Rara National Park
Encyclopedia
Rara National Park is a protected area in the Himalayas
of Nepal
and was established in 1976. Covering an area of 106 km² (40.9 sq mi) in the Mugu
and Dolpa
districts, it is the country's smallest national park. Its main feature is Rara Lake
at an altitude of 2990 metres (9,809.7 ft). The park was established to protect the unique flora and fauna of the Humla-Jumla Region of Nepal.
The park ranges in elevation from 2800 metres (9,186.4 ft) to 4039 metres (13,251.3 ft) at Chuchemara Peak on the southern side of Rara Lake. On the northern side, the peaks of Ruma Kand and Malika Kand frame the alpine freshwater lake, which is the largest lake in Nepal with a surface of 10.8 km² (4.2 sq mi) and a maximum depth of 167 metres (547.9 ft). It is oval-shaped with an east-west axis, a length of 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) and a width of 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) draining into the Mugu-Karnali River via Nijar Khola.
Rara NP is managed by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC), and protected with the assistance of the Nepal Army.
, fir
, brown oak, and birch
species are found in the sub-alpine region. Below 3200 metres (10,498.7 ft), the vegetation consists of mainly Blue Pine (Pinus excelsa), Rhododendron
(Rhododendron arboretum), West Himalayan Spruce
, Black Juniper
and Himalayan Cypress
. Above 3200 metres (10,498.7 ft), the vegetation changes to a coniferous forest consisting of a mixture of fir
, spruce
and pine
.
three species of fish have been recorded from the park including Musk deer
, Red Panda
,
Snow leopard
, Himalayan Black Bear,
Indian Leopard
, Jackal
, Himalayan Tahr
, Yellow-throated Marten, Otter
, Dhole
, Gray langur
, Rhesus Macaque
.
There are 241 recorded species of birds, including 49 wetland species. Coot
s are often found in the lake. During the winter, Great-crested
and Black-necked
grebe
s, Red-crested Pochard
s, Mallard
, Common Teal
(Anas crecca), and Common Merganser
are common. Other birds seen often include the Himalayan Snowcock
, Chukar Partridge, Himalayan Monal
, Kalij Pheasant
and Blood Pheasant
.
In 1979, three endemic snowtrout species
were collected in Lake Rara and described as new species: the Nepalese snowtrout Schizothorax nepalensis
, the Rara snowtrout Schizothorax raraensis
and Schizothorax macrophthalmus
. Also in 1979, the frog species Paa rarica
has been first recorded as endemic to the lake.
GORP founder Bill Greer described Rara Lake as:
Another travel writer describes a trek in the park:
There are no settlements within the boundaries of Rara National Park, as the two villages once inside the area, Rara and Chhapru, were resettled in the Banke District
when the protected area was established. Agriculture is the basis for the local economy in the surrounding areas, which has led to pollution inside the park. Sediment from the surrounding hills as well as sewage and solid waste threaten the park.
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
of Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
and was established in 1976. Covering an area of 106 km² (40.9 sq mi) in the Mugu
Mugu District
Mugu District of 43,937. The biggest lake in Nepal, Rara Lake, also known as Mahendra Daha, lies in the Mugu District.It is one of the biggest districts of Nepal.Pulu is one of the famous Village Development Committee of Mugu district...
and Dolpa
Jumla District
Jumla District|Jumla]] as its district headquarters, covers an area of 2,531 km² and has a population of 89,427.The origin of Nepali language is Sinja of Jumla...
districts, it is the country's smallest national park. Its main feature is Rara Lake
Rara Lake
Rara Lake is the biggest lake of Nepal. It lies in Rara Village Development Committee, Mugu District in Western Nepal and falls under the Rara National Park....
at an altitude of 2990 metres (9,809.7 ft). The park was established to protect the unique flora and fauna of the Humla-Jumla Region of Nepal.
The park ranges in elevation from 2800 metres (9,186.4 ft) to 4039 metres (13,251.3 ft) at Chuchemara Peak on the southern side of Rara Lake. On the northern side, the peaks of Ruma Kand and Malika Kand frame the alpine freshwater lake, which is the largest lake in Nepal with a surface of 10.8 km² (4.2 sq mi) and a maximum depth of 167 metres (547.9 ft). It is oval-shaped with an east-west axis, a length of 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) and a width of 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) draining into the Mugu-Karnali River via Nijar Khola.
Rara NP is managed by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC), and protected with the assistance of the Nepal Army.
Climate
The climate of Rara National Park is pleasant during the summer, but becomes very cold during the winter, because of the altitude. The best times to visit the park are in September, October, April, and May. During the winter, temperatures drop below freezing, and many high passes become blocked by snow. The summer is warm, but June to August is monsoon season, making the trek to Rara National Park difficult.Vegetation
One thousand and seventy species of flora are estimated from Rara National Park. RhododendronRhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
, fir
Abies spectabilis
Abies spectabilis is a conifer species in the family Pinaceae and the genus firs. It is sometimes held to include the Bhutan Fir as a variety....
