KANCHANPUR: The Shuklaphanta Festival has kicked off in Kanchanpur district today in a bid to attract as many as tourists in the Shuklaphanta National Park. The Bhimdutta Municipality organized the Festival that aims to promote the National Park that sprawls on an area of 305 square kilometres in the extreme south-eastern section of Kanchanpur district […]
The Shuklaphanta Festival has kicked off in Kanchanpur district from today in a bid to attract as many as tourists in the Shuklaphanta National Park. The Bhimdutta Municipality organized the Festival that aims to promote the National Park that sprawls on an area of 305 square kilometres in the extreme south-eastern section of Kanchanpur district […]
KANCHANPUR, October 1: The Shuklaphanta National Park has been opened for domestic and international tourists. All the tourism activities are now opened in the national park except for elephant safari, Chief Conservation Officer Dil Bahadur Purja Magar said.
Tourism activities in the national park were suspended for almost five months after the surge of coronavirus cases. Pun shared that jungle safari, jungle walk, rafting, camping, fishing and other touristic activities have resumed in the national park.
He, however, said that the visitors should fully abide by health protocols adding that use of facemask and sanitiser are mandatory. Nature guide is also mandatory for the visitors going for jungle safari and jungle walk, he added. A tour guide can guide upto three tourists while two tour guides can lead maximum of 10 tourists in the national park. The national park spread over 305 sq km is famous for swamp deer and the pastureland.
The Shuklaphanta National Park has reopened for a tour by domestic and international tourists, following a long closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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CHITWAN, August 12: Tamed elephants have been used for various purposes for ages. These animals are reliable means for transportation, sightseeing and hunting. Going by history, the rulers including monarchs and Ranas in particular have been found employing elephants for hunting wild animals.
However, their use in protecting the wild animals has been increased lately. Six national parks in Tarai have been using domesticated elephants for the conservation of wild animals.
Ramprit Yadav, who served as the chief in the Park for three terms, said that the tusker has historical and religious importance as well, besides its usefulness in conservation works.
Saying Janga Bahadur Rana used to catch elephants in the Charkoshe Jhadi (a dense forest) of Parsa, he shared, “Ramayan and Mahabharat have mentioned that elephants were also used in war.”
Yadav further said that elephants are used to control smuggling and poaching, to carry out patrolling and also to transport staffs and foods in the inner parts of the Park lacking road facility.
He mentioned, “Back then an elephant could be purchased at Rs 5,000-6,000. Now it costs more than eight million rupees.” There are 56 security posts in the park. Sixteen of them are employing elephants.
Chief Conservation Officer Ananath Baral said that the role of elephant is important in park security. Elephants are used in patrolling at inner parts of the park including posts during the rainy season. Elephants are transporting park staffs, foodstuff and other goods at other posts except 20 posts.
Baral shared that they rely on elephant for the treatment of the wildlife in each season. He added that they reach to the injured animal riding on elephant in the jungle.
According to National Park information officer Lokendra Adhikari, there are 56 elephants in the park. Of them, nine are infants, 23 are female and others are male elephants. He added that 68 elephants reared in private way are mobilized to take the tourists on safaris in the buffer zone.
He further claimed that they could do nothing to rescue and treat the animals and humans in critical situation without the help of animals. The record shows that there are about 200 elephants in the country and Chitwan is home to the largest numbers.
Bardiya follows Chitwan with 15 elephants while Koshitappu Wild Life Reserve, Parsa National Park, Banke National Park and Shuklaphanta National Park each has10 elephants. The CNP shared that about 115 elephants reared by government are mobilized for security purposes.
Elephants are mobilized in patrolling, inspection of wild animals, research bids and taking the tourists on a tour of the park as well. The CNP is considered a better abode to elephants in Nepal as it has Elephant Breeding Centre as well.
The CNP is the most successful conservation project which is promoting elephant tourism in the country.
Influx of tourists is on the rise at Shuklaphanta National Park – one of the most popular destinations in Sudurpaschim Province. With the onset of the travel season, the National Park has been recording increasing footfall even amidst the ongoing global pandemic.
