| FLORA
AND FAUNA
Nepal
is a land of geographical extremes, ranging from near sea-level
elevations in the southern Terai to the world's highest mountains.
The country contains a variety of ecosystems; treeless sub-alpine
pastures and dense fir forests of the high valleys, oak and rhododendron
woods of the middle hills, and tall sal forests of the south. Along
the southern borders of Nepal are preserved much of the lowland
jungles and grasslands that once covered this part of the sub-continent.
Here one can see birds and mammals found nowhere else. Although
animal habitat has been somewhat depleted as a result of agriculture,
deforestation and other causes, through Nepal's extensive and effective
park and reserve system, the country still has more varied flora
and fauna than any other places in Asia.
1.
Tropical Deciduous Monsoon Forest.
This includes the Terai plains and the broad flat valleys
or Duns found between hill ranges. The dominant tree species of
this area are Sal (Shorea robusta), sometimes associated with Semal
(Bombax malabricum), Asna (Terminalia termentosa), Dalbergia spp.
and other species, and Pinus roxburghi occuring on the higher ridges
of the Churia hills, which in places reach an altitude of 1,800
meters.Tall coarse two- meter-high elephant grass originally covered
much of the Dun valleys but has now been largely replaced by agricultural
settlement. This tropical zone is Nepal's richest area for wildlife,
with gaurs, wild buffalo Four species of deer, tiger, leopard and
other animals, Rhinoceros, swamp deer and hog deer are found on
the grasslands and two species of crocodile and the Gangetic dolphin
inhabit the rivers.
2.
Subtropical Mixed Evergreen Forest.
This includes
the Mahabharat Lekh which rises to a height of about 2,400 meters
and comprises the outer wall of the Himalayan range. Great rivers
such as the Karnali,Narayani, and Sapta Koshi flow through this
area into the plains of the Terai. This zone also includes the so
called "middle hills", which extend northward in a somewhat
confused maze of ridges and valleys to the foot of the great Himalaya.
Among the tree species characteristic of this region are Castenopsis
indicia in association with Schima wallichi, and other species such
as Alnus nepalensis, Acer oblongum and various species of oak and
rhododendron, which cover the higher slopes where deforestation
has not yet taken place. This zone is generally poor in wildlife.
The only mammals which are at all widely distributed are wild boar,
barking deer, serow, ghoral and bear. Different varieties of birds
are also found in this zone.
3.
Temperate Evergreen Forest
Northward
on the lower slopes and spurs of the Great Himalaya, oaks and pines
are the dominant species up to an altitude of about 2,400 meters.
Above these are found dense conifer forest of Picea, Tsuga, Larix
and Betula spp. Abies and Betula are usually confined to higher
elevations, with Betula typically marking the upper limit of the
tree line. At about 3,600 to 3,900 meters rhododendron, bamboo and
maples commonly mingle with the conifers. The compositions of the
forest varies considerably, with coniferous predominating in the
west and eracaceous in the east. The wildlife of this region includes
the Himalayan bear, serow, ghoral, barking deer and wild boar, with
the Himalayan tahr sometimes being seen on steep rocky faces above
2,400 meters. The red panda is among the more interesting of the
smaller mammals found in this zone ; it appears to be fairly well
distributed in suitable areas of the forest above 1,800 meters.
The rich and varied avifauna of this region includes several spectacular
and beautiful pheasants, including the Damphe pheasant, Nepal's
national bird.
4.
Subalpine and Alpine Zone.
Above
the tree line, rhododendron, juniper scrub and other procumbent
woody vegetation may extend to about 4,200 meters where they are
then succeeded by a tundra-like association of short grasses, sedge
mosses and alpine plants wherever there is sufficient soil. This
continues up to the lower limit of perpetual snow and ice at about
5,100 meters. The mammalian fauna is sparse and unlikely to include
any species other than the Himalayan marmot, mouse hare, tahr, musk
deer, snow leopard and occasionally blue sheep. In former times,
the wild yak and great Tibetan sheep could also be sighted in this
region and it is possible that a few may still be surviving in areas
such as Dolpa and Humla. The bird life at these altitudes includes
several interesting species such as the lammergeyer, snowcock, snowpartridge,
chough and bunting, with redstarts and dippers often seen along
the streams and rivulet.
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