Nepal is blessed with an abundant amount of natural beauties. Nepal not only offers you the glorious mountain trekking and raging white-water rafting, but also a fine selection of pristine national park for adventurous jungle safari. Due to the wide range of climatic and landscape diversity caused due to altitude variation, the wildlife diversity of the country is also exemplary. In recognition of the magnitude of biodiversity, the Government of Nepal has established a network of 20 protected areas since 1973, consisting of ten national parks, three wildlife reserves, six conservation areas, and one hunting reserve.
The List of the Protected Areas are:
National Parks of Nepal:
Sagarmatha National Park – 1,148 km2
Chitwan National Park – 932 km2
Langtang National Park – 1,710 km2
Rara National Park – 106 km2
Shey Phoksundo National Park – 3,555 km2
Bardiya National Park– 986km2
Khaptad National Park – 225 km2
Makalu Barun National Park – 1,500 km2 (580 sq mi)
Banke National Park – 550 km2 (210 sq mi)
Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park – 159 km2 (61 sq mi)
Wildlife Reserves in Nepal
Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve – 175 km2
Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve – 305 km2
Parsa Wildlife Reserve – 637 km2
Conservation Areas in Nepal
Annapurna Conservation Area – 7,629 km2
Manaslu Conservation Area – 1,663 km2
Kanchenjunga Conservation Area – 2,035 km2
Blackbuck (Krishnasar) Conservation Area – 15.95 km2
Gaurishankar Conservation Area – 2,179 km2
Api Nampa Conservation Area – 1,903 km2
Hunting Reserve in Nepal
Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve Area- 1,325 km²
Most of which have dense jungles teeming with diverse wildlife and exotic birds. For Jungle Safari in Nepal, You can ride on elephant back or drive four-wheeler and also take permission for on foot to view wildlife and their habitats. You can either canoe or enjoy bird-watching. You can have the most memorable nature walks, village and cultural tours, bird watching excursions, and so on. Nepal is the home of flora and fauna. Various national parks of Nepal have been preserving this amazing natural heritage.
During Jungle Safari in Nepal, You can see wildlife such as one-horned Rhino swamp deer, blackbuck, musk deer, blue bull, Royal Bengal Tiger, Mugger Crocodiles, and Gharial, Asiatic wild buffalo, Snow Leopard and many other endangered species of animals, birds and so on. You will have plenty of time to have jungle walks overlooking the enthralling beauty of Jungle vicinity. In Nepal, you will discover the ideal situation of viewing the jungle scenery, animals and birds, and the indigenous local people and their tradition, costumes, and languages.
As a matter of fact of such diversity, wildlife tourism happens to a major attraction of the country. Further, Nepal has established many National Parks and conservation areas to protect its diverse fauna. These natural parks are playing a significant role to legally protect the wildlife of Nepal. This National Parks and Wildlife Conservation act under the Nepal government regulates all the policies and rules. Also, two of the National Parks- Chitwan National Park and Sagarmatha National park are listed on the UNESCO world heritage list.
Facts about wildlife in Nepal:
As per the data of the Department of national parks and wildlife reserve Nepal, there are few interesting details about National Parks of Nepal –
- Over 30 species of mammals including musk-deer, leopards, bears, wild yaks, squirrels, wild goats, wild dogs, wolves, etc are the principally found in the Himalayan region.
- About 800 species of birds live in the various ecological belts of Nepal. Giant kites, vultures, Monal, Tibetan pigeons, and Danphe are commonly found in all the regions. Danphe is the National bird of Nepal.
- There are many non-poisonous snakes in the wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, especially in the Terai region while there are also few species of poisonous Snakes (viper, cobra, and krait,) reported.
- Animals like tigers, bears, wolves, Jackals, foxes, monkeys, bears, deer and so on are found in the hilly region of Nepal
- The Terai has endangered mammals like wild buffaloes, wild elephants, one-horned rhinos, Bengal tigers, bears and stags and also the species of birds like peacocks, spiny babbler, hornbill, partridges, falcons, owls, cranes, doves, parrots, quails, and vultures
- The reptiles like scorpions, crocodiles, alligators, tortoises, and the Gangetic dolphins can also be spotted in Terai
The wildlife of Nepal attracts many tourists from all over the world. You can explore the jungle on foot, riding the elephant, or also by jeep safari. We recommend a guide for the safari inside the jungle as they know very well about their areas.