A. National Parks
| Name & Altitude |
Established (A.D) | Area (Km2) |
Flora | Fauna | Unique features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chitwan National Park (150 to 815 m) |
1973 | 932 | • Sal forests (70%), • Grasslands (20%), • Riverine (7%) • Sal with Chirpine (3%) |
• Mammals (50 sp.), birds (over 525), Amphibians and reptiles (55 sp.) • Endangered fauna - Rhino, Gaur, Bengal tiger, Wild elephant, Four-horned antelope, Pangolin, Golden monitor lizard, Python, Bengal florican, Lesser florican, Giant hornbill, Black stork, White stork |
• First national Park of Nepal • Included in a world heritage site in 1984 • Known for one-horned Rhinoceros |
| Sagarmatha National Park (2845 to 8848 m) |
1976 | 1148 | • Pine, fir, juniper • Alpine plant communities |
• Red Panda, Snow-leopard, Himalayan Thar, Pika, Ghoral, Musk deer • Birds (over 118 sp.) including Danphe (national bird of Nepal) |
• Includes the highest peak of the world • Included in a world heritage site in 1979 AD |
| Rara National Park (1800 to 4048 m) |
1976 | 106 | • Sub-alpine and high temperate vegetation • Blue pine, Black Juniper, Oak, walnut |
• Mammals (20 sp.), birds (214 spp), fishes (3 sp.) • Musk deer, Himalayan Black bear, Himalayan Thar, Ghoral, Red Panda, Common otter etc. |
• Smallest National Park • Lake Rara |
| Langtang National Park (792 to 7245 m) |
Designated in 1970-71, gazetted in 1976 | 1710 | • Sal forests, Hill foerests, Oak forests, blue pine, fir, hemlock, Rhododendron | • Musk deer, Himalayan Black bear, Himalayan Thar, Ghoral, snow leopard, Wild dog, Shrew, Red Panda • Birds (250 sp.) |
• A great verities of vegetation types within a short aerial distance |
| Shey-phoksundo National Park (2000 to 6885 m) |
1984 | 3555 | • Rhododendron, fir, birch, juniper, pine, bamboo, salix, Caragana, shrubs | • Snow leopard, grey wolf, musk deer, blue sheep, great Tibetan sheep, Himalayan Thar, leopard, Jackal, Himalayan Black bear • Reptiles (6 sp.), Butterfly (29 sp.) including highest flying butterfly in the world Paralasa nepalaica, birds (over 200 sp.) |
• Largest National Park in Nepal • Highest Waterfall in Nepal |
| Khaptad Nataional Park (1000 to 3276 m) |
1984 | 225 | • Subtropical to temperate forest • Chir pine, spruce, fir, Maple, Birch, Alder, Rhododendron, Flowers (about 135 sp.), Medicinal herbs (about 224 sp.) | • Musk deer, spotted leopard, Langur, Asiatic black bear, Wild boar, Golden Jackal • Birds (266 sp.), mammals (20 sp.) |
• Religious and socially important |
| Bardia National Park (152 to 1441 m) |
1988 | 968 | • Sal tree, Grassland and riverine forests, sal-pine forest, Khair-sissoo forest | • Birds(over 230 sp.), Mammals (30sps) • Tiger, Rhino, Swamp deer, dolphin, blackbuck, Gharial, Crocodile |
• Dense sal forest • Gangetic Dolphin and Gharial |
| Makalu Barun National Park (435 to 8463 m) |
1992 | 1500 | • Rhododendron (25 sp.), orchids (47 types) and rare plants (56) | • Snow leopard, Himalayan marmot, Red panda, musk deer, wild boar, yak | • Snow leopard and Red Panda |
| Shivapuri Nagarjun National park (1366 to 2732 m) |
2002 | 159 | • Pine, Oak, Rhododendron, Mushroom(129 sp.) | • Himalayan Black Bear, Leopard, Jungle Cat, Rhesus monkey, Birds (177 sp.), butterflies (102 sp.) | • Watershed area for Kathmandu city |
| Banke National Park | 12th July 2010 | 550 | Sal, grassland, karma, Khair, sissoo. | Mammals (34), birds (more than 300), reptiles (24), amphibians (7), fishes (58) | Recognized as a gift to earth in 1998. Promotes ecotourism. |
B. Wild Life Reserves
| Name & Altitude |
Established (A.D) | Area (Km2) | Flora | Fauna | Unique features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (75 to 81 m) |
1976 | 175 | • Tall grasslands, Khair-sissoo scrub forest and deciduous mixed riverine forest | • Wild buffalo (159 individuals), hog deer, wild boar, spotted deer, Blue bull, Rock python • Fish (80 sp.), birds (441 sp. • Gharial, Crocodile, Gangetic dolphin |
• Only remaining population of wild buffalo (Bubalus arnee) • Smallest wildlife reserve of Nepal |
| Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve (90 to 270m) |
1976 | 305 | • Sal, sissoo, simal, karma • Siru and elephant grass | • Swamp deer, Spotted deer, Hog deer • Wild boar, Blue bull, Tiger, leopard • Birds (268 sp.) • Crocodile, python, cobra, krait |
• Swamp deer(about 200 to 2500) • Largest herd of swamp deer • Declared royal hunting reserve in 1969 AD |
| Parsa Wild Life Reserve (150 to 825m) | 1984 | 499 | • Sal forests, riverine forests • Pine, Khair |
