Shuklaphanta National Park

The **Shuklaphanta National Park** is a protected area in the Terai of the Far-Western Region, Nepal. It covers the area of . The area is covered by open grassland, forests, riverbeds and tropical wetlands. It is at an altitude of . It was established in 1976 as *Royal Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve*. A small part of the reserve is in the northern side of the East-West Highway. It is there to create a path for seasonal Migration of wildlife into the Sivalik Hills. The Syali River forms the eastern boundary of this national park. The international border with India makes the national park’s southern and western boundary.

The Indian Tiger Reserve Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary is in the southern part of this reserve. It is a protected area of . It represents the *Tiger Conservation Unit (TCU) Sukla Phanta-Kishanpur*. It covers a   of alluvial grasslands and subtropical moist deciduous forests.

The protected area is part of the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion. It is one of the best-conserved examples of floodplain grassland. It is included in the Terai Arc Landscape.
## History
The area was a hunting ground for Nepal's ruling class. It was  a Royal Hunting Reserve in 1969. In 1973, the area was changed into *Royal Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve*. At first it had an area of . The area was made bigger to its present size in the late 1980s. A buffer zone of  was added in May 2004.
The main grassland called *Sukla Phanta* is the largest  of continuous grassland in Nepal. It covers an area of about .

## Climate
The climate of the region is subtropical monsoonal. The mean annual rainfall in this area is . The rainfall occurs from June to September and is highest in August. The winter months of December and January are fairly cold. The daytime temperatures during this time of year is . Sometimes frost can also be seen. From February onwards temperatures rise up to  in March. The temperature reaches upto  by end of April. When the first pre-monsoon rains reach the area in May, humidity increases.
In spring 2016, a rusty-spotted cat was photographed by a camera-trap for the first time in the protected area.

### Birds
A total of 423 bird species has been recorded. The park supports the highest population of Bengal floricans in Nepal. It is the western limit of swamp francolin, Jerdon's bushchat, rufous-rumped grassbird, chestnut-capped babbler and Jerdon's babbler. For yellow-eyed babbler it is the north-western limit and it is the eastern limit of Finn's weaver. It is also the most important regular wintering site of Hodgson's bushchat. Forest birds include spot-bellied eagle owl, dusky eagle owl, rufous-bellied eagle and Oriental pied hornbill. 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, darter and rufous-rumped grassbird are breeding residents. Sarus crane, painted stork and bristled grassbird are summer visitors. Greater racquet-tailed drongo, white-capped water redstart, rusty-tailed flycatcher and rufous-gorgeted flycatcher are winter visitors but they are not common.

## References
## Other websites
* Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Nepal : *Shukla Phanta National Park*