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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. |
