Shuklaphanta National Park is a

national park A national park is a nature park designated for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes because of unparalleled national natural, historic, or cultural significance. It is an area of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that is protecte ...

in the

Terai The Terai or Tarai is a lowland region in parts of southern Nepal and northern India that lies to the south of the outer foothills of the Himalayas, the Sivalik Hills and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. This lowland belt is characterised by ...

of the Far-Western Region, Nepal, covering of open

grassland A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominance (ecology), dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes such as clover, and other Herbaceo ...

s, forests, riverbeds and

wetland A wetland is a distinct semi-aquatic ecosystem whose groundcovers are flooded or saturated in water, either permanently, for years or decades, or only seasonally. Flooding results in oxygen-poor ( anoxic) processes taking place, especially ...

s at an elevation of . It is bounded by the

Mahakali river The Sharda River is the downstream of Kāli River (or Mahakali River) that originates in the northern Uttarakhand state of India in the Great Himalayas on the eastern slopes of Nanda Devi massif, at an elevation of in the Pithoragarh distr ...

in the west and south. A small part extends north of the

Mahendra Highway Mahendra Highway or NH01 (previously: H01) (), also called East-West Highway (), runs across the Terai geographical region of Nepal, from Mechinagar in the east to Bhim Datta in the west, cutting across the entire width of the country. It is th ...

to create a

wildlife corridor A wildlife corridor, also known as a habitat corridor, or green corridor, is a designated area habitat (ecology), that connects wildlife populations that have been separated by human activities or structures, such as development, roads, or land ...

for seasonal migration of wildlife into the

Sivalik Hills The Sivalik Hills, also known as Churia Hills, are a mountain range of the outer Himalayas. The literal translation of "Sivalik" is 'tresses of Shiva'. The hills are known for their numerous fossils, and are also home to the Soanian Middle Pale ...

. It was gazetted in 1976 as ''Royal Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve'' and was enlarged to its present size in the late 1980s. A

buffer zone A buffer zone, also historically known as a march, is a neutral area that lies between two or more bodies of land; usually, between countries. Depending on the type of buffer zone, it may serve to separate regions or conjoin them. Common types o ...

of was added in 2004. It receives a mean annual rainfall of and harbours 700

flora Flora (: floras or florae) is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous (ecology), indigenous) native plant, native plants. The corresponding term for animals is ''fauna'', and for f ...

l, 456 bird, 56

reptile Reptiles, as commonly defined, are a group of tetrapods with an ectothermic metabolism and Amniotic egg, amniotic development. Living traditional reptiles comprise four Order (biology), orders: Testudines, Crocodilia, Squamata, and Rhynchocepha ...

and 15

amphibian Amphibians are ectothermic, anamniote, anamniotic, tetrapod, four-limbed vertebrate animals that constitute the class (biology), class Amphibia. In its broadest sense, it is a paraphyletic group encompassing all Tetrapod, tetrapods, but excl ...

species.

History

The name ''Shuklaphanta'' was derived from one of the

s called inside the protected area. The main grassland called ''Shukla Phanta'' is the largest patch of continuous grassland in Nepal covering an area of about . The area was a favourite hunting ground for Nepal's ruling class and was declared a ''Royal Hunting Reserve'' in 1969. In 1973, the area was

gazette A gazette is an official journal, a newspaper of record, or simply a newspaper. In English and French speaking countries, newspaper publishers have applied the name ''Gazette'' since the 17th century; today, numerous weekly and daily newspapers ...

d as ''Royal Shukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve'', initially comprising , and extended to its present size in the late 1980s. A

of was added in May 2004. In 2017, the status of the protected area was changed to a national park.

Geography

Shuklaphanta National Park covers of open grasslands, forests, riverbeds and tropical wetlands at an elevation of . It is bounded by the

in the west, the

in the north and the Syali river in the east. A

in the south connects it to Pilibhit Tiger Reserve in India. Located in the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands, it is also included in the

Terai Arc Landscape The Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) is composed of 14 Indian and Nepalese trans-border protected ecosystems of the Terai (Sanskrit for "lowlands") and nearby foothills of the Himalayas. and encompassing 14 protected areas of Nepal and India. The area spa ...

