Royal Bardia National Park
Encyclopedia
Bardiya National Park is a protected area in Nepal
that was established in 1988 as Royal Bardia National Park. Covering an area of 968 km² (373.7 sq mi) it is the largest and most undisturbed wilderness area in Nepal's Terai
, adjoining the eastern bank of the Karnali River
in the Bardiya District
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...
that was established in 1988 as Royal Bardia National Park. Covering an area of 968 km² (373.7 sq mi) it is the largest and most undisturbed wilderness area in Nepal's Terai
Terai
The Terai is a belt of marshy grasslands, savannas, and forests located south of the outer foothills of the Himalaya, the Siwalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and their tributaries. The Terai belongs to the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion...
, adjoining the eastern bank of the Karnali River
Ghaghara River
Karnali or Ghaghara is a perennial trans-boundary river originating on the Tibetan Plateau near Lake Mansarovar. It cuts through the Himalayas in Nepal and joins the Sarda River at Brahmaghat in India. Together they form the Ghaghra River, a major left bank tributary of the Ganges. With a length of...
in the Bardiya District
Bardiya District
Bardiya DistrictBardiya DistrictBardiya DistrictBardiya DistrictBardiya DistrictBardiya DistrictBardiya DistrictBardiya DistrictBardiya District' onMouseout='HidePop("26420")' href="/topics/Siwalik_Hills">Siwalik Hills
. The Nepalgunj
-Surkhet
highway partly forms the southern boundary, but seriously disrupts the protected area. Natural boundaries to human settlements are formed in the west by the Geruwa, a branch of the Karnali River, and in the southeast by the Babai River.
Together with the neighboring Banke National Park
, the coherent protected area of 1437 km² (554.8 sq mi) represents the Tiger Conservation Unit (TCU) Bardia-Banke that extends over 2231 km² (861.4 sq mi) of alluvial grasslands and subtropical moist decidous forests.
Listen to pronunciation of Bardiya National Park's local name
through the Sugauli Treaty
. For 45 years it was a part of British India and returned to Nepal in 1860 in recognition for supporting the suppression of the Indian Independence movement
in 1857. Today, this annexed area is still called Naya Muluk meaning new country. An area of 368 km² (142.1 sq mi) was set aside as Royal Hunting Reserve in 1969 and gazetted as Royal Karnali Wildlife Reserve in 1976. In 1982, it was proclaimed as Royal Bardia Wildlife Reserve and extended to include the Babai River Valley in 1984. Finally in 1988, the protected area was gazetted as national park.
The approximately 1500 people who used to live in this valley have been resettled elsewhere. Since farming has ceased in the Babai Valley, the natural regenerated vegetation makes the area a prime habitat for wildlife.
h and riverine forest
.
The flora recorded in the park comprises 839 species of flora, including 173 vascular plant
species comprising 140 dicots, 26 monocots, six fern, and one gymnosperm
species.
s. A small population of gharial
inhabits the rivers. Apart from the crocodiles, 23 reptile
and amphibian species have been recorded.
s including rhinoceros, wild elephant
, Bengal tiger
, swamp deer
, and Gangetic dolphin.
Rhinoceros: Translocation of rhinos from Chitwan to Bardia National Park commenced in 1986, with 58 individuals relocated until 2000. From 1994 to 2000, hunters have been unsuccessful at poaching
rhinos. In April 2000, there were 67 rhinos in the park, most of them resident in the Babai Valley. In May 2006, a reconnaissance survey was carried out in the Babai River floodplain, which revealed an alarming decline in the rhino population. Poaching was suspected to be the main cause of this decline. Subsequent surveys in 2007 and 2008 have confirmed the complete disappearance of rhinos from Babai Valley. In different habitats of the Karnali floodplain 25 rhinos were recorded based on direct observation and indirect signs of rhino dung and tracks. They were mostly congregated in the floodplain grassland, riverine forest and wetlands. In March 2008, only 22 rhinos were counted, and two of them have been poached since the count.
Elephants: In 1985, two large elephant bulls were spotted for the first time in the park, and named Raja Gaj and Kanchha. They roamed the park area together and made occasional visits to the females. Raja Gaj stood 11.3 ft (3.4 m) tall at the shoulder and had a massive body weight. His appearance has been compared to that of a mammoth
due to his high bi-domed shaped head. His forehead and domes were more prominent than in other Asian bull elephants. In 1993, five elephants were seen entering the park, and one year later another 16 individuals arrived. A population count in summer 1997 revealed 41 resident individuals. In 2002, more than 60 individuals were estimated to reside in the Karnali floodplain and the Babai Valley.
