BARDIYA: Tourists, both domestic and foreign, come to the Blackbuck Conservation Area in Bardiya to observe the blackbuck, an animal listed as a rare wild species. This conservation area is located in Khairapur in ward 2 of Gulariya Municipality, about 45 km away from the Bardiya National Park.

According to the data from the Blackbuck Conservation Area, at least 4,600 tourists, including domestic, SAARC, and other foreign visitors, came to see the blackbuck during the last fiscal year, 2024/25.

It has been stated that fewer tourists have arrived this fiscal year due to the rainy season. Tourists typically return to hotels in the Bardiya National Park after a day of sightseeing.

Currently, the entry fee to see the blackbuck is set at Rs 2,000 for foreigners, Rs 500 for tourists from SAARC countries, and Rs 100 for Nepali citizens. There are currently 248 blackbucks in the Blackbuck Conservation Area.

The government declared the Blackbuck Conservation Area on March 16, 2009. Its total area is 16.95 square kilometers. Of the total area, the blackbuck habitat zone is 5.27 square kilometers, and the surrounding affected area is 11.68 square kilometers.

The blackbuck prefers to live in open grasslands, specifically fields of duboo (Bermuda grass) and kaans (reed grass). Therefore, it grazes and resides alongside domestic animals such as cows, buffaloes, sheep, and goats near human settlements. Their numbers are continuously updated through observation.

In the process of managing the Blackbuck Conservation Area, necessary physical construction and habitat management works are currently underway. There is a plan to create a conservation area management plan and transfer the responsibility for its future conservation and management to the local community.