. The soils in the

alluvial Alluvium (, ) is loose clay, silt, sand, or gravel that has been deposited by running water in a stream bed, on a floodplain, in an alluvial fan or beach, or in similar settings. Alluvium is also sometimes called alluvial deposit. Alluvium is ...

floodplain A floodplain or flood plain or bottomlands is an area of land adjacent to a river. Floodplains stretch from the banks of a river channel to the base of the enclosing valley, and experience flooding during periods of high Discharge (hydrolog ...

vary from sandy

loam Loam (in geology and soil science) is soil composed mostly of sand (particle size > ), silt (particle size > ), and a smaller amount of clay (particle size < ). By weight, its mineral composition is about 40–40–20% concentration of sand–si ...

clay Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolinite, ). Most pure clay minerals are white or light-coloured, but natural clays show a variety of colours from impuriti ...

and are slightly

alkali In chemistry, an alkali (; from the Arabic word , ) is a basic salt of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal. An alkali can also be defined as a base that dissolves in water. A solution of a soluble base has a pH greater than 7.0. The a ...

ne.

Climate

The climate of the region is subtropical

monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in Atmosphere of Earth, atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annu ...

al with a mean annual rainfall of occurring from June to September and peaking in August. The winter months of December and January are fairly cold with daytime temperatures of and occasional frost. The temperature rises from February onward up to in March and reaching by end of April. Humidity increases when the first pre-monsoon rains arrive in the area in May.

Flora

Some 700 species of flora are estimated in the park including 553

vascular plants Vascular plants (), also called tracheophytes (, ) or collectively tracheophyta (; ), are plants that have lignified tissues (the xylem) for conducting water and minerals throughout the plant. They also have a specialized non-lignified tissue ( ...

, 18

pteridophytes A pteridophyte is a vascular plant (with xylem and phloem) that reproduces by means of spores. Because pteridophytes produce neither flowers nor seeds, they are sometimes referred to as " cryptogams", meaning that their means of reproduction is h ...

, 410 dicots and 125

monocots Monocotyledons (), commonly referred to as monocots, ( Lilianae '' sensu'' Chase & Reveal) are flowering plants whose seeds contain only one embryonic leaf, or cotyledon. A monocot taxon has been in use for several decades, but with various ranks a ...

. The main grass species in the grasslands are ''

Imperata cylindrica ''Imperata cylindrica'' (commonly known as cogongrass or kunai grass ) is a species of Perennial plant, perennial rhizomatous grass native to tropical and subtropical Asia, Micronesia, Melanesia, Australia, Africa, and Southern Europe. It has al ...

'' and ''

Heteropogon contortus ''Heteropogon contortus'' is a tropical, perennial tussock grass with a native distribution encompassing Southern Africa, southern Asia, Northern Australia, Oceania, and southwestern North America. The species has also become a naturalised weed ...

''. ''

Phragmites ''Phragmites'' () is a genus of four species of large perennial plant, perennial reed (plant), reed Poaceae, grasses found in wetlands throughout temperate and tropical regions of the world. Taxonomy The World Checklist of Selected Plant Famili ...

karka'' and ''

Saccharum spontaneum ''Saccharum spontaneum'' (wild sugarcane, kans grass) is a grass native throughout much of tropical and subtropical Asia, northern Australia, and eastern and northern Africa. It is a perennial grass, growing up to three meters in height, with s ...

'' grow in the marshes surrounding the seven small lakes. ''

Acacia catechu ''Senegalia catechu'', previously known as ''Acacia catechu'', is a deciduous, thorny tree which grows up to in height. The plant is called ''kachu'' in Malay; the Malay name was Latinized to "catechu" in Linnaean taxonomy, as the species from ...

'' and ''

Dalbergia sissoo ''Dalbergia sissoo'', known commonly as North Indian rosewood or shisham, is a fast-growing, hardy, deciduous rosewood tree native to the Indian subcontinent and southern Iran. ''D. sissoo'' is a large, crooked tree with long, leathery leaves a ...

'' grow alongside rivers, and sal (''

Shorea robusta ''Shorea robusta'', the sal tree, sāla, shala, sakhua, or sarai, is a species of tree in the family Dipterocarpaceae. The tree is native to India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Tibet and across the Himalayan regions. Evolution Fossil evidence from lig ...