, white-rumped vulture, peafowl, and bar-headed geese, which are symbolic of the park. Lesser florican
, silver-eared mesia
and Sarus crane
have also been sighted.
Siwalik Hills
The Sivalik hills is a mountain range of the outer Himalayas also known as Manak Parbat in ancient times. Shivalik literally means 'tresses of Shiva’. This range is about long enclosing an area that starts almost from the Indus and ends close to the Brahmaputra, with a gap of about between the...
. The Nepalgunj
Nepalgunj
Nepalgunj , also spelled Nepalganj, is a municipality in Banke District, Nepal on the Terai plains near the southern border with Bahraich district, Uttar Pradesh state of India. It is 16 km south of Kohalpur and the east-west Mahendra Highway....
-Surkhet
Surkhet
Surkhet is a district in the Bheri Zone of the Mid-Western Development Region of Nepal. Birendranagar is the administrative headquarter of Surkhet as well as the whole Mid-Western Development Region...
highway partly forms the southern boundary, but seriously disrupts the protected area. Natural boundaries to human settlements are formed in the west by the Geruwa, a branch of the Karnali River, and in the southeast by the Babai River.
Together with the neighboring Banke National Park
Banke National Park
Banke National Park is located in the Mid-Western Region, Nepal and was established in May 2010 as Nepal’s tenth national park, covering an area of 550 km2 with most parts falling on the Churia range....
, the coherent protected area of 1437 km² (554.8 sq mi) represents the Tiger Conservation Unit (TCU) Bardia-Banke that extends over 2231 km² (861.4 sq mi) of alluvial grasslands and subtropical moist decidous forests.
Listen to pronunciation of Bardiya National Park's local name
History
In 1815, Nepal lost this region to the East India CompanyEast India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
through the Sugauli Treaty
Sugauli Treaty
The Sugauli Treaty was signed on December 2, 1815 and ratified by March 4, 1816, between the British East India Company and Nepal, which was a kingdom during that era. This ended the second British invasion of the Himalayan kingdom during the Anglo-Nepalese War...
. For 45 years it was a part of British India and returned to Nepal in 1860 in recognition for supporting the suppression of the Indian Independence movement
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
in 1857. Today, this annexed area is still called Naya Muluk meaning new country. An area of 368 km² (142.1 sq mi) was set aside as Royal Hunting Reserve in 1969 and gazetted as Royal Karnali Wildlife Reserve in 1976. In 1982, it was proclaimed as Royal Bardia Wildlife Reserve and extended to include the Babai River Valley in 1984. Finally in 1988, the protected area was gazetted as national park.
The approximately 1500 people who used to live in this valley have been resettled elsewhere. Since farming has ceased in the Babai Valley, the natural regenerated vegetation makes the area a prime habitat for wildlife.
Vegetation
About 70% of the park is covered with forest, with the balance a mixture of grassland, savannaSavanna
A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses.Some...
h and riverine forest
Riparian zone
A riparian zone or riparian area is the interface between land and a river or stream. Riparian is also the proper nomenclature for one of the fifteen terrestrial biomes of the earth. Plant habitats and communities along the river margins and banks are called riparian vegetation, characterized by...
.
The flora recorded in the park comprises 839 species of flora, including 173 vascular plant
Vascular plant
Vascular plants are those plants that have lignified tissues for conducting water, minerals, and photosynthetic products through the plant. Vascular plants include the clubmosses, Equisetum, ferns, gymnosperms and angiosperms...
species comprising 140 dicots, 26 monocots, six fern, and one gymnosperm
Gymnosperm
The gymnosperms are a group of seed-bearing plants that includes conifers, cycads, Ginkgo, and Gnetales. The term "gymnosperm" comes from the Greek word gymnospermos , meaning "naked seeds", after the unenclosed condition of their seeds...
species.
Fauna
The wide range of vegetation types in forest and grassland provides excellent habitat for 642 faunal species. The Karnali-Babai river system, their small tributaries and myriads of oxbow lakes is habitat for 125 recorded species of fish and mugger crocodileMugger Crocodile
The mugger crocodile , also called the Indian, Indus, Persian, or marsh crocodile, is found throughout the Indian subcontinent and the surrounding countries...
s. A small population of gharial
Gharial
The gharial , , also called Indian gavial or gavial, is the only surviving member of the once well-represented family Gavialidae, a long-established group of crocodilians with long, slender snouts...
inhabits the rivers. Apart from the crocodiles, 23 reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
and amphibian species have been recorded.
