Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve is located in the area of Sunsari District of Koshi Zone, Udayapur District and the Saptakashi River in Saptari District of Sagarmatha Zone under the Regional Development Zone. The Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve is a protected area in the Terai of eastern Nepal covering 175 km2 (68 sq mi). It was established in 1976 and designated as a Ramsar site in December 1987. The main objective of the Wildlife Reserve is to consolidate the number of earnings by conserving the very rare (wild buffalo) in Nepal. Because it is a sandwich made of sandy sand, it is often found asleep and the jungle of Khare. According to the calculation of 2012, the number of earnings is 259 pgs. It has been the main habitat of the sacred birds. There are about 4 species of birds species, including various species, two types of coconut, and many kinds of bulls, Garud 9, Sarus Cranes, storks, and other water birds. For this reason, this Wildlife Reserve has been included in the Ramas list in 1987. It can be seen that this Wildlife Reserve could be expanded in the north of Chaitra area and the Koshi river and the Udaipur district, as it can develop as an important protected area of the region. There are specialties of this Wildlife Reserve in the woods and crocodile, Stork, and various types of fish. Tourists who are interested in observing the birds have visited this Wildlife Reserve. Through tourism, employment opportunities have been created in the local community by avoiding livelihoods. The programs received from the earnings of the Reserve have been conducted in the intermediate areas, conservation, development and income generation programs.
History
During 1997 to 1998, an interview survey was conducted in the Paschim Kasuha VDC adjacent to the east of the reserve to investigate the extent of the park–people conflict. The findings showed that wild water buffalo and wild boar were major crop raiders between September and February. Large numbers of cattle were found grazing freely inside the reserve. Local people are responsible for the illegal utilization of forest products, poaching and river fishing inside the reserve.
In 2005, the reserve together with the Koshi Barrage was identified as one of 27 Important Bird Areas of Nepal.
Vegetation
The vegetation of the reserve is mainly characterized by mixed deciduous riverine forest, grasslands and marshy vegetation. The coverage of grasslands is 68%, compared to only about 6% of forest, which is predominated by Indian rosewood. Patches of catechu forest are more prevalent towards the northwestern part. The grasslands near the running water bodies are maintained by the annual flooding and grazing by wildlife. The Sapta Koshi River, a tributary of the Ganges, causes rapid and intense flooding during the rainy season. In the extensive wetlands, 514 plant species are found including kapok, sugarcane, reed, cattail, Imperata cylindrica, eelgrass, and species of Eichhornia, Hydrilla, Azolla and lotus.
Fauna
A wide range of animals inhabits the protected area. In its water courses and ponds, 200 species of fish have been recorded, most of which are resident. Two toad species, nine frog species, six lizard species, five snake species, and eleven turtle species are recorded. Gharial and mugger crocodile occur as well.
Mammals
The 31 species of mammals recorded include the Asian elephant, spotted deer, hog deer, wild boar, smooth-coated otter, and golden jackal. The Ganges river dolphin has been sighted in the Koshi River. Gaur and blue bull have declined in numbers. Nepal’s last remaining population of about 150 wild water buffalo inhabit the area. This population has now grown to a total of 432 individuals with an annual growth rate of 7.27 percent, according to the latest census carried out in 2016. With this upsurge in the population, authorities are planning a possible transfer of some wild water buffaloes to the floodplains of Chitwan National Park where they have been extirpated around 1950's. If the proposed translocation happens, this will present a natural Predator-Prey scenario since wild water buffaloes in Koshi Tappu has been lacking their natural predators in the form of the tiger, leopard, and dhole for quite a long.
Birds
Notable among the 485 bird species are watercock, Indian Nightjar, dusky eagle owl, black-headed cuckoo-shrike, white-tailed stonechat, striated grassbird, large adjutant stork, Pallas’s fish eagle, common golden-eye, and gull-billed tern. Swamp francolin and Rufous-vented grass babbler occur as well.
In spring 2011, 17 Bengal floricans were recorded from nine different sites along a 39 km (24 mi) north-south stretch of the Koshi River. Seven were males and 10 were females. Only five individuals were recorded outside the reserve, two pairs north of Koshi Tappu, and one female was seen twice near the Koshi Barrage area.
History
During 1997 to 1998, an interview survey was conducted in the Paschim Kasuha VDC adjacent to the east of the reserve to investigate the extent of the park–people conflict. The findings showed that wild water buffalo and wild boar were major crop raiders between September and February. Large numbers of cattle were found grazing freely inside the reserve. Local people are responsible for the illegal utilization of forest products, poaching and river fishing inside the reserve.
In 2005, the reserve together with the Koshi Barrage was identified as one of 27 Important Bird Areas of Nepal.
Vegetation
The vegetation of the reserve is mainly characterized by mixed deciduous riverine forest, grasslands and marshy vegetation. The coverage of grasslands is 68%, compared to only about 6% of forest, which is predominated by Indian rosewood. Patches of catechu forest are more prevalent towards the northwestern part. The grasslands near the running water bodies are maintained by the annual flooding and grazing by wildlife. The Sapta Koshi River, a tributary of the Ganges, causes rapid and intense flooding during the rainy season. In the extensive wetlands, 514 plant species are found including kapok, sugarcane, reed, cattail, Imperata cylindrica, eelgrass, and species of Eichhornia, Hydrilla, Azolla and lotus.
Fauna
A wide range of animals inhabits the protected area. In its water courses and ponds, 200 species of fish have been recorded, most of which are resident. Two toad species, nine frog species, six lizard species, five snake species, and eleven turtle species are recorded. Gharial and mugger crocodile occur as well.
Mammals
The 31 species of mammals recorded include the Asian elephant, spotted deer, hog deer, wild boar, smooth-coated otter, and golden jackal. The Ganges river dolphin has been sighted in the Koshi River. Gaur and blue bull have declined in numbers. Nepal’s last remaining population of about 150 wild water buffalo inhabit the area. This population has now grown to a total of 432 individuals with an annual growth rate of 7.27 percent, according to the latest census carried out in 2016. With this upsurge in the population, authorities are planning a possible transfer of some wild water buffaloes to the floodplains of Chitwan National Park where they have been extirpated around 1950's. If the proposed translocation happens, this will present a natural Predator-Prey scenario since wild water buffaloes in Koshi Tappu has been lacking their natural predators in the form of the tiger, leopard, and dhole for quite a long.
Birds
Notable among the 485 bird species are watercock, Indian Nightjar, dusky eagle owl, black-headed cuckoo-shrike, white-tailed stonechat, striated grassbird, large adjutant stork, Pallas’s fish eagle, common golden-eye, and gull-billed tern. Swamp francolin and Rufous-vented grass babbler occur as well.
In spring 2011, 17 Bengal floricans were recorded from nine different sites along a 39 km (24 mi) north-south stretch of the Koshi River. Seven were males and 10 were females. Only five individuals were recorded outside the reserve, two pairs north of Koshi Tappu, and one female was seen twice near the Koshi Barrage area.