'') is the dominant tree species in the forest. Grassland encroachment by tree and shrub saplings are major threats to the long-term existence of the main grasslands.

Fauna

The extensive open grasslands and wetlands around the lakes of the park provide habitat for a wide range of fauna.

Mammals

The congregation of

barasingha The barasingha (''Rucervus duvaucelii''), sometimes barasinghe, also known as the swamp deer, is a deer species distributed in the Indian subcontinent. Populations in northern and central India are fragmented, and two isolated populations occu ...

(''Rucervus duvaucelii'') in the park's grasslands is the largest known population in the world, with 1674 individuals estimated in 2007. Barasingha and

Indian hog deer The Indian hog deer (''Axis porcinus''), or Indochinese hog deer, is a small cervid native to the region of the Indian subcontinent and Indo-Gangetic Plain. Introduced populations are established in Australia, as well as the United States and Sri ...

(''Axis porcinus'') herds live mainly in grasslands, whereas

chital The chital or cheetal (''Axis axis''; ), also called spotted deer, chital deer and axis deer, is a deer species native to the Indian subcontinent. It was first described by Johann Christian Polycarp Erxleben in 1777. A moderate-sized deer, mal ...

(''A. axis'') herds use grasslands and forest patches; the

Indian muntjac The Northern red muntjac (''Muntiacus vaginalis'') is a species of muntjac. It is found in numerous countries of south-central and southeast Asia. The northern red muntjac inhabits various forest types, from tropical rainforests to deciduous an ...

(''Muntiacus muntjak'') frequents forests close to water bodies, and the

nilgai The nilgai (''Boselaphus tragocamelus'') (, literally meaning "blue cow") is the largest antelope of Asia, and is ubiquitous across the northern Indian subcontinent. It is the sole member of the genus (biology), genus ''Boselaphus'', which was ...

(''Boselaphus tragocamelus'') uses foremost forest edge areas and semi-open habitats. During

camera trap A camera trap is a camera that is automatically triggered by motion in its vicinity, like the presence of an animal or a human being. It is typically equipped with a motion sensor—usually a passive infrared (PIR) sensor or an active infrared ...

ping surveys carried out in three cold seasons, 11

tiger The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is a large Felidae, cat and a member of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Asia. It has a powerful, muscular body with a large head and paws, a long tail and orange fur with black, mostly vertical stripes. It is ...

s (''Panthera tigris'') and nine

leopard The leopard (''Panthera pardus'') is one of the five extant cat species in the genus ''Panthera''. It has a pale yellowish to dark golden fur with dark spots grouped in rosettes. Its body is slender and muscular reaching a length of with a ...

s (''P. pardus'') were identified in the southern part of the national park. In spring 2016, a

rusty-spotted cat The rusty-spotted cat (''Prionailurus rubiginosus'') is one of the cat family's smallest members, of which historical records are known only from India and Sri Lanka. In 2012, it was also recorded in the western Terai of Nepal. Since 2016, the gl ...

(''Prionailurus rubiginosus'') was photographed by a camera-trap for the first time in the national park. The

fishing cat The fishing cat (''Prionailurus viverrinus'') is a medium-sized wild cat of South and Southeast Asia. It has a deep yellowish-grey fur with black lines and spots. Adults have a head-to-body length of , with a long tail. Males are larger than f ...

(''Prionailurus viverrinus'') was recorded mainly in the wetlands. The smooth-coated otter (''Lutrogale perspicillata'') is present in the many streams and around lakes.

Asian palm civet The Asian palm civet (''Paradoxurus hermaphroditus''), also called common palm civet, toddy cat and musang, is a viverrid native to South and Southeast Asia. Since 2008, it is IUCN Red Listed as Least Concern as it accommodates to a broad range o ...

(''Paradoxurus hermaphroditus''),

small Indian civet The small Indian civet (''Viverricula indica'') is a civet native to South and Southeast Asia. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List because of its widespread distribution, widespread habitat use and healthy populations living in agr ...

(''Viverricula indica''),

honey badger The honey badger (''Mellivora capensis''), also known as the ratel ( or ), is a mammal widely distributed across Africa, Southwest Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. It is the only living species in both the genus ''Mellivora'' and the subfami ...