Mammals
The Bardiya National Park is home to at least 53 mammalMammal Species of the World
Mammal Species of the World, now in its 3rd edition, is a standard reference work in zoology giving descriptions and bibliographic data for the known species of mammals.An updated Third Edition of Mammal Species of the World was published late in 2005:...
s including rhinoceros, wild elephant
Indian Elephant
The Indian Elephant is one of three recognized subspecies of the Asian elephant, and native to mainland Asia. Since 1986, Elephas maximus has been listed as endangered by IUCN as the population has declined by at least 50% over the last three generations, estimated to be 60–75 years...
, Bengal tiger
Bengal Tiger
The Bengal tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent that in 2010 has been classified as endangered by IUCN...
, swamp deer
Barasingha
The Barasingha or Swamp deer is a deer species currently found in isolated localities in north and central India, and southwestern Nepal, and is extinct in Pakistan and Bangladesh....
, and Gangetic dolphin.
Rhinoceros: Translocation of rhinos from Chitwan to Bardia National Park commenced in 1986, with 58 individuals relocated until 2000. From 1994 to 2000, hunters have been unsuccessful at poaching
Poaching
Poaching is the illegal taking of wild plants or animals contrary to local and international conservation and wildlife management laws. Violations of hunting laws and regulations are normally punishable by law and, collectively, such violations are known as poaching.It may be illegal and in...
rhinos. In April 2000, there were 67 rhinos in the park, most of them resident in the Babai Valley. In May 2006, a reconnaissance survey was carried out in the Babai River floodplain, which revealed an alarming decline in the rhino population. Poaching was suspected to be the main cause of this decline. Subsequent surveys in 2007 and 2008 have confirmed the complete disappearance of rhinos from Babai Valley. In different habitats of the Karnali floodplain 25 rhinos were recorded based on direct observation and indirect signs of rhino dung and tracks. They were mostly congregated in the floodplain grassland, riverine forest and wetlands. In March 2008, only 22 rhinos were counted, and two of them have been poached since the count.
Elephants: In 1985, two large elephant bulls were spotted for the first time in the park, and named Raja Gaj and Kanchha. They roamed the park area together and made occasional visits to the females. Raja Gaj stood 11.3 ft (3.4 m) tall at the shoulder and had a massive body weight. His appearance has been compared to that of a mammoth
Mammoth
A mammoth is any species of the extinct genus Mammuthus. These proboscideans are members of Elephantidae, the family of elephants and mammoths, and close relatives of modern elephants. They were often equipped with long curved tusks and, in northern species, a covering of long hair...
due to his high bi-domed shaped head. His forehead and domes were more prominent than in other Asian bull elephants. In 1993, five elephants were seen entering the park, and one year later another 16 individuals arrived. A population count in summer 1997 revealed 41 resident individuals. In 2002, more than 60 individuals were estimated to reside in the Karnali floodplain and the Babai Valley.
Birds
Current checklists include 407 bird species, among them the Bengal floricanBengal Florican
The Bengal Florican , also called Bengal Bustard, is a very rare bustard species from tropical southern Asia. It is the only member of the genus Houbaropsis...
, white-rumped vulture, peafowl, and bar-headed geese, which are symbolic of the park. Lesser florican
Lesser Florican
The Lesser Florican , also known as the Likh, is a large bird in the bustard family and the only member of the genus Sypheotides. It is endemic to the Indian Subcontinent where it is found in tall grasslands and is best known for the leaping breeding displays made by the males during the Monsoon...
, silver-eared mesia
Silver-eared Mesia
The Silver-eared Mesia is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.-References:...
and Sarus crane
Sarus Crane
The Sarus Crane is a large non-migratory crane found in parts of the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia and Australia. The tallest of the flying birds, standing at a height of up to 1.8 m , they are conspicuous and iconic species of open wetlands...
have also been sighted.
Further reading
- Wilson-Howarth, J.Jane Wilson-HowarthJane Wilson-Howarth is a British physician, lecturer and author. She has written three travel health guides, two travel narratives and innumerable articles and scientific papers.-Early life:...
(2007) A Glimpse of Eternal Snows. Pier 9, Australia ISBN= 9781921259265
External links
