Wildlife of Nepal

Last updated
A Nepalese snow leopard Uncia uncia.jpg
A Nepalese snow leopard
The Tibetan fox Tibet Fox.jpg
The Tibetan fox
The Bengal monitor SL Bundala NP asv2020-01 img22.jpg
The Bengal monitor

Wildlife diversity is a notable feature of Nepal. Because of the variance in climate, from tropical to arctic, Nepal has a large variety of plants and animals. [1] Wildlife tourism is a major source of tourism in the country. There are some animal species which are unique to Nepal, such as the spiny babbler. Nepal is also host to many rhododendron species. Nepal has numerous national parks and reserves to protect its diverse fauna. Nepal is a biodiversity hot spot with ecoregions broadly comprising the mountainous ecoregion, the savanna and grasslands ecoregion of the terai (foothills), and the Rara Lake ecoregion. [2]

Contents

With the 1973 passing of the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2029 BS, Nepal has established numerous national parks and reserves in order to protect its fauna. There are four different classes of protection, ranging from national parks and nature reserves to wildlife and hunting reserves. By 1992 Nepal had established seven national parks, protecting in total over 893,200 hectares (3,449 sq mi) of land. [3] Under these classes as of 2002 there were 23 protected areas: nine national parks, three wildlife reserves, three conservation areas, one hunting reserve, three additional Ramsar sites, and four additional World Heritage Sites. The most noted world heritage sites are Sagarmatha National Park and Chitwan National Park. In addition, the World Heritage Site in the Kathmandu Valley covers zones of significant biodiversity. [4]

Animals

Mammals

There are 208 mammal species reported including 28 species outside the limits of the protected areas but excluding four known extinct species. [4] Among the species of mammal found in Nepal, notable are the Bengal fox, Bengal tiger, clouded leopard, corsac fox, Asiatic lion, Asiatic elephant, marbled cat, Indian pangolin, Chinese pangolin, red panda, snow leopard, Tibetan fox and Tibetan wolf. Some of these, including the internationally recognized snow leopard are endangered and at risk of extinction. [5] The wild yak, thought to be regionally extinct in the 1970s, was rediscovered in 2014.

Reptiles

There are several types of reptile native to the country, ranging from pit vipers to monitor lizards. Some of the more prominent examples include the Bengal monitor, Gloydius himalayanus (a pit viper), the elongated tortoise (Indotestudo elongata), Trimeresurus septentrionalis , and the yellow monitor. Although the above are found elsewhere in southeast Asia, there are quite a few reptile species unique to the country, including Sitana fusca and Cyrtodactylus nepalensis . [6] Sitana sivalensis , Japalura tricarinata , the Annapurna ground skink ( Scincella capitanea ), the lidless skink ( Ablepharus nepalensis ), geckos ( Cyrtodactylus martinstolli ), Shah's bamboo pit viper ( Trimeresurus karanshahi ) and the Tibetan pit viper ( Gloydius strauchi ) are also reptiles found in Nepal. [2]

The danphe is the national bird of Nepal. Lophophorus impejanus Zoo DU 1.jpg
The danphe is the national bird of Nepal.

In 2019, the first successful gharial reproduction since 1982 was confirmed. [7]

Avifauna

There are approximately 27 Important Bird Areas in the country [8] and over 900 bird species (as of 2012) in Nepal of which 30 are globally threatened, 1 is endemic and 1 is introduced. [9] The danphe, the national bird, is a type of pheasant. In addition, there are eight species of stork, five other species of pheasant, six minivets, [10] seventeen cuckoos, thirty flycatchers, and sixty species of warblers. The spiny babbler is the only species endemic to Nepal. [11]

Aquatic fauna

The aquatic faunal species reported from the water bodies in Nepal are: pharping catfish ( Myersglanis blythii), Psilorhynchus nepalensis, Nepalese minnow ( Psilorhynchus pseudecheneis), Nepalese snowtrout ( Schizothorax macrophthalmus), Turcinoemacheilus himalaya, erethistid catfishes ( Erethistoides ascita and Erethistoides cavatura ), bagrid catfish ( Batasio macronotus) and sisorid catfishes (such as Pseudecheneis eddsi, Pseudecheneis crassicauda and Pseudecheneis serracula). [2]

Invertebrates

Some of the important insect species reported are: ground beetles ( Cychropsis nepalensis ), Nebria molendai , dung beetles ( Caccobius scheuerni ), longhorned beetles (Hesperoclytus katarinae), moths ( Heterolocha mariailgeae), katydids (Isopsera caligula), mole crickets (Gryllotalpa pygmaea), grasshoppers (Nepalocaryanda latifrons), bees (Andrena kathmanduensis), ant-mimicking thrips ( Franklinothrips strasseni) and damselflies ( Calicnemia nipalica). Other invertebrates reported are tarantulas ( Haplocosmia nepalensis), goblin spiders (Brignolia ankhu), jumping spiders ( Euophrys omnisuperstes ), scorpions (Heterometrus nepalensis), centipedes (Cryptops nepalensis), land snails (Darwininitium shiwalikianum and Laevozebrinus nepalensis ), and freshwater snails ( Tricula mahadevensis). [2]