(''Mellivora capensis'') and

Bengal fox The Bengal fox (''Vulpes bengalensis''), also known as the Indian fox, is a fox endemic to the Indian subcontinent from the Himalayan foothills and Terai of Nepal through southern India, and from southern and eastern Pakistan to eastern India an ...

(''Vulpes bengalensis'') were recorded in the sal forest.

Indian rhinoceros The Indian rhinoceros (''Rhinoceros unicornis''), also known as the greater one-horned rhinoceros, great Indian rhinoceros or Indian rhino, is a species of rhinoceros found in the Indian subcontinent. It is the second largest living rhinocer ...

(''Rhinoceros unicornis'') were translocated from

Chitwan National Park Chitwan National Park is the first national park of Nepal. It was established in 1973 as the Royal Chitwan National Park and was granted the status of a World Heritage Site in 1984. It covers an area of in the Terai of south-central Nepal. It ra ...

to establish a third viable population in the country. Since 2015, the population in Shuklaphanta National Park has increased from eight to 17 individuals as of March 2021. In 2011, the

Asian elephant The Asian elephant (''Elephas maximus''), also known as the Asiatic elephant, is the only living ''Elephas'' species. It is the largest living land animal in Asia and the second largest living Elephantidae, elephantid in the world. It is char ...

(''Elephas maximus'') was thought to migrate seasonally from Uttar Pradesh through the park and beyond, with 3–5 individuals staying in far-western Nepal. The park and its buffer zone provide only about suitable elephant habitat with sufficient natural vegetation cover close to water sources. The population of the

hispid hare The hispid hare (''Caprolagus hispidus''), also known as the Assam rabbit and bristly rabbit, is a species of rabbit native to South Asia. It is the only species in the genus ''Caprolagus''. Named for its bristly fur coat, the hispid hare is a ...

(''Caprolagus hispidus'') may be of international significance. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was estimated at and 219 ± 40 individuals within of grasslands in 2012. The

Indian crested porcupine The Indian crested porcupine (''Hystrix indica'') is a hystricomorph rodent species native to southern Asia and the Middle East. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. It belongs to the Old World porcupine family, Hystricidae. Des ...

(''Hystrix indica'') was recorded mainly in grasslands and exhibited a

nocturnal Nocturnality is a ethology, behavior in some non-human animals characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal", versus diurnality, diurnal meaning the opposite. Nocturnal creatur ...

activity pattern in winter. The

Malayan porcupine The Malayan porcupine or Himalayan porcupine (''Hystrix brachyura'') is a species of rodent in the family Hystricidae. Three subspecies are extant in South Asia, South and Southeast Asia. Geographical distribution The Malayan porcupine ranges f ...

(''H. brachyura'') was recorded in the sal forest.

Birds

The

singing bush lark The singing bush lark or Horsfield's bush lark (''Mirafra javanica'') is a species of lark which inhabits grassland throughout most of Australia and much of Southeast Asia. It was described by the American naturalist Thomas Horsfield. Taxonomy T ...

(''Mirafra cantillans'') and

Finn's weaver Finn's weaver (''Ploceus megarhynchus''), also known as Finn's baya and yellow weaver is a weaver bird species native to the Ganges and Brahmaputra valleys in India and Nepal. Two subspecies are known; the nominate subspecies occurs in the Kumaon ...

(''Ploceus megarhynchus'') were first observed in the park's grasslands in May 1996. In 2001, the national park supported the largest population of the

Bengal florican The Bengal florican (''Houbaropsis bengalensis''), also called the Bengal bustard, is a bustard species native to the Indian subcontinent, Cambodia, and Vietnam. It is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List because fewer than 1,00 ...

(''Houbaropsis bengalensis'') in Nepal with 20–28 individuals estimated to live in the grasslands. By 2009, a total of 423 bird species had been recorded in the protected area. It is the western limit of several resident birds including

swamp francolin The swamp francolin (''Ortygornis gularis''), also called swamp partridge, is a francolin species native to the foothills of the Himalayas in northern India and Nepal. It is considered extinct in the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta in Bangladesh. It is ...

