CHITWAN

Introduction to Chitwan: Royal Chitwan National Park, the oldest national park in Nepal, is situated in the subtropical inner Terai lowlands of South-Central Nepal. The park was designated as a World Heritage Site in 1984.

There are more than 43 species of mammals in the park. The park is especially renowned for its protection of the endangered one- horned rhinoceros, tiger, and gharial crocodile along with many other common species of wild animal. The estimated population of rhinos is 400. The park also secures populations of endangered species such as gaur, wild elephant, four horned antelope, striped hyena, pangolin, Gangetic dolphin, monitor lizard, and python.

Some of the other animals found in the park are sambar, chital, hog deer, barking deer, sloth deer, common leopard, ratel, palm civet, wild dog, langur and rhesus monkeys. There are over 450 species of birds in the park. Among the endangered birds are the Bengal florican, giant hornbill, lesser florican, black stork and white stork. A few of the common birds seen are peafowl, red jungle fowl, and different species of egrets, herons, kingfishers, flycatchers and woodpeckers. The best times for bird watching are in March and December.

More than 45 species of amphibians and reptiles are found in the park, some of which are the marsh mugger crocodile, cobra, green pit viper and various species of frogs and tortoises. The park is actively engaged in the scientific study of several species of wild flora and fauna.

Formerly, the Chitwan Valley was well known for big game hunting and until 1950 was exclusively managed as a hunting reserve for the Rana Prime Ministers and their guests. In 1963, the area south of the Rapti River was demarcated as a rhinoceros sanctuary. In 1970, His late Majesty King Mahendra approved, in principle, the creation of Royal Chitwan National Park.

Sightseeing: An elephant ride through the park gives you the opportunity to sight the denizens from close quarters, while a boat ride on the river through the jungles can be an exciting affair and a good option to move deep inside.

Excursions: There are several exciting options for daylong and weekend trips from Chitwan National Park. The Gharial Breeding Centre is an important step towards the conservation and research on Gharial, one of the most endangered species. Lamital and Devital are two lakes flocked by migratory birds during winters. Bikram Baba is a Hindu religious site while Sauraha is the major commercial hub in the park region. The Elephant Breeding Centre is a response from the park authorities to increase the number of pachyderms who felicitate visitor transportation inside the park.

 

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