BEAUTIFUL CHITWAN NATIONAL PARK

Chitwan National Park is the first national park in Nepal. It was established in 1973 and granted the status of a World Heritage Site in 1984. It covers an area of 932 km2 (360 sq mi) and is located in the subtropical Inner Terai lowlands of south-central Nepal in the districts of Nawalparasi, Parsa, Chitwan and Makwanpur. In altitude it ranges from about 100 m (330 ft) in the river valleys to 815 m (2,674 ft) in the Churia Hills.[1]
It is a rich natural area in the Terai, the subtropical southern part of Nepal. A total of 68 species of mammals, 544 species of birds, 56 species of herpetofauna and 126 species of fish have been recorded in the park. It has more than 570 species of plants. The park is especially renowned for its protection of One Horned Rhinoceros, Royal Bengal Tiger and Gharial Crocodile.
Chitwan National Park is a beautiful place to visit and has done its job well with conservation of plants and animals. It also have conservation center for Tortoise,Elephants and Vultures. Breeding centers for Elephants, Tortoise and Gharial Crocodile.
Grassland management programmes are also conducted by this park.

#Wildlife
The Chitwan National Park serves as home to more than 40 species of mammals, 450 species of birds, and 45 species of amphibians and reptiles. Many endangered species dwell in the Royal Chitwan National Park, foremost among them the Bengal Tiger and the Asian One-horned Rhinoceros. Other endangered species include the Gaur, Asiatic wild dog, the Sloth Bear, Gharial, and the Indian Python live within the protection of the national park.
Many herbivores live in the park, including elephants, Sambar Deer, Indian Muntjac, Chital, Hog Deer, Mainland Serow, Chousingha and wild boar. Three large predator species (tigers, leopards, Dholes) prey on them and carrion eaters like Striped Hyenas also range the park. Sloth Bears represent one of the main attractions of the Park.

Smaller carnivore species include Golden Jackal, Yellow-throated Marten, Ratel, Smooth-coated Otter, small Indian Civet, large Indian Civet, Spotted Linsang, common Palm Civet, Binturong, small Indian Mongoose, Indian Grey Mongoose, Crab-eating Mongose, Leopard Cat, Marbled Cat and Fishing Cat. Other mammal species found in the park include Rhesus Monkeys, Hanuman Langurs, Indian Pangolin, Northern Palm Squirrel, Red Giant Flying Squirrel, Particolored Flying Squirrel, Indian Porcupine, Hispid Hare, Indian Hare and Ganges Doplhin. Among the reptiles Marsh Crocodiles, Gharials and Indian Python measure the largest.

#Vegetation
The typical vegetation of the Inner Terai is Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests with predominantly sal trees covering about 70% of the national park area. The purest stands of sal occur on well drained lowland ground in the centre. Along the southern face of the Churia Hills sal is interspersed with chir pine (Pinus roxburghii). On northern slopes sal associates with smaller flowering tree and shrub species such as beleric (Terminalia bellirica), rosewood (Dalbergia sissoo), axlewood (Anogeissus latifolia), elephant apple (Dillenia indica), grey downy balsam (Garuga pinnata) and creepers such as Bauhinia vahlii and Spatholobus parviflorus.
Seasonal bushfires, flooding and erosion evoke an ever-changing mosaic of riverine forest and grasslands along the river banks. On recently deposited alluvium and in lowland areas groups of catechu (Acacia catechu) with rosewood (Dalbergia sissoo) predominate, followed by groups of kapok (Bombax ceiba) with rhino apple trees (Trewia nudiflora), the fruits of which rhinos savour so much.[7] Understorey shrubs of velvety beautyberry (Callicarpa macrophylla), hill glory bower (Clerodendrum sp.) and gooseberry (Phyllanthus emblica) offer shelter and lair to a wide variety of species.
Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands cover about 20% of the park’s area. More than 50 species are found here including some of the world’s tallest grasses like the elephant grass called Saccharum ravennae, giant cane (Arundo donax), khagra reed (Phragmites karka) and several species of true grasses. Kans grass (Saccharum spontaneum) is one of the first grasses to colonise new sandbanks and to be washed away by the yearly monsoon floods