The Khata Corridor is a 15-mile pathway along the shared border of Nepal’s Bardia National Park and India’s Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary. Its short distance belies its significance for people and wildlife in the region.
Nearly two decades ago, this area of the Khata Forest was a degraded patch of land. Now, lush with trees, shrubs, and grasslands, it hosts tigers, rhinos, and dozens of other species as the Khata Corridor.
Wildlife corridors like this one serve as a connecting pathway that allows wildlife to safely move from one wild area to another. Animals often travel vast distances in search of water, food, shelter, and opportunities to mate. But the wild spaces in which they roam are often interrupted by fences, roads, and other human infrastructure.
The Khata Corridor was established with collaborative efforts from local communities, the Nepal government, and WWF so wildlife could move securely. The increase in wildlife through the corridor has also helped local tourism in the area and provided opportunities for community members to engage first-hand in conservation. The camera trap images below–captured by a group of local citizen scientists–show the abundance of life within the Khata Corridor.
