Bardiya National Park

The Park was established in 1969 as a Royal Hunting Reserve. In 1976 it was gazetted as the Karnali wildlife reserve with an area of 368 sq. km and in 1982 it was renamed as Royal Bardia National Park. In 1988 it was extended to cover the whole Babai Valley to 968 sq.km and now the area has been double up. It is situated in the mid-far western region on the eastern bank of the Karnali river, about 600 kms west of Kathmandu. It is the largest and most undisturbed wilderness area in the Terai of Nepal. It is thickly forested by Sal trees and is carpeted with grass, savannah and riverine forest. It is a regenerated habitat for endangered species like the rhinoceros, wild elephant, tiger, swamp deer, black buck, crocodile and Gangetic dolphin, endangered birds includes the Bengal florican, lesser florican, silver-eared mesia and Sarus crane. More than 30 different mammals, over 300 species of resident and migratory birds and many reptiles and fish have been found to be thriving here.

The park is the largest and most undisturbed wilderness area in the Terai. About 70% of the park is covered with dominantly sal forest with the balance a mixture of grassland, savanna and riverine forest. The approximately 1500 people who lived in this valley have been resettled elsewhere. Since farming has ceased in the Babai Valley, natural vegetation is regenerating, making it an area of prime habitat for wildlife.

The park provides excellent habitat for endangered animals like the rhinoceros, wild elephant, tiger, swamp deer, black buck, gharial crocodile, marsh mugger crocodile and Gangetic dolphin. Endangered birds include the Bengal florican, lesser florican, silver-eared mesia and Sarus crane. More than 30 different mammals, over 200 species of birds, and many snakes, lizards and fish have been recorded in the park's forest, grassland and river habitats. A good number of resident and migratory birds are found in the park.