Banke National Park | |
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Location | Nepal |
Nearest city | Kohalpur |
Coordinates | 28°11′28″N 81°54′46″E / 28.1911°N 81.9128°E |
Area | 550 km2 (210 sq mi)[1] |
Established | 12 July 2010[1] |
Governing body | Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation |
Banke National Park is located in the Lumbini Province and was established in 2010 as Nepal’s tenth national park after its recognition as a "Gift to the Earth".[1] The protected area covers an area of 550 km2 (210 sq mi) with most parts falling in the Sivalik Hills. The park is surrounded by a buffer zone of 344 km2 (133 sq mi) in the districts of Banke, Salyan and Dang Deukhuri Districts.[2]
Together with the neighboring Bardia National Park, the coherent protected area of 1,518 km2 (586 sq mi) represents the Tiger Conservation Unit (TCU) Bardia-Banke.[3]
The vegetation in Banke National Park is composed of at least 113 tree species, 107 herbal species and 85 shrub and climber species. Common species include sal, axlewood, Semecarpus anacardium, khair, andTerminalia alata.[4]
The protected area holds tiger and four-horned antelope.[5] In 2014, a ruddy mongoose was recorded for the first time in the protected area.[6]