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Category: NEPAL
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KOSHI TAPPU NATIONAL PARK & KOSHI BARRAGE & LIST

NEPAL

SAPTARI and SUNSARI (E)

Lat:26o37´N/87o00´W l17,500ha ms The vegetation is mainly tall khar-pater grassland with a few patched of khair-sissoo scrub forest and deciduous mixed riverine forest. The Sapta-Koshi river floods the whole reserve to up to 3m during the monsoon and changes its course from season to season. 
Protected/registered status 

January-April (31.03.1995 to 01.04.1995)

 

Birding Site Guide

Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve lies on the flood plains of the Sapta-Koshi in Saptari and Sunsari Districts of Eastern Nepal. The reserve is defined by the eastern and western embankments of the river. This site and the Kosi Tapu National Park accommodation is found at Kosi Tapu Tented Camp on the edge of the park. 


This site and national park are situated in the east of country, with the newly constructed paved road from Kathmandu to Kosi, it is now far easier to reach than in 1997. However it is not a motorway and still a long days drive of c300+km through the dry Sal forest. There are opportunities to do a little birding along the way, though birds may be very few in the dry season. Arriving at Kosi continue over the reservoir barrage and out to the countryside a short way, at Kosi Tappu follow the signs for the army base or national park (near each other, the latter badly signed) for accommodation. In our visit there was no accommodation anywhere; we were offered a mattress on top of some rat infested potato sacks at the back of a stall, which we were eager to reject, then finally a goat shed (yes with goats) at the army, which we took- and got pestered by goats trying to get back in all night! 

The range of habitats at Kosi is varied from marshes and forest to the open waters of the reservoir. Here it is possible to see Pied Harrier or in winter the huge numbers of ducks. 


Species Notes 

So far 280 species have been recorded these include the Swamp Partridge and Bengal Florican. 


Species seen 

 

KEY

 


Other fauna 

Hog Deer, Wild Boar, Spotted Deer, Wild Buffalo, Blue Bull and Gangetic Dolphin. 

Amphibians and reptiles include King Cobra, Common Cobra, Krait, Rat Snake and Pitón, Gharial Crocodile. 

Butterflies seen in Nepal (not just here) were: Indian Tortoiseshell Aglais cashmirensis aesisIndian Red Admiral Vanessa indica Painted Lady Vanessa cardui Pale Grassblue Zizeeria maha maha Pale clouded Yellow Colias erate lativitta Glassy Bluebottle Graphium cloanthus cloanthusGreat Zebra Graphium xenocles phrontis Lime Swallowtail Papilio demoleus demoleus BrimstoneGonepteryx rhamni nepalensis Common Red Flash Rapala iarbus Glassy Tiger Parantica aglea melanoides Common Sailor Neptis hylas kamarupa Blue Admiral Kaniska canace canace Palin Tiger Danaus chrysippus chrysippus Common Indian Crow Euploea core core Tabby Pseudergolis wedah Common Windmill Atrophaneura polyeuctes letincius Lilacfork Zophoessa sura and White Royal Tajuria illurgis 

Author: BSG, Geof Grafton

www.birdingsiteguide.com