Flora

Emblem of Nepal with a wreath of red rhododendron enclosing the other symbols of the country Emblem of Nepal (alternative).svg
Emblem of Nepal with a wreath of red rhododendron enclosing the other symbols of the country

Research undertaken in the late 1970s and early 1980s documented 5,067 species of which 5041 were angiosperms and the remaining 26 species were gymnosperms. [12] The Terai area has hardwood, bamboo, palm, and sal trees. [1] Notable plants include the garden angelica, Luculia gratissima , Meconopsis villosa , and Persicaria affinis . However, according to ICOMOS checklist (as of 2006), in the protected sites, there are 2,532 species of vascular plants under 1,034 genera and 199 families. The variation in figures is attributed to inadequate floral coverage filed studies. [4]

There are 400 species of vascular plants which are endemic to Nepal. Of these, two in particular are orchids Pleione coronaria and Oreorchis porphyranthes.

National flower

The most popular endemic plant of Nepal is rhododendron (arboreum) which in Nepali language is called guras. Lali guras (red rhododendron) is especially popular. [2] It is grown extensively throughout Nepal, and particularly in the elevation range of 1,400–3,600 m. The flower is a national symbol and part of the cultural and religious ethos of the country. It symbolizes "national unity and people's sovereignty" and "reflects the spirit of Lok tantra (republic) marked by inclusiveness and gender parity." The red rhododendron flowers forms the decorative ring in the form of wreath around the national emblem of Nepal which comprise the flag of Nepal, Mount Everest, green mountains, yellow colour representing the fertile Terai region (foothills region of the Himalayas) and with hands of male and female joined representing gender equality, and with an outline of the map of Nepal in the background. Below this emblem there is an inscription in Sanskrit which reads jananī janmabhūmiśca svargādapi garīyasī, which means "Mother and the motherland are greater than heaven." It is also used in traditional medicine to cure dysentery. [13]

Protected species of fauna

There are 38 protected wildlife species of fauna including birds of which 50% are in various stages of threat. These are the following: [14]

Vulnerable
Endangered
Extirpated
Indeterminate species

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khathiar–Gir dry deciduous forests</span> Ecoregion in India

The Khathiar–Gir dry deciduous forests is a mostly arid ecoregion in northwestern India that stretches over 103,100 sq mi (267,000 km2) across Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The dry deciduous forests in the region are dominated by teak, and thorny trees and scrub in drier areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chitwan National Park</span> National park in Nepal

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 952.63 km2 (367.81 sq mi) in the subtropical Inner Terai lowlands of south-central Nepal in Nawalpur, Chitwan, Makwanpur and Parsa Districts. It ranges in elevation from about 100 m (330 ft) in the river valleys to 815 m (2,674 ft) in the Sivalik Hills.

Valmiki National Park is a tiger reserve in the West Champaran District of Bihar, India. It is the only national park in Bihar. Valmiki Tiger Reserve covers 898.45 km2 (346.89 sq mi), which is 17.4% of the total geographical area of the district. As of 2022, there were 54 tigers in the Reserve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Singalila National Park</span> National park of India on the Singalila Ridge in Darjeeling district, West Bengal

Singalila National Park is a national park of India located on the Singalila Ridge at an elevation of more than 2,300 metres above sea level, in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. It is well known for the trekking route to Sandakphu that runs through it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terai–Duar savanna and grasslands</span>

The Terai–Duar savanna and grasslands is a narrow lowland ecoregion at the base of the Himalayas, about 25 km (16 mi) wide, and a continuation of the Indo-Gangetic Plain in India, Nepal and Bhutan. It is colloquially called Terai in the Ganges Basin east to Nepal, then Dooars in West Bengal, Bhutan and Assam east to the Brahmaputra River. It harbours the world's tallest grasslands, which are the most threatened and rare worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Upper Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests</span> Ecoregion in northern India

The Upper Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests is a tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests ecoregion of northern India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chin Hills–Arakan Yoma montane forests</span> Ecoregion in Myanmar

The Chin Hills-Arakan Yoma montane forests is a tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion in western Myanmar (Burma). Surrounded at lower elevations by moist tropical forests, this ecoregion is home a diverse range of subtropical and temperate species, including many species characteristic of the Himalayas, as well as many endemic species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests</span>

The Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests is a temperate broadleaf forest ecoregion found in the middle elevations of the eastern Himalayas, including parts of Nepal, India, Bhutan, Myanmar and China. These forests have an outstanding richness of wildlife.

