# Travel >> Types of Travel >> Adventure Travel

Wildlife Conservation in National Parks in Nepal

The Kingdom of Nepal is a place of extremes when it comes to topography and climate. Those extremes support a vast wealth of wildlife biodiversity, making Nepal home to many threatened and endangered species such as the royal Bengal tiger, the one horned rhinoceros, the snow leopard and the lynx, to name a few. In 1973, Nepal's first wildlife protected area was established. Since then, eight other Nepalese national parks have been declared protected areas, and according to Nepal's Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC), the protected wildlife areas "attract more than 50 percent of the total foreign tourists in Nepal."

Terai Lowlands Region
- Nepal is now a breeding ground for endangered one horned rhinoceros.
  
  Located in the Terai lowlands of south-central Nepal, the Royal Chitwan National Park was the first national park of Nepal. It is home to a rhinoceros sanctuary and over 450 species of birds, and in 1984, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognized the area as a World Heritage Site.
  
  Situated in the mid-western Terai, Royal Bardia National Park is dedicated to preserving the royal Bengal tiger and its prey. The park also provides an ideal habitat for rhinoceros, elephants and crocodiles.
  
  The Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park is situated north of Kathmandu Valley and is home to many species, including Himalayan black bear, leopard, jungle cat, and rhesus monkey.
Mahabharat Range Region
- The red panda is a protected species in Nepal.
  
  Rara National Park is located in northwest Nepal. The park is home to Nepal's largest lake, which supports a diverse range of migratory waterfowl. It also includes a coniferous forest where Himalayan black bears, leopards, musk deer and jackals thrive.
  
  Khaptad (Baba) National Park is located in the mid-mountain region of western Nepal. The park is home to leopards, Himalayan black bears, jackals and wolves. It also has a meditation zone that contains several religious sites. Using tobacco, consuming alcohol, and killing animals or birds are prohibited in the meditation zone.
  
  Situated in the mountain region of Western Nepal, the Shey Phoksundo National Park is the largest national park in the country and home to the endangered snow leopard and blue sheep. All flora and fauna in the park are protected.
High-Altitude Alpine Region
- The protected lynx thrives in Nepal's Himalayan region
  
  Situated in the central Himalaya, Langtang National Park is the first national park established in the Himalayan region. The main purpose of the park is to preserve the area's natural environment.
  
  Sagarmatha National Park includes Mt. Everest (Sagarmatha) the surrounding 712 square miles (1148 square kilometers. According Mahendra Poudyal's travel information network, VisitNepal.com, the purpose of protecting the area is to "safeguard its unique cultural, physical and scientific values through positive management based on sound conservation principles."
  
  One of Nepal's most recently established protected areas, the Makalu-Barun National Park and Conservation Area is a sparsely-populated wilderness that houses some of the last remaining alpine forest and meadows of Nepal. Conservation strategies encourage local communities to become involved in preserving their natural resources.