Learn More About National Parks in Nepal

The government of Nepal has set up twenty protected areas to preserve its wildlife. These areas include twelve National Parks. Chitwan Park is the country’s first park, and Shey-Phoksundo park is the largest among them. 

There were ten national Parks before the promotion of Parsa and Shuklaphanta Life Reserves to National Parks. They are: 

• Chitwan Park

• Banke Park

• Bardia Park 

• Lantang Park 

• Sagarmatha Park

• Shey-Phoksundo NationalPark

• Rara Park

• Makalu-Barun Park

• Shivapuri-Nagarjun Park

• Khaptad Park 

Rara Park is the smallest park in the country. In early 2017, Nepal converted two of its life reserves into National Parks. In recognition of the magnitude of Nepal’s cultural diversity, its government has set up twenty protected areas since 1972. 

This country is home to various floral and faunal species and natural ecosystems, from the lowland Terai region to the high mountain ranges. The varied environmental and geographical conditions have favoured a diversity of flora and fauna in the country. 

The country occupies approximately 0.1 per cent of the worldwide space. However, it harbours 3.2 per cent and 1.1 per cent of the world’s familiar flora and fauna.

Chitwan National Park

This National Park, situated at the foot of the mountain range, is a treasure land of flora and fauna. It is home to at least one of the last populations of single-horned Asiatic Rhino and is also one of the Bengal tiger’s last refuges. 

It was established in 1973 and was Nepal’s first parkland. Set within the Southern Central Terai of the Kingdom of Nepal, it once extended over the foothills. The property covers a part of more than 90000 hectares and extends over four districts: Chitwan, Makwanpur, Parsa, and Nawalparasi. 

This National Park is the last example of some of the original ecosystems of the Terai region. It covers subtropical lowlands, nestled between 2 east-west streams valleys at the bottom of the Siwalik range of the outer Himalayas.

Shey-Phoksundo National Park

The flora found at intervals in the park is extraordinarily numerous. The northern region is full of infertile lands in the high mountains. Therefore, it is part of the Trans-Himalayan slope area. 

We can find some bushes and undergrowth trees (Salix, Juniper, glacier range birch). It is more like the high meadows of the mountain range. The park provides vital habitats for species together with the musk deer, grey wolf, blue sheep, Tibetan sheep, ghoral, mountain range tahr, jackal, leopard, and mountain range black bear. 

The park is home to 6 reptiles and twenty-nine species of butterfly, together with the best flying butterfly in the world, Paralasa nepalaica.

Shivapuri-Nagarjun Park

The Shivapuri-Nagarjun park is located on the northern fringe of Kathmandu Valley. The realm, which lies within the transition zone between the subtropical and temperate climates, was gazetted as the country’s ninth park in 2002. 

The vegetation consists of a spread of natural forest varieties together with pine, oak, bush, etc. Recorded life within the park includes species like Himalayan Black bears, jungle cats, leopards, and macaque monkeys. 

The park is additionally home to 177 species of birds, including a minimum of nine vulnerable species, 102 species of butterflies with a variety of rare species, and 129 species of mushrooms.

Sagarmatha National Park

This majestically scenic mountain park boasts gorges, snow-covered peaks dominated by Everest, and glaciers. The area is geologically fascinating, and its biodiversity values are outstanding. 

The Dudh Kosi natural depression is home to the distinctive culture of the Sherpas. It is an ecological unit of biological, socio-economic and spiritual importance. 

Rare animals like cats and the lesser Panda inhabit the Park. The Park encompasses a relatively low range of mammals, most likely due to its geologically recent origin. There are twenty-eight species. Larger mammals embrace the northern plains. 

Some typical fauna are:

• Grey cats (Catarrhine entellus)

• Canid jackal

• Grey wolf

• Mountains black bear (VU)

• Ailurus fulgens or the lesser Panda (VU)

• Marten cat (Martes flavigula)

• Siberian musteline mammal (Mustela sibirica)

Langtang National Park

Langtang Park, established in 1976, covers 1710 sq km and spreads over Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Sindupalchowk districts. Moreover, the government extended the park by 420 sq kilometres of the buffer zone in 1998. It is Nepal’s fourth protected space and is a part of the Sacred chain Landscape. 

Langtang park has vast ecological diversity. Some rare and vulnerable animals like red pandas and snow leopards inhabit the park. The existence of those species may be a sign of the park’s healthy chain system. 

Besides, there are forty-six other mammal species like the tahr, ghoral, wild boar, grey Old World monkey, musk deer, Ursus arctos, etc. We also find seventy species of butterflies and 345 species of birds like Impeyan pheasant, snow partridge, ibis bill, crimson bicornuate pheasant, etc.

Conclusion

The country Nepal has a unique biodiversity and is rich in Flora and Fauna. The country has so many animal species which are endemic and about to vanish from this world. The 10 national parks of this country are full of so many animals and trees, which are the natural habitat of that region.