Sagarmāthā National Park is a national park in the Himalayas of eastern Nepal that was established in 1976 and encompasses an area of 1148 km2 in the Solukhumbu District. It ranges in elevation from 2845 to 8849 m and includes Mount Everest. In the north, it shares the international border with Qomolangma National Nature Preserve in Tibet Autonomous Region. In the east, it is adjacent to Makalu Barun National Park, and in the south it extends to Dudh Kosi river. It is part of the Sacred Himalayan Landscape.

History

Sagarmatha National Park was established on July 19, 1976. In 1979, it became the country's first national park that was inscribed as a Natural World Heritage Site. In January 2002, a Buffer Zone comprising 275 km2 was added. Conservation of forests, wildlife, and cultural resources received top priority under the Buffer Zone Management Guidelines, followed by conservation of other natural resources and development of alternative energy. Tourism in the area began in the early 1960s. In 2003, about 19,000 tourists arrived. As of 2005, about 3,500 Sherpa people lived in villages and seasonal settlements situated along the main tourist trails.

Landscape

Sagarmatha National Park contains the upper catchment areas of the Dudh Kosi and Bhotekoshi rivers and the Gokyo Lakes. It ranges in elevation from 2845 m at Monjo to the top of Mount Everest at 8849 m. Other peaks above 6000 m are Lhotse, Cho Oyu, Thamserku, Nuptse, Amadablam and Pumori. Barren land above 5000 m comprises 69% of the park while 28% is grazing land and the remaining 3% is forested. Climatic zones span from temperate and subalpine above 3000 m to alpine above 4000 m, which is the upper limit of vegetation growth. The nival zone begins at 5000 m.

Wildlife

Flora

The forests in the subalpine belt consist of fir, Himalayan birch and rhododendron. Juniper and rhododendron prevail at elevations of 4000-5000 m. Mosses and lichens grow above 5000 m. More than 1,000 floral species were recorded in the national park.

Fauna

Sagarmatha National Park hosts 208 bird species including Impeyan pheasant, bearded vulture, snowcock and alpine chough. It has been designated as an Important Bird Area. Ungulates include Himalayan tahr, Himalayan serow and musk deer. The snow leopard inhabits elevations above 3500 m, and the Indian leopard roams forests in lower elevations.