(''Ortygornis gularis''), Jerdon's bush chat (''Saxicola jerdoni''), Indian grassbird (''Graminicola bengalensis''),

chestnut-capped babbler The chestnut-capped babbler (''Timalia pileata'') is a passerine bird of the family Timaliidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Timalia''. Taxonomy The chestnut-capped babbler is placed as the sole species in the genus Timalia. It is divide ...

(''Timalia pileata'') and

Jerdon's babbler Jerdon's babbler (''Chrysomma altirostre'') is a passerine bird native to wetlands and grasslands of the Indian sub-continent. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1994. It is a member of the genus ''Chrysomma'' of the family P ...

(''Chrysomma altirostre''), and the north-western limit of the

yellow-eyed babbler The yellow-eyed babbler (''Chrysomma sinense'') is a passerine bird native to South and Southeast Asia. It inhabits shrubland, grassland and wetland habitats. On the IUCN Red List, it is listed as Least Concern because of its wide distribution an ...

(''Chrysomma sinense''). Forest birds include

Oriental pied hornbill The oriental pied hornbill (''Anthracoceros albirostris'') is an Indo-Malayan pied hornbill, a large canopy-dwelling bird belonging to the family Bucerotidae. Two other common names for this species are Sunda pied hornbill (''convexus'') and Mala ...

(''Anthracoceros albirostris''),

rufous-bellied eagle The rufous-bellied eagle or rufous-bellied hawk-eagle (''Lophotriorchis kienerii'') is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae that is found in the forested regions of tropical Asia. Relatively small for eagles and contrastingly patterned like ...

(''Lophotriorchis kienerii''), spot-bellied eagle owl (''Bubo nipalensis'') and dusky eagle owl (''B. coromandus''). The forests are also important for great slaty woodpecker (''Mulleripicus pulverulentus'') and white-naped woodpecker (''Chrysocolaptes festivus''). The

white-rumped vulture The white-rumped vulture (''Gyps bengalensis'') is an Old World vulture native to South and Southeast Asia. It has been listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2000, as the population severely declined. White-rumped vultures di ...

(''Gyps bengalensis''), slender-billed vulture (''G. tenuirostris''),

lesser adjutant The lesser adjutant (''Leptoptilos javanicus'') is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. Like other members of its genus, it has a bare neck and head. It is however more closely associated with wetland habitats where it is solitary ...

(''Leptoptilos javanicus''),

grey-headed fish eagle The grey-headed fish eagle (''Icthyophaga ichthyaetus'') is a fish-eating bird of prey from Southeast Asia. It is a large stocky raptor with adults having dark brown upper body, grey head and lighter underbelly and white legs. Juveniles are paler ...

(''Haliaeetus ichthyaetus'') and

Oriental darter The Oriental darter (''Anhinga melanogaster'') is a water bird of tropical South Asia and Southeast Asia. It has a long and slender neck with a straight, pointed bill and, like the cormorant, it hunts for fish while its body is submerged in water ...

(''Anhinga melanogaster'') are breeding residents.

Sarus crane The sarus crane (''Antigone antigone'') is a large nonmigratory Crane (bird), crane found in parts of the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and northern Australia. The tallest of the flying birds, standing at a height of up to , they are a c ...

(''Antigone antigone''),

painted stork The painted stork (''Mycteria leucocephala'') is a large wader in the stork family. It is found in the wetlands of the plains of tropical Asia south of the Himalayas in the Indian Subcontinent and extending into Southeast Asia. Their distinctive ...

(''Mycteria leucocephala'') and bristled grassbird (''Schoenicola striatus'') are summer visitors. Greater racquet-tailed drongo (''Dicrurus paradiseus''),

white-capped redstart The white-capped redstart or white-capped water redstart (''Phoenicurus leucocephalus'') is a passerine bird of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae native to the Indian Subcontinent,Southeast Asia, much of China, and to certain regions o ...

(''Phoenicurus leucocephalus''), rusty-tailed flycatcher (''Ficedula ruficauda'') and rufous-gorgeted flycatcher (''F. strophiata'') are uncommon winter visitors. The white-throated bush chat (''Saxicola insignis'') is a winter visitor. The

black-necked stork The black-necked stork (''Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus'') is a tall long-necked wading bird in the stork family. It is a resident species across the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia with a disjunct population in Australia. It lives in wetla ...

