13-ROYAL SHUKLAPHANTA WILDLIFE RESERVE

The open grassland and numerous waterholes of the Royal Shukla Phanta render it an ideal setting for jungle viewing and jungle safari for visitors. The Royal Shukla Phanta Wildllife Reserve in Kanchanpur district in west Nepal falls on the Indo -Nepal border near Mahendranagar. The park is a vist expanse of plaion grasslands and Sal forests, while marsh vegetation is found along rivers and lakes.

The park that was originally reserved, as a hunting area was later converted to wildlife reserve to protect swamp deer. The reserve now shelters almost 2,000 swamp deer, around 50 wild elephants and 30 tigers. Other animals found here are spotted deer, blue bulls, barking deer, hog deer, wild boars, leopards, jackals, langurs and rhesus monkey.

Among birds the reserve provides habitat to sarus crane, swamp francolin, grass owl, warblers, flycatchers, and the endangered Bangal Florican. Reptile species include marsh mugger, crocodile, cobra and python. The reserve can be reached by drivingh to Mahendrangar, from where the reserve headquarter is only eight kilometers south. Another option is to fly to Dhangadi from the capital then drive to the park via Mahendranagar.