Mammals
Most of Nepal's rich animal life inhabits the Tarai and, despite dense vegetation, is most easily observed there. In the hill regions, wildlife is much harder to spot due to population pressure - along trekking trails, at least - while very few mammals live above tree line. The following overview progresses generally from Tarai to Himalayan species. The Asian one-horned rhino ( gaida) is one of five species found in Asia and Africa, all endangered. In Nepal, about 500 rhinos - a quarter of the species total - live in Chitwan, and about 40 have been introduced to Bardia; they graze singly or in small groups in the marshy elephant grass, where they can remain surprisingly well hidden. Although trained elephants ( hatti) are a lingering part of Nepali culture, their wild relatives are seen only rarely in Nepal. Since they require vast territory for their seasonal migrations, the settling of the Tarai is putting them in increasing conflict with man, and the few that survive tend to spend much of their time in India. Koshi Tappu is the only remaining habitat in Nepal for another species better known as a domestic breed, wild buffalo ( arnaa), which graze the wet grasslands in small herds. Majestic and powerful, the gaur ( gauri gaai), or Indian bison, spends most of its time in the dry lower foothills, but descends to the Tarai in spring for water. Perhaps the Tarai's most unlikely mammals, gangetic dolphins - one of four freshwater species in the world - are present in small numbers in the Karnali and Sapt Koshi rivers. Curious and gregarious, dolphins tend to congregate in deep channels where they feed on fish and crustaceans; they may betray their presence with a puffing sound which they make through their blow-holes when surfacing. They're considered sacrosanct by Nepali Tharus, but are cruelly hunted in India. The most abundant mammals of the Tarai, chital, or spotted deer , are often seen in herds around the boundary between riverine forest and grassland. Hog deer - so called because of their porky little bodies and head-down trot - take shelter in wet grassland, while the aptly named barking deer, measuring less than two feet high at the shoulder, are found throughout lowland and midland forests. Swamp deer gather in vast herds in Sukla Phanta, and males of the species carry impressive sets of antlers (their Nepali name, barasingha, means "twelve points"). Sambar, heavy-set animals standing five feet at the shoulder, are more widely distributed, but elusive. Two species of antelope, the graceful, corkscrew-horned blackbuck and the ungainly nilgai (blue bull), may be seen at Bardia and Koshi Tappu respectively; the latter was once assumed to be a form of cattle, and thus spared by Hindu hunters, but no longer. Areas of greatest deer and antelope concentrations are usually prime territory for tiger ( bagh), their main predator. However, your chances of spotting one of Nepal's endangered Bengal tigers are slim: they're mainly nocturnal, never very numerous, and incredibly stealthy. In the deep shade and mottled sunlight of dense riverine forest, a tiger's orange- and black-striped coat provides almost total camouflage. A male may weigh 250kg and measure 3m from nose to tail. Tigers are solitary hunters; some have been known to consume up to 20 percent of their body weight after a kill, but they may go several days between feeds. Males and females maintain separate but overlapping territories, regularly patrolling them, marking the boundaries with scent and driving off interlopers. Some Nepalis believe tigers to be the unquiet souls of the deceased. Leopards are equally elusive, but much more widely distributed: they may be found in any deep forest from the Tarai to the timber line. As a consequence, leopards account for many more maulings than tigers in Nepal, and are more feared. A smaller animal (males weigh about 45kg), they prey on monkeys, dogs and livestock. Other cats - such as the fishing cat, leopard cat and the splendid clouded leopard - are known to exist in the more remote lowlands and midlands, but are very rarely sighted. Hyenas and wild dogs are scavengers of the Tarai, and jackals , though seldom seen (they're nocturnal), produce an eerie howling that is one of the most common night sounds in the Tarai and hills. While it isn't carnivorous, the dangerously unpredictable sloth bear , a Tarai species, is liable to turn on you and should be approached with extreme caution. Its powerful front claws are designed for unearthing termite nests, and its long snout for extracting the insects. The Himalayan black bear roams midland forests up to tree line and is, if anything, more dangerous. Wild boars can be seen rooting and scurrying through forest anywhere in Nepal. Monkeys, a common sight in the Tarai and hills, come in two varieties in Nepal. Comical langurs have silver fur, black faces and long, ropelike tails; you'll sometimes see them sitting on stumps like Rodin's Thinker. Brown rhesus macaques are more shy in the wild, but around temples are tame to the point of being nuisances. Many other small mammals may be spotted in the hills, among them porcupines, flying squirrels, foxes, civets, otters, mongooses and martens. The red panda , with its rust coat and bushy, ringed tail, almost resembles a tree-dwelling fox; like its Chinese relative, it's partial to bamboo, and is very occasionally glimpsed in the cloud forest of northern Helambu. Elusive animals of the rhododendron and birch forests, musk deer are readily identified by their tusk-like canine teeth; males are hunted for their musk pod, which can fetch $200 an ounce on the international market. Though by no means common, Himalayan tahr is the most frequently observed large mammal of the high country; a goat-like animal with long, wiry fur and short horns, it browses along steep cliffs below the tree line. Serow , another goat relative, inhabits remote canyons and forested areas, while goral , sometimes likened to chamois, occurs from middle elevations up to the tree line. The Himalaya's highest residents are blue sheep , who graze the barren grasslands above the tree line year-round. Normally tan, males go a slaty colour in winter, accounting for their name. Herds have been sighted around the Thorung La in the Annapurna region, but they occur in greater numbers north of Dhorpatan and in She-Phoksundo National Park. Their chief predator is the snow leopard , a secretive cat whose habits are still little understood.
www.hardrocktreks.comLaxman says "Nepal is the best adventure travel destination offering wide range of trekking, rafting, and cultural tours. Birth place of lord Buddha, the land of Mount Everest and the holiest pilgrimage destination for the Hindus is an another identity of this country.
" Trekking in Nepal Himalayanepalguidetrek says "Nepal guide trek offer trekking and tour in nepal himalya, trek to tibet, everest base camp trek, annapurna trek, langtang trekking" www.nepaltravellers.comYour Guide To Himalayas: says "Kathmandu-based tour operator provides trekking and adventure tours in Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, and Indian regions. Includes camping, peak climbing, jungle safaris, and rafting." Nepal LoverPatric Lee says "Nepal is a simple country with poverty and unemployment its main concerns. Vist Nepal with an open heart, learn to love its people who are overly-hospitable, cheerful and helpful. A few simple Nepali phrases would get you around such as Dhanybad (thank you), Kati-ho (how much) also learn the numbers 1-1000, it would prove useful when you ask for the price or try to bargain down. Always have a ready smile and do not bear grudges. Because of poverty, businessmen and taxi-drivers will try to fleece you for as much as possible. Be aware of the prices of taxi trips to and from your hotel so you do not get fleeced. Ask your reception desk for the amount needed to travel to town or the next village etc. Be easy going and life will be a breeze there. The country is so beautiful you will not want to leave, but of course the villages are always dirty and littered with rubbish. Just bear with it and you will have an enjoyable time."
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