(''Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus'') and

red-headed vulture The red-headed vulture (''Sarcogyps calvus''), also known as the Asian king vulture, Indian black vulture or Pondicherry vulture, is an Old World vulture mainly found in the Indian subcontinent, with small disjunct populations in some parts of So ...

(''Sarcogyps calvus'') visit the park occasionally. A total of 450 bird species had been recorded by mid 2019. Between November 2019 and spring 2020, six additional species were observed comprising

little forktail The little forktail (''Enicurus scouleri'') is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. The specific name commemorates Dr. John Scouler of Glasgow. Description The sexes are alike, with black and white plumage. Black above, with white for ...

(''Enicurus scouleri''), wood snipe (''Gallinago nemoricola''),

great barbet The great barbet (''Psilopogon virens'') is an Asian barbet native to the Indian sub-continent and Southeast Asia, where it inhabits forests up to altitude. It has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List since 2004 because of its wide ...

(''Psilopogon virens''),

Laggar falcon The laggar falcon (''Falco jugger''), also known as the lugger falcon or jugger (from Hindi जग्गर — jaggar, "falcon"), is a mid-sized bird of prey which occurs in the Indian subcontinent from extreme southeastern Iran, southeastern ...

(''Falco jugger''), Indian nuthatch (''Sitta castanea'') and black-breasted thrush (''Turdus dissimilis'').

Reptiles

As of September 2019, 56

species have been recorded in Shuklaphanta National Park. The

mugger crocodile The mugger crocodile (''Crocodylus palustris'') is a medium-sized broad-snouted crocodile, also known as mugger and marsh crocodile. It is native to freshwater habitats from south-eastern Iran to the Indian subcontinent, where it inhabits marsh ...

(''Crocodylus palustris'') was observed at Rani Tal, one of the natural lakes in the east of the national park. Both

Bengal monitor The Bengal monitor (''Varanus bengalensis''), also called the Indian monitor, is a species of monitor lizard distributed widely in the Indian subcontinent, as well as parts of Southeast Asia and West Asia. Description The Bengal monitor can ...

(''Varanus bengalensis'') and yellow monitor (''V. flavescens'') have frequently been observed in the national park's buffer zone.

Venomous snake ''Venomous snakes'' are species of the suborder Serpentes that are capable of producing venom, which they use for killing prey, for defense, and to assist with digestion of their prey. The venom is typically delivered by injection using hollow ...

s are represented by

king cobra The king cobra (''Ophiophagus hannah'') is a species complex of snakes Endemism, endemic to Asia. With an average of and a record length of , it is the world's longest venomous snake and among the heaviest. Under the genus ''Ophiophagus'', i ...

(''Ophiophagus hannah''),

Indian cobra The Indian cobra (''Naja naja /na''dʒa nadʒa/), also known Common name, commonly as the spectacled cobra, Asian cobra, or binocellate cobra, is a species of Naja, cobra, a venomous snake in the Family (biology), family Elapidae. The species is ...

(''Naja naja'') and

monocled cobra The monocled cobra (''Naja kaouthia''), also called monocellate cobra and Indian spitting cobra, is a venomous cobra species widespread across South and Southeast Asia. It is characterized by a distinctive circular or "monocle"-shaped marking on ...

(''N. kaouthia''),

Russell's viper Russell's viper (''Daboia russelii)'' is a species of highly venomous snake in the Family (biology), family Viperidae. The species is native to South Asia. It was Species description, described in 1797 by George Shaw (biologist), George Shaw and ...

(''Daboia russelii''), common krait (''Bungarus caeruleus'') and

banded krait The banded krait (''Bungarus fasciatus'') is an extremely venomous species of elapids endemic to Asia, from Indian Subcontinent through Southeast Asia to Southern China. With a maximum length exceeding , it is the longest krait with a distinguis ...

(''B. fasciatus''). Non-venomous snakes comprise

Burmese python The Burmese python (''Python bivittatus'') is one of the largest species of snakes. It is native to a large area of Southeast Asia and is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Until 2009, it was considered a subspecies of the Indian pyth ...

