People and settlements       Use of floodplain     Tharu (Dangora, Dhakar, Katharia and Rana) people occupy about 60 % of the population of Bardia. They are the oldest indigenous ethnic group living from the historical times when malaria was prevalent in the region. Agriculture is the main occupation of the Tharu people. The Tharus have a very close relationship with nature and depend on forest for timber, fodder, thatch grass, medicinal herbs, vegetables, fruits, etc. Since the eradication of malaria in the 1950s, the area has been subject to dramatic change due to large numbers of hill immigrants. Nowadays, the hill people comprise a significant proportion of the population. Nearly 95% of the population depends on agriculture for subsistence. Human settlements around the border of the park have been confined along the southern and western boundaries.     Disturbances and dynamics of habitat   Growing pressure on the natural resources and their effects on wildlife and habitats are major challenges in managing the park. The local people collect resources from forest, grasslands, floodplains and wetlands. The seasonal flooding of the Karnali and Babai rivers and fires has also influenced the species distribution and composition. Anthropogenic and natural ecological factors determine the land cover dynamics of the park and associated effects on the wildlife.       Last update: 18 April 2013 Bardia National Park  •  Introduction (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Global_EN/SEM67NKRQJF_0.html)  •  Location (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Global_EN/SEMVZNKRQJF_0.html)  •  Geology and soil (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Global_EN/SEMH5OKRQJF_0.html)  •  Weather and climate (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Global_EN/SEMNGPKRQJF_0.html) Exercises  •  Worksheet introduction (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Global_EN/SEM5HQ6UWJF_0_ov.html)  •  Overview - working on paper prints (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Global_EN/SEM4JQ6UWJF_0.html)  •  Bardia Region Overview - Image processing (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Global_EN/SEMH8T6UWJF_0.html)  •  Landscape and land cover dynamics in the Karnali Floodplain (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Global_EN/SEMU4X6UWJF_0.html)  •  Habitat suitability evaluation for rhinoceros in Bardia (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Global_EN/SEM5LX6UWJF_0.html) Eduspace - Software  •  LEOWorks 3 (http://esamultimedia.esa.int/multimedia/LEOWorks3.exe)  •  ArcExplorer (http://esamultimedia.esa.int/multimedia/eduspace/ae2setup.zip) Eduspace - Download  •  bardia.zip (http://download.esa.int/multimedia/eduspace/bardia_v2.zip)  •  bardia_paperprints.zip (http://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/eduspace/bardia_paperprints.zip) Resources  •  Useful links (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Global_EN/SEMEIY6UWJF_0.html)