Wildlife

Bardia contains about 25 wild tigers at present (January 2009) and several mothers with cubs.
Their numbers have been severely affected by the conflict over the last few years but it is still possible to view them if you are lucky.

Simon Mustoe, an Australian Ecologist made the following sketches and notes when he last visited the park:

"About a 45 minute walk from the camp in Bardia, we had just begun to watch a stretch of river when a tiger began to roar from the forest on the opposite river bank. Ten minutes later, it appeared and spent about 25 minutes on the river bank, first drinking and then bathing, before heading across the river. Everyone got fantastic views!"

There are also many wild elephants which can be viewed including two large males that have been causing many problems for local people over the last few years. There are lots of stories about them throwing rocks back at villagers who try to scare them from their fields and local people also report watching them pushing over the electric fence posts with their outstretched foot, when these fences were first errected to keep them off the fields.

There are several rhinos in the park which are best viewed when near to the river or from the back of an elephant, they can be very difficult to see in the jungle as they hide in deep cover when they think people are around.