Weather and climate The climate in Bardia is tropical and subtropical monsoonal. There are three distinct seasons: the hot and dry season (February to mid-June) the monsoon season (mid-June to late September) the cool and dry season (late September to February) During the hot season the weather is dry, and temperatures peak up to 45°C in May. The hot, sticky days give way to the monsoon rains that last until September. Most of the annual precipitation occurs during the four months of the monsoon period. The western Terai receives less rainfall. The average annual precipitation varies from 1500 mm in the south to over 2000 mm in the north.       The Siwalik Hills       Ecology, Flora and Fauna   The area has a diverse ecology ranging from early successional grasslands in the Karnali floodplain to the climax Sal (Shorea robusta) forest in the flat land area. The Park has a diverse habitat, including wetlands, riverine habitats, grasslands, and forests. The BNP is the largest and most undisturbed wilderness area in the Terai and the Siwalik region of the country. It is a most significant area for biodiversity conservation in the sub-continent.       Sal Forest   About 70% of the park is covered with Sal (Shorea robusta) forest with a balance mixture of grassland, Savannah and Riverine forest. Other forest types includes Khair-Sisso forest, Terai mixed hardwood forest, Hill Sal forest, Hill mixed deciduous forest, Pine forest, and floodplain grassland. The Sal (Shorea robusta) is the most dominant tree species of the park. The Bardia National Park is rich in wildlife. It is home to over 36 species of mammals, 300 species of birds, 25 species of herpetofauna and 60 species of fish. The park provides a safe haven for globally threatened mammals such as the Great One-horned Rhinoceros, the Asian Wild Elephant, the Royal Bengal Tiger, the Swamp Deer, and the Gangetic Dolphin. Other threatened fauna of the park include the Bengal floricon, the lesser floricon, the Saurus crane, the Gharial crocodile, the Marsh mugger crocodile, etc.       Flood plain area         Last update: 16 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)  •  People and settlements (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Global_EN/SEMF3Q6UWJF_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)