An Assessment of Biodiversity Richness: The case of Lower Karnali Basin along Bardia - Katarniaghat Corridor, Bardia, Nepal

Bardia- Katarniaghat Corridor,also called Khata Corridor, is the natural linkage between Bardia National Park (BNP) of Nepal and Katarnighat Wildlife Reserve (KWR) of India for wildlife movement. The corridor is a component of Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) and considered as an important ecological linkage between BNP and KWR. Basically, the corridor provides cover for the movements of wildlife and especially important to those mammals required large home range. Besides its ecological value, the corridor is threatened by human disturbances. Almost half of the corridor falls within the Bufferzone Area of BNP. Therefore, BNP office and District Forest Office (DFO) in co-ordination with National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) and WWF-Nepal are managing the corridor through integrated conservation and development approach. This study aims to document aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity and their threats from the Lower Karnali Basin along the corridor.

Paras B. Singh completed his B.Sc. in forestry (Tribhuvan University) and M.Sc. in Environment Science and Biodiversity Conservation (Kathmandu University). He has done many researches in avifauna and mammals from different protected areas of Nepal. He is very enthusiast of wildlife conservation and currently working in that specific field.