Mukundara Hills National Park is a national park in Rajasthan, India with an area of 759.99 km2 (293.43 sq mi). It was established in 2004 and consists of three wildlife sanctuaries: Darrah Wildlife Sanctuary, National Chambal Sanctuary, and Jawahar Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary. It is located in the Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of India</span> Wildlife of India

India is one of the most biodiverse regions and is home to a large variety of wildlife. It is one of the 17 megadiverse countries and includes three of the world's 36 biodiversity hotspots – the Western Ghats, the Eastern Himalayas, and the Indo-Burma hotspot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows</span>

The Western Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows is a montane grasslands and shrublands ecoregion of Nepal, India, and Tibet, which lies between the tree line and snow line in the western portion of the Himalaya Range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Triangle temperate forests</span>

The Northern Triangle temperate forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forest ecoregion of thick forest covering the mountains of northern Myanmar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Pakistan</span>

The wildlife of Pakistan comprises a diverse flora and fauna in a wide range of habitats from sea level to high elevation areas in the mountains, including 195 mammal, 668 bird species and more than 5000 species of Invertebrates. This diverse composition of the country's fauna is associated with its location in the transitional zone between two major zoogeographical regions, the Palearctic, and the Oriental. The northern regions of Pakistan, which include Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit Baltistan include portions of two biodiversity hotspot, Mountains of Central Asia and Himalayas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fauna of Pakistan</span> Overview of fauna in Pakistan

Pakistan's native fauna reflect its varied climatic zones. The northern Pakistan, which includes Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit Baltistan, has portions of two biodiversity hotspots, Mountains of Central Asia and Himalayas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pilibhit Tiger Reserve</span> Tiger reserve Area in Uttar Pradesh, India

Pilibhit Tiger Reserve is located in Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradesh and was notified as a tiger reserve in 2014. It forms part of the Terai Arc Landscape in the upper Gangetic Plain along the India-Nepal border. The habitat is characterized by sal forests, tall grasslands and swamp maintained by periodic flooding from rivers. The Sharda Sagar Dam extending up to a length of 22 km (14 mi) is on the boundary of the reserve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests</span>

The Eastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests is a temperate coniferous forests ecoregion which is found in the middle and upper elevations of the eastern Middle Himalayas, in western Nepal, Bhutan, northern Indian states including Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim and adjacent Myanmar and China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shuklaphanta National Park</span>

Shuklaphanta National Park is a national park in the Terai of the Far-Western Region, Nepal, covering 305 km2 (118 sq mi) of open grasslands, forests, riverbeds and wetlands at an elevation of 174 to 1,386 m. It is bounded by the Mahakali river in the west and south. A small part extends north of the Mahendra Highway to create a wildlife corridor for seasonal migration of wildlife into the Sivalik Hills. It was gazetted in 1976 as Royal Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve and was enlarged to its present size in the late 1980s. A buffer zone of 243.5 km2 (94.0 sq mi) was added in 2004. It receives a mean annual rainfall of 1,579 mm (62.2 in) and harbours 700 floral, 456 bird, 56 reptile and 15 amphibian species.

The ecology of the Himalayas varies with climate, rainfall, altitude, and soils. The climate ranges from tropical at the base of the mountains to permanent ice and snow at the highest elevations. The amount of yearly rainfall increases from west to east along the southern front of the range. This diversity of climate, altitude, rainfall and soil conditions supports a variety of distinct plant and animal species, such as the Nepal gray langur

References

  1. 1 2 Zuchora-Walske, Christine (1 September 2008). Nepal in Pictures. Twenty-First Century Books. pp. 14–. ISBN   978-0-8225-8578-7.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Nepal". Living National Treasures.Com. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  3. Shackleton, David M. (1997). Wild sheep and goats and their relatives: status survey and conservation action plan for Caprinae. IUCN. pp. 233–. ISBN   978-2-8317-0353-4.
  4. 1 2 3 "Biodiversity Assessment" (PDF). Icimod Organization. pp. 18, 33–35. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 March 2014. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  5. McCarthy, T.; Mallon, D.; Jackson, R.; Zahler, P.; McCarthy, K. (2017). "Panthera uncia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017: e.T22732A50664030. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T22732A50664030.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  6. "Nepal". Living Natural Treasures. Retrieved 2013-05-25.
  7. Gharial found breeding in Nepal after 37 years
  8. "Important Bird Areas of Nepal (IBAs)". Bird Conservation Nepal. Archived from the original on 2013-05-14. Retrieved 2013-05-25.
  9. "Avibase - Bird Checklists of the World:Nepal". Avibase.com. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  10. Bezruchka, Stephen (1997). Trekking in Nepal: a traveler's guide. The Mountaineers Books. pp. 182–. ISBN   978-0-89886-938-5 . Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  11. Bindloss, Joseph (15 September 2010). Lonely Planet Nepal. Lonely Planet. pp. 81–. ISBN   978-1-74220-361-4 . Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  12. National Register of Medicinal Plants. IUCN. 2000. pp. 3–. ISBN   978-92-9144-048-1.
  13. "Lali Gurans – Our National Flower". Nepali flower.com. Archived from the original on 16 January 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  14. "Nepal's Protected Wildlife Species". Foresrty Nepal Organization. Retrieved 29 May 2013.