, brown oak, and birch
Birch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
species are found in the sub-alpine region. Below 3200 metres (10,498.7 ft), the vegetation consists of mainly Blue Pine (Pinus excelsa), Rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
(Rhododendron arboretum), West Himalayan Spruce
Morinda Spruce
Picea smithiana, the Morinda Spruce or West Himalayan Spruce, is a spruce native to the western Himalaya and adjacent mountains, from northeast Afghanistan east to central Nepal...
, Black Juniper
Juniperus indica
Juniperus indica is a juniper native to high altitudes in the Himalaya, occurring from the northern Indus Valley in Kashmir east to western Yunnan in China....
and Himalayan Cypress
Cupressus torulosa
Cupressus torulosa, known as the Himalayan cypress, is a species of cypress in southern Asia.-Distribution:The Himalayan cypress is an evergreen conifer tree species is found in the Himalaya from . It is also found on limestone terrain in Sichuan China and in Vietnam.-See also:*Cupressus*Index:...
. Above 3200 metres (10,498.7 ft), the vegetation changes to a coniferous forest consisting of a mixture of fir
Fir
Firs are a genus of 48–55 species of evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae. They are found through much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, occurring in mountains over most of the range...
, spruce
Spruce
A spruce is a tree of the genus Picea , a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the Family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal regions of the earth. Spruces are large trees, from tall when mature, and can be distinguished by their whorled branches and conical...
and pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
.
Fauna
Fifty-one species of mammals, 241 species of birds, two species of reptiles and amphibians, andthree species of fish have been recorded from the park including Musk deer
Musk deer
Musk deer are artiodactyls of the genus Moschus, the only genus of family Moschidae. They are more primitive than the cervids, or true deer, in not having antlers or facial glands, in having only a single pair of teats, and in possessing a gall bladder, a caudal gland, a pair of tusk-like teeth...
, Red Panda
Red Panda
The red panda , is a small arboreal mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. It is the only species of the genus Ailurus. Slightly larger than a domestic cat, it has reddish-brown fur, a long, shaggy tail, and a waddling gait due to its shorter front legs...
,
Snow leopard
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
, Himalayan Black Bear,
Indian Leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
, Jackal
Jackal
Although the word jackal has been historically used to refer to many small- to medium-sized species of the wolf genus of mammals, Canis, today it most properly and commonly refers to three species: the black-backed jackal and the side-striped jackal of sub-Saharan Africa, and the golden jackal of...
, Himalayan Tahr
Himalayan Tahr
The Himalayan Tahr or Common Thar is a large ungulate related to the wild goat.-Habitat:...
, Yellow-throated Marten, Otter
European Otter
The European Otter , also known as the Eurasian otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter and Old World otter, is a European and Asian member of the Lutrinae or otter subfamily, and is typical of freshwater otters....
, Dhole
Dhole
The dhole is a species of canid native to South and Southeast Asia. It is the only extant member of the genus Cuon, which differs from Canis by the reduced number of molars and greater number of teats...
, Gray langur
Gray langur
Gray langurs or Hanuman langurs, the most widespread langurs of South Asia, are a group of Old World monkeys constituting the entirety of the genus Semnopithecus. All taxa have traditionally been placed in the single species Semnopithecus entellus...
, Rhesus Macaque
Rhesus Macaque
The Rhesus macaque , also called the Rhesus monkey, is one of the best-known species of Old World monkeys. It is listed as Least Concern in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, and its tolerance of a broad range of habitats...
.
There are 241 recorded species of birds, including 49 wetland species. Coot
Coot
Coots are medium-sized water birds that are members of the rail family Rallidae. They constitute the genus Fulica. Coots have predominantly black plumage, and, unlike many of the rails, they are usually easy to see, often swimming in open water...
s are often found in the lake. During the winter, Great-crested
Great Crested Grebe
The Great Crested Grebe is a member of the grebe family of water birds.- Description :The Great Crested Grebe is long with a wingspan. It is an excellent swimmer and diver, and pursues its fish prey underwater. The adults are unmistakable in summer with head and neck decorations...
and Black-necked
Black-necked Grebe
The Black-necked Grebe, Podiceps nigricollis, known in North America as the Eared Grebe, is a member of the grebe family of water birds. It occurs on every continent except Australia and Antarctica.-Taxonomy:There are three subspecies:*P. n...
grebe
Grebe
A grebe is a member of the Podicipediformes order, a widely distributed order of freshwater diving birds, some of which visit the sea when migrating and in winter...
s, Red-crested Pochard
Red-crested Pochard
The Red-crested Pochard is a large diving duck.Their breeding habitat is lowland marshes and lakes in southern Europe and southern and central Asia. They are somewhat migratory, and northern birds winter further south and into north Africa.The adult male is unmistakable. It has a rounded orange...
s, Mallard
Mallard
The Mallard , or Wild Duck , is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia....
