Background

Wild water buffalo is an endangered species presently distributed in some countries of South and Southeast Asia with Nepal’s only population in the flood plain of the Koshi River at Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (KTWR). Some of the individuals have been translocated to Chitwan National Park of central Nepal but the survival rate is not satisfactory.

Methods

This study was conducted in Babai flood plain of Bardia National Park (BNP) to identify a suitable habitat for wild water buffalo based on habitat parameters of KTWR. The study employed both the geospatial and vegetation analysis method.

Results

The study found that Imperata cylindrica, Saccharum spontaneum, Cynodon dactylon were the three dominant grass species with IVI values of 74.15, 60.45, and 11.85 respectively in the Babai flood plain. Similarly, the dominant tree species in the Babai flood plain was Bombax ceiba with the IVI value of 127.81 followed by Shorea robusta, Termenalia tomentosa, Largestroemia parviflora, and Adina cardifolia with the IVI of 48.38, 21.04, 13.03 and 9.19 respectively. Out of the total 108.67 km² of the entire study area of Babai flood plain, 8.26 km² was found to be suitable, 100.12 km² area moderately suitable, and 0.29 km² area as less suitable.

Conclusions

Babai flood plain of BNP is moderately suitable habitat for wild water buffalo. Grassland and wetland management and study of other parameters such as climate and prey-predator relationship is recommended before making the decision to translocate wild water buffaloes to the Babai flood plain of BNP.

中文翻译：

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尼泊尔巴迪亚国家公园巴拜洪泛区野生水牛（Bubalus arnee）的栖息地适宜性

背景

野生水牛是一种濒危物种，目前分布在南亚和东南亚的一些国家，尼泊尔是仅在科什塔普普野生动物保护区（KTWR）的科希河泛滥平原上生活的人口。一些人已转移到尼泊尔中部的奇旺国家公园，但成活率并不令人满意。

方法

这项研究是在Bardia国家公园（BNP）的Babai洪泛平原上进行的，以根据KTWR的栖息地参数确定适合野生水牛的栖息地。该研究采用了地理空间和植被分析方法。

结果

研究发现，在白柏河泛滥平原上，白茅草，自发糖草，狗牙根是三种优势草，其IVI值分别为74.15、60.45和11.85。同样，在八佰冲积平原的主要树种是木棉与随后的127.81的IVI值娑罗树，Termenalia毛白杨，Largestroemia小花，和阿迪娜cardifolia与48.38，21.04，13.03分别为9.19和IVI的。在整个Babai洪泛平原研究区域的总108.67 km ²中，发现8.26 km ²是合适的，100.12 km ^2是中等程度的合适，0.29 km ² 面积不那么合适。

结论

BNP的Babai洪泛平原是野生水牛的适度生境。建议在决定将野生水牛转移到法国巴黎银行的拜拜平原之前，先对草原和湿地进行管理，并研究其他参数，例如气候和猎物与捕食者之间的关系。