Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and Koshi Barrage (14333)
Nepal, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2025
National site name: Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and Koshi Barrage
Central coordinates: Latitude: 26.5500, Longitude: 87.0500
System: terrestrial, freshwater
Elevation (m): 75 to 81
Area of KBA (km2): 148.99841
Protected area coverage (%): 98.76
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The IBA lies in Sunsari and Udaypur Districts, Koshi Province and Saptari District, Madhesh Province.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: A total of 535 species of birds have been recorded in the IBA (Basnet and Chaudhary 2023). A large number of 526 bird species was listed for the KTWR and Koshi Barrage area (Baral 2016). Eight additional species have been recorded since then (Inskipp et al. 2020; Sanjib Acharya in litt. to C. Inskipp, 10 January 2023).<div>The IBA supports significant populations of globally threatened species: Bengal Florican, White-rumped Vulture, Steppe Eagle, Greater Spotted Eagle, and Bristled Grassbird. </div><div>Other globally threatened species recorded are: Common Pochard Aythya ferina (very uncommon winter visitor and passage migrant), Baer’s Pochard Aythya baeri (rare winter visitor and passage migrant), Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis (vagrant), Lesser Florican Sypheotides indica (extremely rare visitor), Black-bellied Tern Sterna acuticauda (very uncommon breeder); River Tern Sterna aurantia (rare visitor), Indian Skimmer Rynchops albicollis (rare visitor), Pallas’s Fish-eagle Haliaeetus leucoryphus (uncommon winter visitor), Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus (uncommon visitor), Slender-billed Vulture Gyps tenuirostris (extremely rare), Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvus (rare winter visitor), Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax (very rare passage migrant), Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca, uncommon winter visitor and passage migrant); Greater Adjutant Leptoptilus dubius (rare visitor), Kashmir Flycatcher Ficedula subrubra (rare passage migrant), White-throated Bushchat Saxicola insignis (rare passage migrant and winter visitor), Finn’s Weaver Ploceus megarhynchus (very rare summer visitor) and Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola (very rare passage migrant and winter visitor).</div><div><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Two restricted-range species have been recorded and both are rare visitors: Yellow-vented Warbler Phylloscopus cantator and Kashmir Flycatcher Ficedula subrubra. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Non-bird biodiversity: </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">A total of 40 mammal species has been found at Koshi including Nepal's last population of Asian Buffalo Bubalus arnee, a globally threatened species. Other globally threatened species include Ganges River Dolphin Platanista gangetica, Smooth-coated Otter Lutrogale perspicillata, Fishing Cat Prionailurus viverrinus, Gharial Gavialis gangeticus and Mugger Crocodile Crocodylus palustris. The Koshi River is home to 141 species of fish (KTWR 2018). Other flora and fauna include 514 species of plants, 77 of butterfly, and 52 of herpetofauna (KTWR 2018 ).</span></div>
Manageability of the site: Site identified based on BirdLife International's Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, under which manageability is strongly recommended but not explicitly documented
Delineation rationale: Protected IBAs extended to include designated Buffer Zones
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: <div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Approximately 70% of the reserve’s land area is covered in grasslands (Heinen 1993), although during high flood years a large area of grassland is destroyed and replaced by new alluvial deposits. Typha and Saccharum are major grassland types found here, although patches of Imperata and Phragmites are often seen. Medium size phantas interspersed with young Acacia trees are found in sandy islands. Riverine vegetation with Acacia catechu/Dalbergia sissoo forest dominates on the islands and edges of the reserve. Mostly young trees grow inside and on the edges of the reserve within embankments, the old mature trees being swept away by annual floods (Peet et al. 1999a).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">South of Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve lies the Koshi Barrage area which is unprotected. The area is 7 km from north to south and nearly 5 km from east to west. More than 50% of the land area at the barrage is covered by water, and the remaining land area is subject to intensive agriculture. The barrage gates are regulated by the Indian Government according to a 99-year lease agreement between Nepal and India. </div>
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Koshi’s wetland habitats are threatened by the large population of very poor, subsistence farmers and fishermen living in close proximity. Agriculture is the dominant mode of production for 87.3% of households. A large proportion of this largely impoverished community interact within and outside the protected areas of Koshi for collection and use of natural resources, recreation, ceremonies, and public rights of way etc. They are heavily dependent on the natural resources of the reserve and surrounding areas. The traditional rural farmscape is rapidly being changed accommodating less and less species of birds and other wildlife. The barrage is a permanent threat to Koshi’s wildlife (Baral 2016).<div>In their 2009-13 management plan, DNPWC (2009) identified the following conservation issues facing the sustainable management of KTWRBZ). Degradation of the terrestrial habitat due to illegal grazing, seasonal fire and human encroachment are major threats. Some domestic cattle and buffaloes still graze inside KTWR, although their numbers have been much reduced. Degradation of the aquatic habitat is occurring due to over-fishing and poisoning, poaching and over-collection of resources (DNPWC 2009). <br>Illegal fishing, disturbance of nesting and feeding areas, poisoning that not only kills fish, but also birds that feed on fish and aquatic insects, have together resulted in deterioration and loss of suitable habits for birds and other wildlife (e.g. Anon 1992, Petersson 1998, Giri 1997, 2002).</div><div>Two invasive alien plants are both widespread at Koshi and are causing major problems. Water hyacinth Pontederia crassipes can rapidly cover and choke water surfaces. The climber Mikania micrantha can cover all terrestrial habitats (Baral 2002).</div><div>Siltation of wetlands due to intermittent floods blocked by the Koshi Dam is not only a major problem of habitat degradation but also an impediment to migratory routes of aquatic species. In addition, use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides near wetlands are problems inherent in Koshi Tappu. </div>
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Unspecified species | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Gathering terrestrial plants | Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target) | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: <div>Anon. (1992) Wrong information, right place. Agenda Survival. Nepal Zoological Society Newsletter. July-August.</div><div>Baral, HS (2002) Invasive weed threatens protected area. Danphe 11(3):11-12.</div><div>Baral, HS (2016) Birds of Sapta Koshi floodplains. Himalayan Nature, Kathmandu.</div><div>Bird Conservation Nepal and Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (2011) The State of Nepal’s Birds 2010. Bird Conservation Nepal and Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Kathmandu. 96 pp.</div>Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (2009) Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and Buffer Zone management plan. Kathmandu.<div>Giri, T (1997) Habitat loss at Koshi. Danphe 6(2): 1.</div><div>Giri, T (2002) Threats to birds at Koshi. Danphe 11(1):35-36.<br><div>Heinen, JT (1993) Park-people relations in Kosi Tappu Wildlife Reserve: a socio-economic analysis. Environmental Conservation 20(1): 25-34.</div><div>Inskipp, C, Baral HS, Acharya, S, Chaudhary, H, Ghimire, M and Gri, D (2020) Rare birds in Nepal. Nepal Journal of Zoology 4(2):108-132.</div><div>Peet, N, Watkinson, AJ, Bell, DJ and Kattel, BJ (1999a) Plant diversity in the threatened sub-tropical grasslands of Nepal. Biological Conservation 88: 193-206.</div><div>Petersson, D. (1998) What is happening at Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve? Danphe 7(1/2): 6-7.</div></div>
Contributors: Site identified based on Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas by the BirdLife International Partnership