Introduction to Chitwan National Park

National Parks, Conservation Area and Wildlife Reserves of Nepal

 Chapter-1

Chitwan national Park

Chitwan National Park, the oldest national park in Nepal, is situated in the subtropical inner Terai lowlands of south-central Nepal. It covers 932 square kilometers. It offers a wilderness of rich ecosystem that includes mammals, birds, reptiles and water animals of several kinds. The park was declared UNESCO Heritage Site in 1979 owing to its rich adornment of nature. The park covers a pristine area with a unique ecosystem of significant value to the world. It contains the Churiya hills, Ox-bow lakes and flood plains of Rapti, Reu and Narayani Rivers. There are around 600 plant species, 50 mammals, 526 birds and 49 amphibians, reptiles found in the park.

The park is specially renowned for the endangered one-horned rhinoceros, the tiger and the gharial crocodile along with many other common species such as gaur, wild elephant, four-horned antclope, striped hyena, pangolin, Gangetic, dolphin, monitor lizard and Python. Other animals found in the park include the sambar, Chital, Hog deer, Barking dear, Sloth Bear, Palm civet, Langur and Rhesus monkey. The forest is alive during summer with the arrival of migrant birds, paradise flycatcher, Indian pitta and parakeets, which winter birds include Waterfowl, Barminy ducks, Pintails, Bar-headed geese, Cormorants and migratory birds from Siberia. A rare attraction of the park is the world's fresh water dolphin variety sometimes seen in River Narayani. The park is being the centre of scientific studies of several species of wild flora and fauna.It is famous for one horned rhinoceros and Wild Buffaloes. Spiny Babbler , the only bird found in Nepal is also probably found in it.