Originally a hunting reserve, Bardia became a wildlife conservation area in 1976 and was upgraded to National Park status as recently as 1988. As well as providing a home for a wide range of mammals, birds and reptiles, Royal Bardia National Park provides the ideal environment for the study of wildlife. The WWF and the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation are both active in the Park monitoring wildlife movement and breeding habits as well as pursuing a policy of forestry care and educating local people on the meaning of, and need for, protected areas.
