Nepal's first and most famous
national park is situated in the Inner Terai
lowlands of Chitwan. Covering an area of 932 sq.
kilometers the park includes hilly areas of the
Shivalik Range covered by deciduous trees. Parts
of the park are floodplains of rivers Narayani,
Rapti, and the Reu, covered by dense tall
elephant grass, forests of silk cotton, acacia
and Sisam trees. Royal Chitwan National Park was
officially established in 1973 and included as
World Heritage Site in 1984.
The park in Chitwan is shelter to the last
endangered Asian species like the one-horned
rhinoceros and the Royal Bengal tiger. Other
animals found here are the leopard, sloth bear,
wild boar, rhesus monkey, grey langur monkey,
wild dog, small wild cats, bison, the four
species of deer and other small animals. Marsh
crocodiles inhabit the swampy areas. The
Gangetic crocodile that only feed on fish, are
found in a stretch of the River Narayani. Also
found here is one of the four species of
fresh-water dolphins.
Chitwan park is also home to 450 species of bird
and hence is ideal for bird watching. Some of
the resident specialties are woodpeckers,
hornbills, Bengal florican, red-headed trogons,
waterfowl, Brahminy duck, pintails and
bareheaded geese. In summer the forest is alive
with nesting migrants such as the fabulous
paradise flycatcher, the Indian pitta and
parakeets. |
