphin, Bengal tiger, wild elephant, Greater one-horned rhinoceros, swamp deer, and black buck Best Season to Visit From October to April Major Attraction Greater One-horned Rhinoceros and Tiger Fauna Most popular attraction of Bardia National Park is one-horned rhinoceros which was relocated from one other national park in 1986, 1991 and 1999. The park is also known for one of the last known herds of wild Elephants in South Asia. Several deer species also reside in Nepal. These include Chital or spotted deer with white spots on a brown coat; Sambhar, the largest deer on Indian subcontinent, Swamp Deer, locally called Barasingha; Hog deer, similar but smaller than Chital; and the Barking Deer, the parks smallest deer with reddish skin. Other big animals residing in the park are Blue Bull, locally called Nilgai, which is the biggest antelope on the Indian subcontinent; Wild Boar, an omnivorous beast with huge tusks; Sloth Bear, a shaggy black bear; and Gaur, the biggest wild oxen. Serow, Goral and Himalayan Tahr are also hit among the tourists. Langur, a kind of monkey; Rhesus Macaque, Mongoose, Jackal and Indian Otter are few small creatures living in park. The park also holds large number of bird species, many of which are migratory. Striking Features Several open grasslands are within the park. Game viewing is excellent in these grasslands. Many of the forest tracks throughout the park also present very good game viewing. More than 350 species including storks, geese, jungle fowls, king-fishers, cormorants, egret, and endangered species such as the Bengal florican, silver-eared mesia and the saurus crane. This makes the park highly attractive for bird lovers. The park, a sub-tropical jungle, is thickly forested by sal trees and carpeted with grass, savannah and riverine vegetation. The northern part is bordered by the Churia hill range, the west by the Karnali river, while the Babai river flows through the middle of the park. On the southern part of the park are the villages of Tharu people. One of the most picturesque national parks in Asia, it teems with rich and varied flora and fauna. How to Reach By Air: Daily flights operate from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj Airport, nearest to the Royal Bardia National Park. By Road: Private transport can be hired to reach th park. Buses running on the route of Mahendranagar, Dhangadi, or Karnali can be boarded.
Posted on: Sun, 09 Mar 2014 03:00:07 +0000
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