Location: Chitean District Map
Area: 932 kmĀ²
Official site
Chitwan National Park is a nature reserve situated in a Chitean District of Nepal. It covers a total area of 932 sq km of sal forests, wetlands and stretches of savannah. Chitwan National Park contains numerous species of large mammals including tigers, leopards and one- horned Indian Rhinos. The safest way to explore the reserve is by renting a ride on a back of an elephant or taking a jeep. Rivers here are inhabited by many species of fishes and rare freshwater Gangetic dolphins. Chitwan Park offers several lodges inside its territory. Additionally you can find simple hotels in the small towns around a park. Don't expect much from local lodging. It is fairly basic and doesn't offer many services.
Until the 19th century, Chitwan National Park, which
was the heart of the forest, was a favorite hunting spot of Nepal's
ruling classes in winter. Until 1950, the journey from the southern part
of Nepal to Kathmandu was very difficult, so the Batuwa who used the
forest roads would camp here for months and hunt tigers, bears, rhinos,
and leopards. In 1950, the forests and grasslands of Chitwan were 2,600
km2. (1,000 square miles) has been converted into a habitat for about
800 rhinos. When poor farmers from the mid-hill region moved to Chitwan
Valley in search of arable land, they cleared the forest and built
settlements here, and poaching of wild animals became widespread. In
1957, the country's first conservation law laid emphasis on protecting
the rhinoceros and its habitat. In 1959, Edward Pritchard G. conducted a
survey in which he recommended a ten-year trial period to save wildlife
in the north Rapti River and south of the region. He recommended both
the unions to expand the southern region.
By the late 1960s, 70%
of the forest had been cleared by the use of DDT and thousands of people
had begun to settle there, bringing the number of rhinos to 95. The
dramatic decline in rhino numbers and increasing poaching led the
government to establish a rhino patrol team consisting of 130 armed
jawans and a network of security centers to patrol all over Chitwan.
Chitwan National Park was designated in 1970 to prevent rhino poaching,
and an area of 544 km2 (210 sq mi) was initially included in 1973. In
1977, the park expanded to its current area of 932 km2 (360 sq mi). It
was spread and maintained. In 1997, a buffer zone of 766.1 km2 (295.8 sq
mi) was added between the north and west of the Narayani-Rapti river
system and the south-eastern boundary of the park, as well as the
international border with India.
Chitwan National Park is one of the most popular
tourist destinations in Nepal. Chitwan National Park has two main
entrances: Sauraha in the east and Meghauli village in the west.
Chitwan National Park, Saraha Hong Kong and also popular for jeep
safaris.
Chitwan is a hot regional monsoon climate with high rainfall throughout the year. Since this region is located in the central Himalayan climate, the monsoon starts in this region from mid-June and the rainfall decreases in late September. During this 14-15 week period, more than 2500 mm of rain falls here annually.
The park is particularly famous for the one-horned rhinoceros and spotted tiger. 43 species of mammals, 450 species of birds and 45 species of amphibians and reptiles and more than 100 species of fish are found in this park. Major mammals found here include deer, chital, monkey and langur monkey etc.
A one-horned rhino from the park was featured in episode 11 of the second edition of The Jeff Corwin Experience.