Forest Biodiversity

Flora and fauna

The Western Terai Landscape Complex is globally significant with regard to both its faunal and floral diversity. It is home to threatened wildlife species, including: tiger (Panthera tigris ), rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis), Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), swamp deer (Cervus duvaucelli), black buck (Antilope cervicapra), four-horned antelope (Teracerus quadricornis), Indian fox (Vulpes bengalensis), wild dog (Cuon alpinus), sloth bear (Melursus ursinus), hispid hare (Caprolagus hispidus), Gangetic dolphin (Platanista gangetica), lesser adjutant stork (Leptoptilos javanicus), lesser florican (Sypheotides indica), mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris), gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), and  Asiatic rock phython (Python molurus).

Although there is no complete information on the flora of this entire landscape, it is estimated that the Western Terai Landscape Complex has about 900 species of vascular plants, out of which 455 species have been recorded. There are 96 tree species, 82 shrub species, 14 species of climbers and 263 herbs.

Forests

The Western Terai Landscape Complex has various types of forests representation: the dominant and commercially valuable Sal (Shorea robusta) forest, tropical deciduous riverine forest, tropical evergreen forest, Terminalia forest, Dalbergia sisso-Acacia catechu forest, and subtropical deciduous hill forest, Pinus roxburghii forest.

Wetlands

There are 79 wetlands in the Western Terai Landscape Complex. One of the most important is Ghodaghodi lake, a network of nine lakes with an area of 138 ha. The Ghodaghodi lake, also declared as a Ramsar site, is considered internationally important as it harbours 34 species of mammals, 140 species of birds (including migratory birds), 27 species of fish and 244 plant species.