(''Python bivittatus''), Oriental ratsnake (''

Ptyas mucosa ''Ptyas'' is a genus of colubrid snakes. This genus is one of several colubrid genera colloquially called " rat snakes" or "ratsnakes". The generic name derives from Ancient Greek πτυάς, meaning " spitter", which referred to a kind of sn ...

''), '' Ahaetulla laudankia'', ''

Ahaetulla nasuta ''Ahaetulla nasuta'', also known as Sri Lankan green vine snake and long-nosed whip snake, is a venomous, slender green tree snake endemic to Sri Lanka. It was previously known as the common green vine snake and was widely distributed across Indi ...

'', Forsten's cat snake ('' Boiga forsteni'') and common cat snake ( ''B. trigonata''), ''

Chrysopelea ornata ''Chrysopelea ornata'' (Thai: งูเขียวพระอินทร์) is a species of mildly venomous opisthoglyphous (rear-fanged) colubrid snake found in both South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is commonly known as the golden tree sn ...

'',

trinket snake The trinket snake (''Coelognathus helena''), also known commonly as the common trinket snake, is a species of nonvenomous constricting snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to southern Central Asia. Etymology The specific name ...

(''Coelognathus helena'') and radiated ratsnake (''C. radiatus''), bronzeback (''

Dendrelaphis tristis ''Dendrelaphis tristis'' (Common bronzeback or Daudin's bronzeback) is a species of colubrid tree-snake found in South Asia. It is not venomous, and harmless to humans. Taxonomy ''Dendrelaphis tristis'' belongs to the genus ''Dendrelaphis'', w ...

''), rainbow water snake (''Enhydris enhydris'') and Siebold's water snake (''Ferania sieboldii''), red sand boa (''

Eryx johnii ''Eryx johnii'' is a species of nonvenomous snake in the subfamily Erycinae of the Family (biology), family Boidae. The species is native to Iran, Pakistan, and India. There are no subspecies which are recognized as being valid. Common names in ...

'') and rough-scaled sand boa (''E. conicus''), brahminy blind snake (''

Indotyphlops braminus ''Indotyphlops braminus'', commonly known as the brahminy blind snake and other names, is a non-venomous blind snake species, found mostly in Africa and Asia, and has been introduced in many other parts of the world. It is a completely fossori ...

''), Indian wolf snake (''

Lycodon aulicus ''Lycodon aulicus'', commonly known as the Indian wolf snake or common wolf snake, is a species of nonvenomous snake found in South Asia and Southeast Asia. Early naturalists have suggested its resemblance to the venomous Common Krait, common kr ...

''), twin-spotted wolf snake ('' L. jara'') and barred wolf snake ('' L. striatus''), banded kukri snake (''Oligodon arnensis'') and coral kukri snake ('' O. kheriensis''), ''

Psammophis condanarus ''Psammophis condanarus'', the sand snake, is a species of snake found in dry low country zones of Indian peninsula (except the far south), Pakistan and Nepal. It is a fast-moving, diurnal, terrestrial species and lives in stony outcrops and ...

'', ''

Sibynophis sagittarius ''Sibynophis sagittarius'', commonly known as Cantor's black-headed snake after Theodore Cantor,Das, Indraneil. 2002. ''A Photographic Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of India''. Ralph Curtis Books. Sanibel Island, Florida. 144 pp. (''Sibynop ...

'',

buff striped keelback The buff striped keelback (''Amphiesma stolatum'') is a species of nonvenomous colubrid snake found across Asia. It is a typically non-aggressive snake that feeds on frogs and toads. It belongs to the family (biology), subfamily Natricinae, and ...

(''Amphiesma stolatum'') and

checkered keelback The checkered keelback (''Fowlea piscator''), also known Common name, commonly as the Asiatic water snake, is a common species in the subfamily Natricinae of the Family (biology), family Colubridae. The species is Endemism, endemic to Asia. It is ...

(''Fowlea piscator'').

Testudines Turtles are reptiles of the order (biology), order Testudines, characterized by a special turtle shell, shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Crypt ...

comprise

tricarinate hill turtle The tricarinate hill turtle or three-keeled land turtle (''Melanochelys tricarinata'') is a species of turtle found in northeastern India, Bangladesh, and Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked c ...

