VALMIKI NATIONAL PARK
- Valmiki National Park is a Tiger Reserve in the West Champaran District of Bihar
- It is the only national park in Bihar.
- The landscape of Valmiki National Park encompasses foothills ranges of Himalayan Sivaliks with mosaic of the cliffs, ridges, gorges, hills, streams and valleys; dense forests, open woodlands, grasslands, swamps and riverine fringe.
- Situated in Gangetic plains bio-geographic zone of the Country, the forest has combination of bhabar and terai tracts.
- Boulder and pebble deposits by the Himalayan rivers in foothills characterized the Bhabar tract while the finer sediments deposits feature Terai lands.
- River Gandak forms the western boundary of Valmiki wildlife sanctuary.
- Harha – Masan River system originates from the Valmiki Forests and forms Burhi Gandak River down south.
Biodiversity
- The wildlife found in the forest of National Park are the Bengal tiger, Indian rhinoceros, black bear, Indian sloth bear, otter, Indian leopard, wild dog, buffalo, and boar.
- Also Indian flying foxes can be sighted here.
- The Reserve has rich avifauna diversity. Over 250 species of birds have been reported.
- Tharu’, a scheduled tribe, is the dominant community in the landscape of the Valmiki National Park.