Bardia National Park

Location: Nepal, Bheri

Area: 968 sq km

Established: 1988

Governing body: Department Of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation.

Coordinates: 28°23’N 81°30’E

Bardia National Park is located in the Bheri of Nepal. The Park was established in 1988 as a Royal Bardia National Park. It is situated in the Southern Border of the far North West corner of Nepal. It is the largest wilderness reserve on the Terai lowlands that form a transition between the plains of the Northern India and the outer foothills of the Himalayas. The location of the Park provides a huge protected area of diverse habitats for a multitude of endangered Species. The Park is believed and set to become one of the premier Eco-Tourism Destinations in Asia.

Today this area is called as Naya Muluk because 45 years ago it was a part of Britist India and returned to Nepal in 1860 in the recognition for suppression of the Indian Independence movement in 1857. In 1984, Royal Bardia wildlife reserve extended to include the Babai River Valley.  The Park hosts Tens of different Mammals species and hundreds of different Birds Species. The wide Range of vegetation types in Forest and Grassland provides excellent habitat. It is the largest and most undisturbed wilderness area in Nepal’s. The Park covers about 70 percent of its forest. The forest is a mixture of Grassland, Savannah and Riverine Forest. The park comprises 839 species of flora. The forest also includes 173 vascular plant species. Bardia national park is the home to 53 mammals. Wild Elephant, Bengal Tiger, Swamp Deer, Gamgetic Dolphin Rhinoceros are the Rare mammals found in the park. The park also includes four hundred seven species of Birds. Bengal Florican, white Rumped Vulture, Peafowl, Bar headed Geese are the symbolic of the park. As for Flora, the park has around eight hundred thirty nine species of them, and this, combined with dense forest and substantial grassland, along with the Karnali and Babai Rivers and their numerous tributaries, go to make the region a prime wildlife habitat. Indeed, the Bardiya National Park is an ideal destination for a jungle safari in Nepal. The One-Horned Rhinos are not indigenous to the Region; rather, they have been relocated here from Chitwan National Park, which is of course world renowned for its substantial population of the endangered animals. Their horns are prized for their reputed aphrodisiacal properties, and thus these tuskers face constant danger from poachers in both the parks. Bardiya National Park is the largest population of the magnificent Royal Bengal Tigers is to be found in the Largest Wildlife Park in the country.

Nepal can be said to be an excellent Asian wildlife Safari destination, and this is where wildlife parks come into the picture. Nepal wildlife has something for all kinds of animal lovers. For those interested in butterflies, it should come somewhat of a surprise to them that, although the country is so small, it has about six hundred fifty species of these fluttering beauties.