Nepal houses only inland freshwater wetlands, ranging from floodplains of snow-melt-fed cold Himalayan rivers, warm rivers
originating in the mid hills, high altitudinal glacial lakes to hot springs, ponds, ox-bow lakes, marshes and swamps. These wetlands
support several endemic and globally threatened species of flora and fauna. Besides, wetland sites have significant recreational,
religio-cultural and spiritual values. There are over 240 wetland sites in Nepal, of which 163 are in the Terai (plain lowland). Wetlands
found in Tarai are comparatively more inventoried than the wetlands of mountains and the Himalayan regions of the country. The
Terai region (below 300 m) covers about 14% of the country’s total area, where half of Nepal’s total populations exist. About 11%
population of the country is wetland dependent; majority of them are living in the Terai region. The country has nine Ramsar sites,
of which, four are in the Tarai region. Among them, two sites (Koshi Tappu wetland, and Beeshazar and associated lakes) lie inside
the protected areas and two sites (Ghodaghodi Lake area and Jagadishpur Reservoir) are distributed outside the protected areas.
The Koshi Tappu wetland lies along the floodplains of the Sapta Koshi River in the eastern Tarai within the Koshi Tappu Wildlife
Reserve. It is the first Ramsar site in Nepal. Beeshazar and associated lakes lies in the buffer zone of the Chitwan National Park
along the inner Tarai of Central Nepal. The Ghodaghodi Lake Area (2500 ha) lies in the far western Nepal, and comprises about 14
large and small ox-bow lakes/ponds with associated marshes, swamps, river/streams, springs, seasonal marshy grasslands and
human made wetlands, out of them, Ghodaghodi Lake (138 ha) is the largest natural lake in the Nepal’s Tarai. The lake system falls
between the Bardia National Park and the Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve of the country and the surrounding forest functions as an
important corridor for the movement of wildlife between these as well as the Tarai and the northern Siwalik hills. Similarly, the
Jagadishpur Reservoir (225 ha) which lies in Central Nepal’s Tarai is the largest man-made wetland in Nepal for irrigation purpose.
It is an important site for migratory and resident birds. In this paper we highlight the status, threats, conservation issues and
management practices of these Ramsar sites lying in Nepal Tarai.