Wildlife of Nepal
May 26, 2019
Wildlife of Nepal includes all the plants and animals found in this naturally gifted nation. Due to the variation in climate from stifling to freezing and landscape from plains to mountains Nepal’s diversity in wildlife and vegetation is dazzling.
Mammals
The majority of mammals are vertebrates define by the presence of mammary glands in females that produce milk to feed their younger ones once. Nepal has around 208 species of mammals found in different parts of the country. Among them, some are rare and endangered like snow leopard, one-horned rhino, Royal Bengal Tiger, and Red Panda. Some notable mammals are in Nepal like Monkeys, Hyena, Jackal, Wild boar, Sloth Bear, Wild Cat, Wolf, Antelope, Deer, Wild Buffalo, Asiatic Elephants, etc.
Reptiles
Reptiles are turtles, snakes, crocodilians, lizards, amphisbaenas, and tuataras.
Several snakes such as cobras, vipers, and pythons are discovered in southern areas of the nation. Other reptiles found in Nepal are turtles, lizards, and crocodiles. The fish-eating gharials (alligators) which almost extinct but survived due to a good breeding project. The marsh muggers are the two species of crocodiles that reside in Swamps, lakes, rivers, and wetlands of Nepal.
Birds
There are different varieties of birds all over the world with approximately ten thousand species. In Nepal alone, over 900 species are getting among them 30 species are in danger of extinction worldwide. One species; Spiny babbler is endemic (Locally termed as Kande Bhyakur, the fund only in the middle hills of Nepal) 1 species just introduce and 74 species are rare. The hills around Kathmandu valley like Phulchowki and Nagarjun are famous birding areas.
National Parks
National parks in the Terai region of Nepal also have large varieties of birds. Some rare species like black stork, white stork, Sarus crane, Bengal florican, giant hornbill, lesser florican, etc. It can come to find in Chitwan, Bardia, Banke, Suklaphanta, and Parsa National Parks. Similarly, Koshi Tappu Wildlife Conservation Area is also home to a wide variety of birds. Approximately 485 species of birds are in this region. In the Himalayan region, the local names of rare birds such as Himalayan monal and purple horned pheasant are Dhanpe. (which is also Nepal’s domestic bird) and Monal.
Aquatic Fauna
The biodiversity of aquatic fauna in Nepal is also very diverse. Nepal’s freshwater rivers, streams, high altitude lakes, ponds, etc. comprise about 200 species of fish, among which 59 species classified as cold-water fish are accessible.
Plant and Vegetation
“Hariyo Ban Nepal Ko Dhan” is a popular phrase used in Nepal which translates to “green forests are the assets of Nepal” since 44.74 percent of Nepal is covered with forest and scrublands. (According to a joint five-year survey conducted by the Department of Forest Research and Survey and the National Forest Products Survey Project in between 2067 to 2071 BS)
A record from 2006 shows that 6319 species of flowering plants and 26 species of non-flowering plants are getting in high mountains, hills and the Terai region of Nepal among them 399 are endemic. In protected locations, 2532 vascular plants are registered. The herbs and plants are used medicinal plants in the Nepalese Himalaya. There are also wide varieties of orchids around the greens of Nepal.
Conservation
To protect and preserve these endowments of nature Nepal has established several protected areas since 1973. Nepal’s National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Department manages all the protected zones in Nepal. This includes 12 National Parks, 1 Wildlife reserve, 6 Conservation Areas, and 1 hunting reserve.
Besides this, DNPWC has also been doing an admirable job in supporting people living nearby as well as those living inside buffer zones. Promoting ecotourism and conducting surveys about flora and fauna. It includes an annual census of endangered animals like the Royal Bengal Tigers and Snow leopards.
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