LUMBINI- NATURAL BIO-DIVERSITY

LUMBINI- NATURAL BIO-DIVERSITY

Lumbini, apart from its spiritual and religious significance, also fascinates a large number of naturalists, botanists and zoologists. Visitors can see a wide variety of sub-tropical shrubs, herbs, flowers and plants, which serve as a habitat for hundreds of birds and animal species. The habitat area of the Lumbini Master Plan consists of 58 percent grassland, 40 percent secondary forest and 2 percent wetland that includes rivers and ponds. Lumbini harbors indigenous plant species as well as plants associated with the Buddha's life: mango, jackfruit, Bodhi tree, bamboo, Arjuna, Ashoka and Zyzyphus berry. The Telar River , in which the infant

Buddha was bathed, is an important natural environment in atural Bio-conserving the ecosystem of the area. The Lumbini habitat harbors more than 250 species of birds. The Sarus Crane, Lesser Adjutant, Indian Spotted Eagle, Lesser Adjutant Stork, White Necked Stork, Black Stork, Purple Heron,Lesser Whistling Teal, Cormorants and different species of Egrets are found here.

The area also harbors endangered animals and reptiles such as the Blue Bull, python and Monitor Lizard and unique mammal families like the Bengal Fox, Asiatic Golden Jackal, Jungle Cat and Grey Mongoose, among others. In 1997, surveys of the wetlands and the renovated pond commenced to see how they could be recharged during and after the monsoon. Wetland "A" has a 130 m long dyke while Wetland "B" has a 105 m dyke. The pond has witnessed the return of many bird species. Aquatic vegetation includes the typha, hydrilla, pondweed and eleochris.