• Wild Asian elephant, Royal Bengal tiger, sloth bear, leopard, Blue bull, sambar deer, Chital, Hog deer, barking deer, Langur, Rhesus monkey, striped hyena, Jungle cat, Palm civet • Birds (500 sp.)- Giant hornbill(E) • Cobra, Krait, Python, King cobra |
• Largest wildlife reserve in Nepal |
C. Conservation Areas
| Name & Altitude |
Established (AD) | Area (Km2) | Flora | Fauna | Unique Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annapurna Conservation Area (100-8092 m) |
1992 | 7629 | • Upper Rhododendron, • Sal, Oak, Alder, Juniper, • Birch, Blue pine • Mixed broad-leaved forest |
• Mammals (10), notable birds • Snow leopard, blue sheep, Asiatic black bear, Red panda, Barking deer etc. |
• Largest protected area in Nepal. • Most Famous trekking destination in Nepal. • World’s Deepest gorge, the Kali Gandaki. |
| Kanchanjunga Conservation Area (1200 to 8998 m) |
1998 | 2035 | • Sub-tropical evergreen forest (800-1200 m) • Lower temperate forest (1200-2500 m) • Upper temperate forest (2500-3500 m) • Sub-Alpine zone (3500-3900 m) • Alpine zone (3900-4600 m) |
• Snow leopard, Musk Deer, Panda, blue sheep etc. | •Rhododendron |
| Manasulu Conservation Area (100 to 8092 m) |
1998 | 1663 | • Plants (2000 Species) • 11 types of forests • Over 50 species of useful plants |
• Mammals (33), • Birds (110), • Butterfly (11), • Reptiles (3) |
• Largest protected area in Nepal. • Most Famous trekking destination in Nepal. • World’s Deepest gorge, the Kali Gandaki. |
| Blackbuck Conservation Area | 2009 | 15.95 | • Blackbucks (213) | ||
| Api Nampa Conservation Area (518 to 7132 m) |
2007 | 1903 | • Sal, fir, Hemlock, Juniper, Oak, Pine, Rhododendron, | • Snow leopard, Musk deer, Clouded leopard, Ghoral, Himalayan black bear, Himalayan Thar, Danphe, Munal. | |
| Gaurishankar Conservation Area | 2179 |
D. Hunting Reserve
| Name & Altitude |
Established in (AD) | Area (Km2) | Flora | Fauna | Unique Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve (2850 to 7000 m) | 1987 | 1325 | • Alpine, Sub-alpine and High temperate vegetation, • Birch, Rhododendron, Fir, Juniper, Oak, Grassland. |
• Blue Sheep, Leopard, • Himalayan Thar, Asiatic Black Bear, Red Panda, Musk Deer, Wild Dog etc. |
• Endangered Pheasants and Partridges • Only one hunting reserve in Nepal. |
E. Buffer zones
| Name | Established year |
|---|---|
| Chitwan National Park | 1996 |
| Bardia National Park | 1996 |
| Langtang National Park | 1998 |
| Shey-Phoksundo National Park | 1998 |
| Makalu-Barun National Park | 1999 |
| Sagarmatha National Park | 2000 |
| Rara National Park | 2006 |
| Khaptad National Park | 2006 |
| Banke National Park | 2010 |
| Sukhlaphanta Wildlife Reserve | 2004 |
| Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve | 2004 |
| Parsa Wildlife Reserve | 200 |
Protected Animal species in Nepal, as stipulated in the 1973 National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1971 (and subsequent amendments)
A. Mammals
| Common Name | Scientific Name | IUCN listing |
|---|---|---|
| Red Panda | Ailurus fulgens | V |
| Black Buck | Antelope cervicapra | E |
| Wild Yak | Bos mutus | E |
| Gaur (Indian Bison) | Bos gaurus | V |
| Wild buffalo | Bubalus bubalis | E |
| Wolf | Canis lupus | |
| Hispid hare | Caprolegus hispidus | E |
| Swamp deer | Cervus duvauceli | E |
| Wild elephant | Elephas maximus | E |
| Leopard cat | Felis bengalensis | |
| Lynx | Felis lynx | |
| Striped Hyena | Hyaena hyaena | E (N. Africa) |
| Pangolin (Indian and Chinese) | Manis pentadactyla | |
| Musk deer | Moschus moschiferus | V |
| Clouded Leopard | Neofelis nebulosa | V |
| Great Tibetan Sheep (Nayan) | Ovis ammon | I |
| Tiger | Panthera tigris | E |
| Snow leopard | Panthera uncial | E |
| Tibetan antelope | Pantholops hodgsoni | |
| Gangetic dolphin | Platanista gangetica | V |
| Linsang | Prionodon paradicolor | |
| Indian Rhinoceros | Rhinoceros unicornis | E |
| Pygmy hog | Sus salvanius | E |
| Four-horned antelope | Tetracerus quadrieornis | |
| Himalayan brown bear | Ursus arotos | |
| Assamese rhesus monkey | Macaca assamensis |
B. Birds
| Common Name | Scientific Name | IUCN listing |
|---|---|---|
| Giant hornbill | Buceros bicornis | |
| Cheer pheasant | Catreus wallichii | V |
| White stork | Ciconia ciconia | R |
| Black stork | Ciconia nigra | |
| Bengal florican | Euodotis bengalensis | E |
| Sarus crane | Gus antigone | |
| Impeyan pheasant | Lophophorus impejanus | |
| Lesser florican | Sypheotides indica | E |
| Crimson-horned pheasant | Tragopan satyra |
C. Reptiles
| Common Name | Scientific Name | IUCN listing |
|---|---|---|
| Gharial (Gavial) | Gavialis gangeticus | E |
| Indian python | Python molurus | V |
| Yellow monitor lizard | Varanus flavesence | I |
Also, Read our other Notes on the Application of Biology: