Shuklaphanta National Park
Shuklaphanta National Park is a national park in the Terai of the Far-Western Region, Nepal, covering of open grasslands, forests, riverbeds and wetlands at an elevation of. 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 was added in 2004. It receives a mean annual rainfall of and harbours 700 floral, 456 bird, 56 reptile and 15 amphibian species.
History
The name Shuklaphanta was derived from one of the grasslands 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 gazetted as Royal Shukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve, initially comprising, and extended to its present size in the late 1980s. A buffer zone 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 Mahakali river in the west, the Mahendra Highway in the north and the Syali river in the east.A wildlife corridor 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 soils in the alluvial floodplain vary from sandy loam to clay and are slightly alkaline.
Climate
The climate of the region is subtropical monsoonal 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, 18 pteridophytes, 410 dicots and 125 monocots.The main grass species in the grasslands are Imperata cylindrica and Heteropogon contortus. Phragmites karka and Saccharum spontaneum grow in the marshes surrounding the seven small lakes. Acacia catechu and Dalbergia sissoo grow alongside rivers, and sal 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 in the park's grasslands is the largest known population in the world, with 1674 individuals estimated in 2007. Barasingha and Indian hog deer herds live mainly in grasslands, whereas chital herds use grasslands and forest patches; the Indian muntjac frequents forests close to water bodies, and the nilgai uses foremost forest edge areas and semi-open habitats.During camera trapping surveys carried out in three cold seasons, 11 tigers and nine leopards were identified in the southern part of the national park.
In spring 2016, a rusty-spotted cat was photographed by a camera-trap for the first time in the national park.
The fishing cat was recorded mainly in the wetlands.
The smooth-coated otter is present in the many streams and around lakes.
Asian palm civet, small Indian civet, honey badger and Bengal fox were recorded in the sal forest.
Indian rhinoceros were translocated from Chitwan National Park 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 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 may be of international significance. The population density was estimated at and 219 ± 40 individuals within of grasslands in 2012.
The Indian crested porcupine was recorded mainly in grasslands and exhibited a nocturnal activity pattern in winter.
The Malayan porcupine was recorded in the sal forest.
Birds
The singing bush lark and Finn's weaver were first observed in the park's grasslands in May 1996.In 2001, the national park supported the largest population of the Bengal florican 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, Jerdon's bush chat, Indian grassbird, chestnut-capped babbler and Jerdon's babbler, and the north-western limit of the yellow-eyed babbler. Forest birds include Oriental pied hornbill, rufous-bellied eagle, spot-bellied eagle owl and dusky eagle owl. The forests are also important for great slaty woodpecker and white-naped woodpecker. The white-rumped vulture, slender-billed vulture, lesser adjutant, grey-headed fish eagle and Oriental darter are breeding residents. Sarus crane, painted stork and bristled grassbird are summer visitors. Greater racquet-tailed drongo, white-capped redstart, rusty-tailed flycatcher and rufous-gorgeted flycatcher are uncommon winter visitors.
The white-throated bush chat is a winter visitor. The black-necked stork and red-headed vulture 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, wood snipe, great barbet, Laggar falcon, Indian nuthatch and black-breasted thrush.
Reptiles
As of September 2019, 56 reptile species have been recorded in Shuklaphanta National Park.The mugger crocodile was observed at Rani Tal, one of the natural lakes in the east of the national park.
Both Bengal monitor and yellow monitor have frequently been observed in the national park's buffer zone. Venomous snakes are represented by king cobra, Indian cobra and monocled cobra, Russell's viper, common krait and banded krait. Non-venomous snakes comprise Burmese python, Oriental ratsnake, Ahaetulla laudankia, Ahaetulla nasuta, Forsten's cat snake and common cat snake, Chrysopelea ornata, trinket snake and radiated ratsnake, bronzeback, rainbow water snake and Siebold's water snake, red sand boa and rough-scaled sand boa, brahminy blind snake, Indian wolf snake, twin-spotted wolf snake and barred wolf snake, banded kukri snake and coral kukri snake, Psammophis condanarus, Sibynophis sagittarius, buff striped keelback and checkered keelback. Testudines comprise tricarinate hill turtle, Indian black turtle, Indian roofed turtle, Indian tent turtle, elongated tortoise and Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle.
The gharial became extinct in the park in 1993, but was reintroduced in March 2024 to the Chaudhar River.