(''Melanochelys tricarinata''),

Indian black turtle The Indian black turtle (''Melanochelys trijuga'') or Indian pond terrapin is a species of medium-sized freshwater turtle found in South Asia. Description Their shell is a typically made up of shades of dark brown, green, or grey, not just blac ...

(''M. trijuga''),

Indian roofed turtle The Indian roofed turtle (''Pangshura tecta'') is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae. It can be distinguished by the distinct "roof" at the topmost part of the shell. It is found in the major rivers of South Asia. It is a common pet in ...

(''Pangshura tecta''),

Indian tent turtle The Indian tent turtle (''Pangshura tentoria'') is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae. The species is found in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Description ''P. tentoria'' is a small species of turtle, growing to a maximum straight cara ...

(''Pangshura tentoria''),

elongated tortoise The elongated tortoise (''Indotestudo elongata'') is a species of tortoise found in Southeast Asia and parts of South Asia. Description Shell considerably depressed, more than twice as long as deep, with flat vertebral region; anterior and post ...

(''Indotestudo elongata'') and

Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle The Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (''Chitra indica''), also known as the small-headed softshell turtle or the Indo-Gangetic softshell turtle, is an endangered species of softshell turtle native to waterways and rivers of the Indian subc ...

(''Chitra indica'').

Gharial The gharial (''Gavialis gangeticus''), also known as gavial or fish-eating crocodile, is a crocodilian in the family (biology), family Gavialidae and among the longest of all living crocodilians. Mature females are long, and males . Adult males ...

s became extinct in the park in 1993, but were reintroduced in 17 March 2024 to the Chaudhar River.

Amphibians

Asian common toad (''

Duttaphrynus melanostictus ''Duttaphrynus melanostictus'' is commonly called Asian common toad, Asian black-spined toad, Asian toad, black-spectacled toad, common Sunda toad, and Javanese toad. It is probably a complex of more than one true toad species that is widely d ...

'') and marbled toad ('' D. stomaticus''), ''

Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis ''Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis'' is a common Dicroglossidae, dicroglossid frog found in South Asia. It is known under numerous common names, including Indian skipper frog or skittering frog. They are often seen at the edge of bodies of water with th ...

'', Jerdon's bull frog (''

Hoplobatrachus crassus ''Hoplobatrachus crassus'', also called Jerdon's bullfrog, Jerdon's bull frog, and South Indian bullfrog, is a species of frog found widely distributed on the plains of India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Its range may extend to the adjacen ...

'') and Asian bullfrog ('' H. tigerinus''), Chunam tree frog (''

Polypedates maculatus ''Polypedates maculatus'', the Indian tree frog, or Chunam tree frog, is a common species of tree frog found in South Asia. It was described by John Edward Gray in 1830. Although now considered as a separate species again, for a time, the Hima ...

'') and Terai tree frog (''P. taeniatus''), grey balloon frog (''

Uperodon globulosus ''Uperodon globulosus'', or Indian balloon frog,'Indian balloon frog (Uperodon globulosus)' at http://www.arkive.org/indian-balloon-frog/uperodon-globulosus/ Accessed 21.9.2016. is a species of Microhylidae, narrow-mouthed frog found in India, N ...

''), marbled balloon frog ( ''U. systoma'') and painted globular frog (''U. taprobanicus''), ''

Minervarya ''Minervarya'' is a genus of frogs in the family Dicroglossidae from south Asia (Sri Lanka, the Indian subcontinent including Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh), and Nepal and Bhutan. They are also known as cricket frogs or rice frogs. Taxonomy Th ...

pierrei'', ''M. syhadrensis'' and ''M. teraiensis'', ''

Microhyla ''Microhyla'', commonly known as the rice frogs or narrow-mouthed frogs, is a genus of frogs in the family Microhylidae. It consists of 42 species of diminutive frogs. Members of this genus are widespread from Ryukyu Is. in Japan, and throughout ...

'' and ''Sphaerotheca'' species were recorded between January 2017 and September 2019.

Fish

As of 2005, 28 fish species have been recorded in the rivers and lakes in the national park.

References

External links

* * {{Authority control National parks of Nepal Grasslands of Nepal Protected areas established in 1973 Wetlands of Nepal 1976 establishments in Nepal