, Common Teal
Common Teal
The Eurasian Teal or Common Teal is a common and widespread duck which breeds in temperate Eurasia and migrates south in winter. The Eurasian Teal is often called simply the Teal due to being the only one of these small dabbling ducks in much of its range...
(Anas crecca), and Common Merganser
Common Merganser
The Common Merganser or Goosander Mergus merganser is a large duck, of rivers and lakes of forested areas of Europe, northern and central Asia, and North America. It eats fish and nests in holes in trees...
are common. Other birds seen often include the Himalayan Snowcock
Himalayan Snowcock
The Himalayan Snowcock is a snowcock in the pheasant family Phasianidae found across the Himalayan ranges and parts of the adjoining Pamir range of Asia. It is found on alpine pastures and on steep rocky cliffs where they will dive down the hill slopes to escape. It overlaps with the slightly...
, Chukar Partridge, Himalayan Monal
Himalayan Monal
The Himalayan Monal, Lophophorus impejanus also known as the Impeyan Monal or Impeyan Pheasant or Danphe is a bird of genus Lophophorus of the pheasant family, Phasianidae. It is the national bird of Nepal, where it is known as the Danfe, and the state bird of Uttarakhand.Traditionally, the...
, Kalij Pheasant
Kalij Pheasant
The Kalij Pheasant, Lophura leucomelanos, is a pheasant found in forests and thickets, especially in the Himalayan foothills, from the Northern India to western Thailand. Males are rather variable depending on the subspecies involved, but all have an at least partially glossy bluish-black plumage,...
and Blood Pheasant
Blood Pheasant
The Blood Pheasant is the only species in genus Ithaginis of the pheasant family. This relatively small, short-tailed pheasant is widespread and fairly common in northern Southasia...
.
In 1979, three endemic snowtrout species
Schizothorax
Schizothorax is a genus of cyprinid fish from Central and East Asia. Their scientific name means "cleft-breast", from Ancient Greek schízeïn "to cleave" + thórax "breast-plate"...
were collected in Lake Rara and described as new species: the Nepalese snowtrout Schizothorax nepalensis
Schizothorax nepalensis
Schizothorax nepalensis is a cyprinid fish species of the genus Schizothorax. The Nepalese snowtrout was first collected in 1979 in the alpine fresh water Rara Lake located in Nepal's Rara National Park....
, the Rara snowtrout Schizothorax raraensis
Schizothorax raraensis
Schizothorax raraensis is a cyprinid fish species of the genus Schizothorax. The Rara snowtrout was first collected in 1979 in the alpine fresh water Rara Lake located in Nepal's Rara National Park....
and Schizothorax macrophthalmus
Schizothorax macrophthalmus
Schizothorax macrophthalmus is a cyprinid fish species of the genus Schizothorax. This snowtrout was first collected in 1979 in the alpine fresh water Rara Lake located in Nepal's Rara National Park....
. Also in 1979, the frog species Paa rarica
Paa rarica
Paa rarica is a frog species of the Ranidae family. It is associated with tropical montane forest and endemic to Rara Lake located in Nepal's Rara National Park....
has been first recorded as endemic to the lake.
Tourism
Rara is not generally a tourist destination, as there are little to no accommodations within the park, no health post, and it is difficult to get to. Visitors must fly from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj, followed by a flight to Jumla or Kolti. From there, a three-day trek will bring them to the park office. Alternatively, visitors can travel from Nepalgunj to Surkhet, where it is a ten-day trek to the park. The lake has not received over 200 tourists in any year. Experienced trekkers can visit the national park via any of these routes, and Rara National Park is an interesting destination for many interested in seeing various flora, fauna, and scenery unique to the area.GORP founder Bill Greer described Rara Lake as:
- "a shimmering blue jewel set in a ring of snowy peaks"
Another travel writer describes a trek in the park:
- "Although more trampled than in the past, the road to Rara Lake is still without any of the comfortable services available along more popular trails. Logistically it is not an easy trek; it is hard to get to and from, and it is an organizational challenge, requiring informed guides and porters to tote the two weeks' worth of material that will keep you warm, dry and fed. It is also tough on the bones, involving several 11,000-foot passes. However, once you overcome the obstacles, the rewards are legion: few if any other trekkers, incomparable natural splendor, "untouched" villages, blissful quiet…"
There are no settlements within the boundaries of Rara National Park, as the two villages once inside the area, Rara and Chhapru, were resettled in the Banke District
Banke District
-Geography:Banke is bordered on the west by Bardiya district. Rapti zone's Salyan and Dang Deukhuri Districts border to the north and east. To the south lies Uttar Pradesh, India; specifically Shravasti and Bahraich districts of Awadh. East of Nepalganj the international border follows the...
when the protected area was established. Agriculture is the basis for the local economy in the surrounding areas, which has led to pollution inside the park. Sediment from the surrounding hills as well as sewage and solid waste threaten the park.