The national parks of Nepal, which are tucked away in the shadow of the Himalayas, offer a plethora of experiences and breathtaking locations to see. They will provide you with the experience of sighting high mountains, sloping valleys, lush greenery, and exotic creatures, up close. Due to its distinctive geographic position, the national parks of Nepal are home to a wide diversity of flora and wildlife, and provide a choice of wonderful and affordable options for nature tourism.
The Khaptad National Park is situated in the far western part of Nepal. The park, which has a size of 225 sq. km, was established in 1984. The park has distinct and significant ecologies, and is the only national park in the western Nepal’s mid-mountains. In the 1940s, the late Khaptad Swami relocated there to practise meditation and prayer. He lived alone for approximately 50 years before rising to the status of a revered spiritual saint.
The park offers a unique experience unlike that of any other Nepalese protected area; one that is both difficult and rewarding. The Khaptad Baba Ashram is next to the park’s administrative building. On the road to the park’s headquarters, there is a Shiva temple and the Tribeni confluence of three rivers. During Jestha Purnima, Ganga Dashahara is observed here, and a large number of pilgrims visit the park during this occasion. Another sacred landmark, Sahashra linga, is located near the park’s highest peak at 3,200 metres above sea level. These sites should be left undisturbed as they are thought to be places of tranquillity and meditation. It is forbidden to consume tobacco products, drink alcohol, or perform animal sacrifices here. Within the park, there are 22 open areas of pastureland that coexist with the woods. During the summer, the locals use the patans (pastureland) to graze their animals. A lake by the name Khaptad Daha could be found in the park’s northeastern region. There is a celebration, called Purnima, that is observed here between the full moons of August and September.
The Khaptad plateau is covered in lovely flowers of approximately 135 kinds, which bloom in the late spring and summer. Primroses, buttercups, and wild berries make up the grassland’s floral species. There are 224 different types of medicinal plants that are found inside the park. According to reports, the park is home to 266 different bird species, including both migratory and resident birds. About 175 species of breeding birds are supported there. The Impeyan, the pheasant (Dhanphe) which is the national bird, and other species of partridges, flycatchers, bulbuls, cuckoos, and eagles are a few of the more common ones found here. The Khaptad environment also has a vast range of butterflies, moths, and insects. There are over 20 distinct types of mammals that live in the park. Barking deer, wild boar, goral, Himalayan black bear, Yellow-throated Marten, and Rhesus and Langur monkeys are a few of the examples; others include jackal, musk deer, leopard, and wild dogs.
Asia, especially Nepal, is the home to the yellow-throated marten, a kind of marten. Due to its widespread distribution, seeming relatively steady population, occurrence in a variety of protected areas, and absence of significant threats, it is categorised as Least Concern on the IUCN Red list. The biggest marten in the Old World, the yellow throated marten, also known as the Kharza and Chuthraul has a tail that makes up more than half of its length. Its fur is vividly hued, with a special combination of black, white, golden-yellow, and brown. It is omnivorous, eating everything from fruit and nectar to small deer. Due to its strong physique, vibrant colouring, and pungent stench, the yellow throated marten is a bold creature with few natural predators. It is naturally trained against its predators and has minimal fear of either people or dogs.
Yellow throated martens are diurnal predators, who usually hunt in pairs but it has been found occasionally to hunt in groups of three or more. These animals have large, yet movable home ranges. They are reported to cover more than 10 to 20 kms in one day and night of vigorous patrolling. Although they prefer to forage on the ground, they are adept climbers and can jump up to 8 to 9 metres between branches. Although it prefers to hunt on the ground, it is excellent at climbing trees. The yellow throated martens limit its activity to the tops of trees after March snowfall. During this time, males compete with one another for access to females. Usually, their litters contain two or three kits, but very rarely four.
It feeds on eggs, ground nesting birds like pheasants and francolics, as well as rats, mice, hares, snakes, lizards, and rats. It is said to kill poultry and cats. It has been sighted consuming human corpses, and it was formerly believed that groups of three to four might attack an unarmed man. Small ungulates may be a target of the yellow throated marten. It is said to regularly kill muntjac fawns in the Himalayas, and in Ussuriland, musk deer make up the majority of its food, especially in the winter. The yellow throated-marten lures musk deer onto ice, where they are then hunted. A musk deer corpse can be eaten by two or three yellow-throated martens in two to three days.
The yellow- throated martens don’t have many predators of their own, but they can occasionally be preyed on by larger animals, and a few have even been found in the stomachs of Siberian tigers and Asian black bears. Because of their widespread distribution, the population of yellow-throated martens is constant. They are protected in a number of places, including Myanmar, Malaysia and China.
If you’re lucky, you could encounter this startling species in the Khaptad area leaping from branch to branch in the deep woods or crawling on the green meadows. Sighting this animal might be a great adventure story to tell.
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