Tourists up at Shuklaphanta reserve
Bhimduttanagar, April 23: The Shuklaphanta wildlife reserve in Kanchanpur district has seen an increase in the number of tourists- both domestic and foreign over the years. The reserve is home to large herds of the swamp deer.
Chief Conservation Officer at the Reserve Ved Kumar Dhakal said that the number of tourists coming for an observation visit of the reserve has increased compared to the previous years.
According to him, 824 tourists visited Shuklaphanta reserve in the fiscal year 2013/014 to 2014/015. The number of tourists visiting the reserve in the last nine months of the current fiscal year has reached 1,288. It is said 531 tourists visited the reserve from March 14 to April 12, including 436 domestic tourists.
Dhakal said many foreign tourists also come here for carrying out research study on the flora and fauna of the reserve. Shuklaphanta wildlife reserve is home to the swamp deer, tiger, rhino, the spotted deer, elephant and 300 various bird species. The reserve covers a large tract of savannah land, the largest such grassland in the country. It also has wetland area as well as historic place.