| Flora and Fauna |
Flora and Fauna
Pokhara is not just a place for the mountains, it is
rich for its natural vegetation and forest type too.
Hills like Sarangkot, Kaudanda etc boast wide variety of
forest plants and trees. These dense forest are also a
dwelling place for different wild creatures.
There is exclusively great floral and faunal diversity
in Pokhara valley due to the prevalence of a wide range
of climatic and topographical variations. The valley is
dominated by rich pockets of Schima-Castanopsis forest.
In the southern part of the valley Shorea robust mixed
with Schema wallichii is found. Along the river and
streams side, Acacia catechu at lower belt and Almus
nepalensis at higher belt occur. Gregarious Bompax ceiba
trees spread over flat terraces. At higher elevations,
north of Pokhara, floral composition of astonishing
diversity comprising several species of blossoming
rhododendrons and orchids and a wide range of other
species of quercus, Champ, conifers, bamboos and pasture
grasses have created dense and diverse vegetation
complexes.
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The forests of Pokhara valley can be grouped under five
types as follows :
1. Evergreen Coniferous Forest:
t occupies roughly 7% of total forested area of the
valley. It is mainly found on the higher slopes of the
hills, above 1,850 m. in the north-western and
north-eastern part of the valley. The main tree species
of this forest are:
S.No. English Name Scientific Name Family
1. Chirpine Pinus roxburghii Pinaceae
2. Spruce Picea smithiana Pinaceae
3. Silver Oak Gravillea robusta Protaceae
2. Mixed Forest:
Mixed forest occupies nearly 34% of the forested area of
the valley. It is found on the lower slopes of the hills
between 1,220 m. to 1,850m. It is found on the northern
parts and mainly concentrated in the north-western and
north-eastern parts of the valley. The main trees
species of this forest are:
S.No.
Local Name
Scientific Name
Family
1.
Chilaune
Schima wallichii
Theaceae
2.
Katus
Castanopsis indica
Fagaceae
3.
Uttis
Alnus nepalensis
Betulaceae
3. Monsoon Forest:
It occupies 33% of the total forested land. These
forests are found in the south and eastern part of the
valley at the elevation of 762 to 1,219m. Several tree
species of religious importance have been planted in
these areas: The main species are:
S. No. Local Name Scientific Name
Family Habit
1. Sal Shorea robusta
Dipterocarpaceae
Tree
2. Simal Bombax ceiba Bombacaceae Tree
3. Chilaune Schima wallichii Theaceae Tree
4. Bar Ficus bengalensis Moraceae Tree
5. Pipal Ficus religiosa Moraceae Tree
6. Titepati Artemesia vulgaris Compositeae Herb
7. Tapre Cassia tora Leguminoseae Herb
4. Grasslands:
This type of vegetation occupies 12% of the total forest
areas. It is concentrated in the central part of the
valley along river sides and deposited areas. The major
grassland species are:
S. No.
Local Name
Scientific Name
Family
Habit
1.
Dudhejhar
Euphorbia hirta
Euphorbiaceae
Herb
2.
Banmara
Lantana camera
Verbenaceae
Shrub
3.
Unyu
Dryopteris species
Polypodiaceae
Herb
4.
Bhui Kaphal
Fragaria insica
Rosaceae
Herb
5.
Kuro
Bidens pilosa
Compositeae
Herb
6.
Dubo
Cynodon dactylon
Graminae
Herb
5. Reverie Forest:
It covers 14% of the total forested land of the valley.
The forest is found near the rivers and lakes. Swampy
forest species are also included in this forest.
Dominant species of this forest are:
S. No.
Local Name
Scientific Name
Family
Habit
1.
Khair
Acacia catechu
Leguminoseae
Tree
2.
Bayar
Zizyphus jujuba
Rhamasceae
Shurb
3.
Simal
Bombax ceiba
Bombaceae
Tree
4.
Kalo Siris
Albizzia lebbeck
Leguminoseae
Tree
5.
Amp
Mangifera indica
Anacardiaceae
Tree
Several species of medicinal plants are also recorded in
the Pokhara valley. Some of them are:
S. No.
Local Name
Scientific Name
Family
Habit
1.
Asuro
Adhatoda vasica
Canthaceae
Shrub
2.
Amala
Emblica officinalis
Euphorbiaceae
Tree
3.
