Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve

Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve is a protected wetland area in the eastern Terai of Nepal established in 1976 to conserve the Sapta Koshi floodplain and its wildlife. The reserve covers roughly 176 square kilometres and is the country’s principal protected floodplain wetland.

The reserve comprises marshes, reedbeds, shallow lakes and seasonally inundated grasslands that support large numbers of resident and migratory waterbirds and several populations of large herbivores adapted to riverine plains. Boat trips and observation platforms are used for wildlife viewing and birdwatching.

Koshi Tappu was created to safeguard the floodplain ecosystem and the species that depend on it; it was later recognized under international wetland conventions. Management focuses on maintaining wetland habitat and regulated visitor access.

The reserve lies in Nepal’s lowland eastern Terai along the Koshi river system, within Koshi administrative area, and is accessed from regional roads connecting the Terai towns and districts.

• Establishment and size: The reserve was established in 1976 and covers roughly 176 square kilometres, protecting a floodplain of the Sapta Koshi river system in Nepal's eastern Terai.
• Best time for birdwatching: October through April is the primary season for migratory waterbirds, when species diversity and numbers in the wetlands are highest.

What to See #

• Wetland complex: A network of riverine marshes, reedbeds and shallow lakes that form the reserve's wetland core and support waterbird feeding and breeding.
• Observation towers and visitor facilities: Raised observation platforms and basic visitor facilities used for birdwatching and guided wildlife viewing inside the reserve.
• Floodplain grasslands: Seasonal grasslands and floodplain areas that provide grazing habitat for large herbivores and support wetland-edge bird species.