NP017
Nawalparasi forests


Country/territory: Nepal

IBA criteria met: A1 (2005)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here

Area: 4,000 ha

Bird Conservation Nepal
IBA conservation status
Year of assessment (most recent) State (condition) Pressure (threat) Response (action)
2011 very unfavourable very high low
For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here


Site description (2005 baseline)
The Nawalparasai forests lie between Bardghat to Sunwal at the base of the Siwalik Hills of the Nawalparasai district in south-central Nepal. This area is largely used for agriculture and almost all of the southern part is intensively farmed. Natural and semi-natural forests remain towards the north, along the northern section of the East West highway. These forests are managed by local communities, as community forest. The forest is mainly Sal Shorea robusta with Saj Terminalia tomentosa as the co-dominant species. In degraded areas, there are Sissoo Dalbergia sissoo plantations. Agriculture forms a significant part of the landscape. Nawalparasai has been identified as an IBA because of its important colony of White-rumped Vultures.

Key biodiversity
A total of 71 nests of White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis was counted here during the 2002-2003 breeding season; of these only 23 were successful in raising young (Baral et al. 2003).

Non-bird biodiversity: Golden Jackal Canis aureus, Indian Hare Lepus nigricollis, Bengal Fox Vulpes bengalensis have been seen. Other possible wildlife include Leopard Panthera pardus.


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Nawalparasi forests (Nepal). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/nawalparasi-forests-iba-nepal on 22/11/2024.