Bel
Aegle marmelos
Rutaceae
Tree
4.
Neem
Azidarachta indica
Meliaceae
Tree
5.
Chutro
Berberis aristata
Barberidaceae
Shrub
6.
Palans
Butea monosperma
Fagaceae
Tree
7.
Dhaturo
Datura stramonium
Solanaceae
Shrub
Besides these plants, the valley is equally rice in
aquatic plants as it is the home of many lakes. Some of
these plants are considered very important as they have
become endangered. Following is the list of major
aquatic plants:
Common Name
Scientific Name
Mosquito fem
Azolla carliniana
Water hyacinth
Eichornia crassips
Duckweed
Lemma spp.
Corntail
Ceratophyllum spp.
Water lettuce
Pistia stratiotes
Tape grass
Vallisneria spp.
Water weed
Egeria spp.
Pond weed
Potamogaton cenferoides
Water lily
Nymphoides aquatica
Hydrilla
Hydrilla verticillata
Water lotus
Nelumbo spp.
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Mammals
Nearly 35 species of mammals are found in Pokhara
valley. The mammals are commonly found in the forests
around Pokhara but occasionally seen due to lower
population and their shy nature as compared to avifauna.
Hence patience is required to watch these mammals. The
best places to observe these mammals are the forests
near Fewa lake, Begnas lake, Rupa lake and Banpale Hill
(Forest of Insitute of Forestry, Pokhara Campus). Some
major species are:
S.No. Name Zoological Name Family
1. Common leopard Panthera pardus Felidae
2. Jungle cat Felis chaus Felidae
3. Crab-eating Mongoose Herpestus urva Herpestidae
4. Masked palm civet Paguma larvata Viverridae
5. Indian crested porcupine Hystrix indica Hystricidae
6. Golden jackal Canis aureus Canidae
7. Barking deer Muntiacus muntjak Cervidae
8. Common otter Lutra lutra Mustelidae
9. Asiatic lack bear Selenarctos thbetanus Ursidae
10. Indian pangolin Manis crassicaudata Manidae
11. Assamese monkey Macaca assamensis Cercopithecidae
12. Bengal fox Vulpus bengalensis Canidae
13. Leopard cat Felis bengalensis Felidae
14. Clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa Felidae
15. Small Asian mongoose Herpestus javanicus Herpestidae
16. Indian grey mongoose Herpestus edwardissii
Herpestidae
17. Indian hare Lepus nigricollis Leporidae
18 Bush rat Golunda ellioti Muridae
19. Himalayan yellow throated marten Martex flavigula
Mustelidae
20. Greater woolly Horseshoe bat Rhinoloplus luctus
Rhonilophidae
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BIRDS
Diverse floral composition of Pokhara valley has made it
one of the most suitable places for birds. Habitat
combination of Seti canyon and marshy lakes with dense
forests and flat plains provide proper habitat for a
diverse range of birds. Several species of birds
including kingfishers, barbets, drongos, woodpeckers,
babblers, flowerpeckers, flycatchers, egrets and bulbuls
are found. The birds are residential as well as
migratory. Following is a list of some very common birds
of Pokhara.
S.No. Common Name Scientific Name Family
1. Cattle egret Bubulcus ibis Ardidae
2. Dark kite Milvus migrans Accipitridae
3. Egyptian vulture Neophron percnopterus Accipitridae
4. Black patridge Fancolinus francolinus Phasianidae
5. Rose-ringed parakeet Psittacula krameri Psittacidae
6. Eurasian cuckoo Cuculus canorus Cuculidae
7. Blue throated barbet Megalaima asiatica Captionidae
8. Blacknaped woodpecker Picus canus Picidae
9. House swift Apus affinis Apodidae
10. House crow Corvus splendens Corvidae
11. Himalayan tree pie Dendrocitta formosae Corvidae
12. Ashy drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus Dicruridae
13. Black headed shrike Lanius schach Laniidae
14. Whistling thrush Myiophoneus caeruleus Muscicapidae
15. Beautiful nitava Muscicapa sundara Muscicapidae
16. Black headed oriole Oriolus chinensis Oriolidae
17. Golden oriole Oriolus oriolus Oriolidae
18. Red vented bulbul Pycnonotus cafer Pycnotidae
19. Grey tit Parus major Paridae
20. Pond heron Ardeola grayii Ardidae
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